On Lou Gehrig Day, we commemorate the great ballplayer who contracted the rare disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain causing loss of muscle control. When Rachel Kerr Schneider's husband was diagnosed with ALS, they were raising young children, running the home, planning for an uncertain financial future, managing medical treatments, welcoming hospice, and accepting the help of supportive friends and relatives. It is challenging to remain Christ-like while living in a cloud of chaos. Rachel chronicled the family's journey in her book, The Widow Chose Red. There’s never enough time to breathe, to sleep, to eat, to relax, to pray, or to take a bath. However, there’s plenty of time to suffer. When her husband died, Rachel chose to wear red to honor her him at his service, choosing to celebrate his life amid her and her children's grieving. Red conveyed an important symbol for her and to those who have been there to support her, John and the family throughout. Rachel tells her story on Book Spectrum with host Chris Cordani. About Rachel Kerr SchneiderSince her husband died in 2011, Rachel’s faith continues to be challenged by widowhood, single parenting, a son with an addiction, relocation, relationships—a new husband, after ten years of long-distance dating, bonus mom to four girls who lost their mom to breast cancer, and becoming a Yaya, unexpectedly. Through it all, her reliance on and relationship with Jesus has given her the resilience that only the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit can provide. Her mission is to remind women that they do, in fact, possess a super-power of their own in the form of the Holy Spirit which lives and breathes in each one of us.Rachel is a member of the National Association for Christian Women Entrepreneurs and BRI Talks. She enjoys travel, which is good, since her parents live in Melbourne, Australia. She is a graduate of Cottey College and holds a B.B.A. from Southern Methodist University. A southern gal at heart, she currently calls the Dallas area home.On a professional level, Rachel created Spirited Prosperity to provide support, encouragement, and inspiration for women seeking to grow their faith, with a special emphasis on their relationship with the Holy Spirit. Her work has included personal training with Patty Aubery, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman’s Soul, and Jack Canfield, co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Ignite with Lisa Nichols, John Tesh’s All Access Coaching, and Platform with Michael Hyatt. As a Senior Regional Vice President for PartyLite, she was a contributing author to the bestseller Build It Big and has trained and spoken with hundreds of women. Visit Rachel’s website at www.SpiritedProsperity.com
