by Jana Amos
Joy Davis was looking forward to her freshman year at the University of Southern Mississippi during the summer of 1998. Instead, she began to look forward to walking.
Doctors said she wouldn’t walk again, or at least probably wouldn’t, but God showed her and everyone else that miracles happen.
Joy was in a car wreck that nearly ended her life. Doctors were very skeptical about her ever walking again. “It left me partially paralyzed in a wheelchair with a long, hard road to recovery. With lots of physical therapy and the blessings of patience and optimism, along with a little laughter, I have become stronger,” Joy says. She continues physical therapy as a normal part of life.
“God has and will continue to heal me. Only God can move you from a prognosis of paraplegia to walking!” Not only did she have to go through the pains of physical therapy, but she also had many reconstructive surgeries on her face. Joy is a living testimony to God’s healing power and grace.
Joy says, “God has given me a tremendous testimony to share as part of His purpose for my life.” She was driving a Jeep Cherokee to an aerobics class—staying fit, getting ready for cheer tryouts at USM. A teen-age boy pulled out in front of her. The Jeep flipped, and she was thrown from the vehicle. She wasn’t wearing a seat belt. Every bone in her face was crushed, and she had a major spinal cord injury.
She was taken by ambulance to her hometown hospital, Newton Medical Center. God had placed a neurosurgeon in Joy’s hometown. The surgeon and his wife were from Philadelphia, Penn. When they decided to move, they got in the car and drove. God led them to Newton, Miss. The doctor was in the emergency room when they brought in Joy. He saw the extent of her injuries and knew they had to get her to Jackson immediately.
Joy was airlifted from the Newton High School football field to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. She spent three weeks in the hospital and six weeks in Methodist Rehabilitation Center.
Joy’s mom, Donna Poole, quit her job to stay with her daughter in the hospital. They transferred Joy from the regular hospital to the children’s hospital after a short time. This allowed Donna to stay at the Ronald McDonald house.
One fond memory Joy has of this time is when her mom cooked her a meal and took her to the Ronald McDonald house to eat it. Joy’s jaws were wired shut. Fortunately, her two front teeth had been knocked out, allowing her to put a straw and some soft food between them to eat an actual meal. She recalls, “It tasted so good. I think I can still taste it to this day.”
Joy was determined to walk again. She did daily physical therapy and was almost always able to keep an upbeat attitude. On bad days, her mom would help her find laughter and keep her going. Joy also liked to visit others in various stages of therapy and be an encouragement to them.
Mindy, Joy’s future USM roommate, visited her. Joy told her she would probably need to get a new roommate, but Mindy insisted she would hold Joy’s spot. Joy was about three weeks late getting there, but she made it to USM for the fall semester. She changed her class schedule so that she had the same schedule as Mindy. Mindy helped her get to class, therapy, meals, everywhere and anywhere she needed to go. Her mom remained at home, taking Joy home for weekends and to Jackson for doctor’s visits.
Joy was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ while at USM. She says, “I was blessed to be surrounded by Christian girls who supported me through my recovery as I began this whole new phase in my life. Coming from a small town and going to college can be quite overwhelming to someone who has been pretty sheltered. Thanks to my parents laying a strong foundation, I was able to stay grounded amongst all the new and different things one sees in college.”
Joy met Steve Britt, her physical therapist, in Hattiesburg during her first semester. Steve invited her to Temple. She said Hattiesburg was such a large town compared to Newton, but the comfort of a large college fellowship in church was comforting. “It was such a tender moment of my life. Temple was an important part of that to me.”
Joy graduated from USM in 2002 with her bachelor’s degree and in 2003 with a master’s degree in business technology education. Her first teaching job was at Madison High School, where she taught for three years. She is now in her second year of teaching at Oak Grove High School. She teaches web design, desktop publishing and graphic design.
After Joy’s first year at USM, Joy’s mom returned to work. Donna became the administrative assistant at the Newton Baptist Association. Richard “Mugsy” Davis was a family counselor that worked out of this office one day a week. Donna and Mugsy set up their children Joy and Lee on a blind date!
Joy had been teaching at Madison for two years, and Lee was in school at USM. They began a long-distance relationship while Lee finished college. After the following school year, they got married. God led them to live in Hattiesburg and attend Temple.
Joy’s life has been filled with people that love God and that show God’s love. Her parents took her to church faithfully and continue to live godly lives. Joy had wonderful teachers growing up and a youth minister that cared. While at Madison, Joy had a great mentor. She was a blessing in teaching and in life, with a marriage that exemplified a good Christian family.
Lee’s life has also been filled with God’s people. His father served at Temple among other churches. Temple’s first missionaries Ralph and Cora Joyce Davis are Lee’s grandparents, which have been a part of Temple for decades! Even if Lee’s family wasn’t attending Temple, it’s always been a part of their family.
Joy and Lee are new to Temple as a married couple. The relationships they are building at Temple through their East Campus Bible Fellowship class are very meaningful to her. They are making “couple friends.” They host a small group in their home weekly. She helps make slides for the Bible Fellowship class.
Joy and Lee take advantage of the great equipment and environment at Temple, continuing her therapy together at least three times per week at the Christian Activities Center (CAC). Located at the West Campus, the CAC has a modern weight room with free weights and weight machines, a cardio corner, an aerobics room and a walking track. The CAC offers all of the basic equipment therapists used strengthening Joy’s muscles.
Joy Davis’ life changed radically almost 10 years ago. She had a family and friends to help her. She also discovered Temple for the first time. It was an accepting, loving place, where she felt comfort and God’s presence and she continued healing. Because of her experiences, she hopes that she can be a light for our Lord and be an example for others, especially students that God has blessed her with the gift to teach. She says:
My accident definitely changed my life forever, and there are parts of my body that may never be the same, but I have come to a place where I know God has a special plan, and He has awesome things in store for me as I continue to seek His purpose for my life. Amongst all the turmoil that my family and I have experienced as a result of my accident, I have realized that there is only one way to perfect peace and that is through God and seeking His will. We are not here on this earth to be driven by resentment, anger, materialism, guilt or approval — these are all things I struggle with. Instead God has shown me that we are here to worship Him, love each other, become more like Christ, use the gifts He has given us and tell others about Him. All of these things are for God’s pleasure, not ours.
I challenge you to fully open your heart and mind to what God has to teach you. Through Temple and the wonderful people that make up this body, Lee and I have seen wonderful examples of Christian marriages and are so thankful that God led us here. I have been able to discover why I am here on this earth — only a temporary assignment for what God has in store for me in eternity. We are here for one purpose only — to live for Christ and to please Him.
Everyone’s life changes. A church family experiences those changes together and helps when called upon. If you doubt that a large church can function in such a personal way, then you may not be plugged into a small group. Small groups are where relationships form — where the needs are discovered or revealed. Small groups meet in homes or the church or perhaps at Huddle House. It can be a Bible Fellowship class, a C-group for students, a prayer group that meets weekly in the Oasis, or the Moms in Touch group that meets to pray for children and our schools.
Do you have a small group that helps you in your time of need — or one where you reach out and help others? Find one today! Start a new prayer group. Whatever the Lord leads you to do. Look around and find those that aren’t plugged in and a part of an integral group. Invite them into your group. Those around us during worship may not yet have a small group connection once they have discovered Temple. Read Rick’s article about our upcoming Bible Fellowship changes. Maybe this sparks your desire to be involved in a more intimate Bible study or small group. If you don’t know where to start, contact the church offices at 601.450.3000 or the East Campus at 601.544.1794. Assistants, pastors or one of our ministry volunteers can help you with finding a place to plug in, and like Joy, find your purpose in the Christian life.