Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Live the Impossible

About the Book

Book: Live the Impossible

Author: Jenny Smith

Genre: Memoir

Release date: July, 2021

Adobe Photoshop PDF Jenny Smith was a typical teenager—a gymnast and athlete who loved hair and makeup, played in a band, and was active in her church youth group.

Then one bright summer morning, a spinal cord injury left her paralyzed from the chest down and dependent on others for her most basic needs. Privacy and independence seemed like things of the past.

But Jenny refused to give up or give in to her disability, and over time she discovered that a wheelchair could take her places she’d never dared to imagine. She’s traveled multiple times to Afghanistan and Mexico for wheelchair distributions and sports camps, and even rolled the New York City runway as a model during Fashion Week.

Today, Jenny Smith is a spokesperson for independent and vibrant living with a disability. Her speeches, articles, and social media presence have touched thousands of lives.

In Live the Impossible, Smith shares what it looks like to live with paralysis, from the everyday details most people never think about, to the countless people who have impacted her life along the way. With honesty and humor, faith and fortitude, Jenny shows us how we can all live the impossible, even when life doesn’t go as planned.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jenny Smith Headshot Jenny Smith is an advocate, peer mentor, and encourager for those living with spinal cord injuries, and anyone who has faced unexpected or seemingly impossible challenges. Her popular blog and YouTube channel, Jenny Smith Rolls On, explore the practical aspects of life as a quadriplegic. She also speaks to associations and businesses, schools and universities, and faith-based groups. Jenny works full-time supporting and encouraging cross-cultural workers. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where she rows on the Ohio River with the Louisville Adaptive Rowing program.

You can find out more at www.jennysmithrollson.com.

More from Jenny

“I will never write a book.”

I can’t tell you how many times I said those words. How and why did I publish a book after saying I will never so many times?

For several years, I was writing as a side job for a medical supply company. To learn more about the craft of writing, I signed up for an online class. The instructor invited me to take her next class on writing your life story.

That’s when it happened. I felt a little tap on my shoulder and heard—or felt—the words, “It’s time.”

I groaned.

Since my spinal cord injury at the age of 16, I said never and that’s impossible innumerable times. I had said the words before traveling to Mexico and Afghanistan. As I dreamed of living independently as a quadriplegic. I’d said never to playing wheelchair tennis, rugby, and para-rowing. My words that’s impossible and never were proved wrong time and again.

So I started writing.

It turns out I’ve lived what I believed was impossible.

In July 2021, on the 32nd anniversary of my spinal cord injury, my family, friends, and community celebrated with me at the launch party for my memoir Live the Impossible.

Although the book centers on my story of becoming a quadriplegic at 16 and the trials and adventures that followed, the lessons I learned in the years to come are universal:

How I found my identity
The importance of taking a risk
How I became comfortable in my own body
Acknowledging I have little to offer and yet seeing God do things I could never imagine

We all have unexpected circumstances in life. But I believe we can all live the impossible, even when life doesn’t go as planned.

MY REVIEW

If you are looking for a book to encourage you this is a must read. The author shares with us intimate details of her spinal cord injury. I can’t imagine having this happen when you are a teenager. Jenny shares how after the first moments of her injury she didn’t know what to expect. Of course the question we would all ask is “why me? Now Jenny faced a life that she never thought she would have to go through. She had many surgeries and some things embarrassing moments that made her grown stronger and more determined.

I appreciate the author sharing her journey and triumphs. It was nice that she had family to support her and caring doctors that never gave up on her. The book shows us how important it is to trust God and know that he has a plan for each of us. There were moments I did cry as I read the book . It wasn’t because I felt sorry for her, but because she showed me that even when things look impossible, never give up.

There is a lot to learn from this book about paralysis and how we can all do something to help those who have no one to support them. I was amazed how the author traveled overseas to help people get wheelchairs, speak to them with compassion and never once complain about her own situation. In those moments she knew where God was calling her. Jenny shows us how perseverance will achieve dreams and live with confidence as you reach goals others thought were impossible.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.