Chad & Julia Veach had no familiarity with the condition their doctor was describing to them. Their daughter, who as far as these new parents were concerned was just as perfect as could be, had a brain disorder that would make even the most basic elements of her daily life a challenge. The doctor explained that she would need a feeding tube, would struggle with daily seizures and communicating would be nearly impossible.
It was the hardest thing the Veach’s ever had to hear.
Stunned, Chad and Julia got in their car to head home. Chad, the pastor of Zoe Church in Los Angeles, explains that – instead of despair – they both experienced a great faith that God was going to be there for them and their daughter as they walked this path.
Three years later, it hasn’t been anywhere close to easy. But Georgia continues to beat the odds.
“She’s just remarkable. It’s the grace of God. She’s actually way further developed than we ever thought she would be. She’s communicating more than ever before – smiles and cooing. She’ll kick her legs if she gets excited, and she’ll let you know if she’s upset! She can cry pretty good!”
“It’s an amazing thing to see someone defy the odds.”
Even though this has often been a painful journey for the Veach family, it’s also been the time in which Chad says they have discovered God’s compassion more clearly than ever before. So how does that work?
“You know – I was just so unaware of other people’s pain until I was in pain. And then I began to understand just how truly compassionate Jesus is. I think of the story in John 11 with Jesus and Lazarus. Even though He knew He was about to solve the problem, it still says that Jesus stopped & ‘Jesus wept’. Why did He? Because He felt compassion. His brothers and his sisters were crying, and that moved Him.”
“I think God is just so filled with compassion.”
Chad’s new book about their family’s journey and the hope that surrounds Georgia’s story is called .
