I’m a storyteller — not because I want to live in a fantasy world, but because I realize we don’t. Every human being has a story about how they got to where they are today.
I find value not only in giving someone my ear to listen to their story but also in sharing it. That’s why I don’t just broadcast my voice across the internet — I also choose to use my platform to amplify the voices of others.
Every voice I share belongs to someone with different ideas, experiences, and perspectives. We may disagree on some things, but I still value their voices.
Listening and Learning
Every time I hear someone’s story, I study it. I’m the kind of person who asks questions that make people re-share their story — even if I’ve heard it before.
Why? Because every retelling reveals something new: a detail I missed, an emotion they hadn’t shared before. Each time, I better understand the person.
I do this with everything. I re-watch shows and movies I’ve seen a hundred times, and every time I notice something new — a line, a glance, a meaning. I do this so I can retell the story as accurately as possible.
Joey’s Story Is Still Unfolding
My husband Joey’s story is one I feel called to share — not when he’s gone, but now. I want to honor him while his journey continues.
Joey has never been the type to raise his own voice about himself. When he was first injured on active duty and needed risky brain surgery, it wasn’t him who shared updates — it was me.
I witnessed the beginning of his journey with an ailment that began in 2003. I watched as the man I married slowly changed before my eyes.
I was young and immature then. On one hand, I supported him. On the other, I grew weary and frustrated. Poor decisions led to us separating for a long time. But the Lord gave me a second chance to serve Joey well.
After spending time walking with Jesus, one-on-one, the Lord led Joey back home. In that moment, we embraced forgiveness and reconciliation. That’s a story for another time, but today, the focus is on him.
Moments of God’s Protection
Joey has had several encounters with almost losing his life. Here are a few that still leave me in awe of God’s favor and protection.
The Gunpoint Incident
One day, Joey was walking his dog wearing a brand-new jacket his mother had given him. An armed man demanded the jacket.
Joey froze, then said, “Please, my mother gave me this jacket.” The man demanded again. This time Joey, filled with boldness, grabbed the front of the gun and said “No!”
The man’s face changed — fear, as if looking past Joey at something unseen. I told Joey, “Imagine if he saw a warrior angel behind you?”
To this day, I believe the Lord protected him in that moment.
The Glass Door
As a teenager running indoors with his track team, Joey crashed through a wired-glass door at full speed. The glass shattered, cutting his face deeply.
His friends rushed him to the nurse before taking him to the hospital. The scars remain to this day — but they’re part of his story, too.
Again, I believe the Lord protected Joey.
The Air Force Accident
While on active duty, during training before deployment, Joey slipped off a piece of machinery on an icy grid and slammed headfirst onto the ground.
Soon after, his gait, speech, and other functions began to change. MRIs revealed the lower part of his brain pressing into his spinal canal, blocking spinal fluid and causing severe pain.
This was the beginning of a tumultuous journey — one that almost destroyed us, but God.
Two years later, Joey underwent brain surgery. By then, symptoms had progressed, and doctors told us the surgery might slow things down, but it wouldn’t reverse the damage. There were no guarantees.
To this day, Joey still suffers from the effects of that injury, and surgery. His condition impacts him physically, emotionally, and neurologically — daily.
And yet, he endures. Quietly. Faithfully.
Again, I believe the Lord protected him in that moment — and continues to sustain him now.
Lessons in Waiting and Trust
Joey underwent brain surgery two years after the accident. The wait was excruciating, especially after a chiropractor visit worsened his condition. People doubted me when I amplified what was happening, but I was witnessing his suffering firsthand.
Here’s what we learned:
God protected Joey then and still does now.
We couldn’t do it alone. We needed help, and when we tried to do things our way, God gently guided us back to Him.
Joey’s story is still unfolding. He carries deep hurts he rarely speaks aloud. But because he doesn’t always see how great a man he is, I want to amplify it.
Joey’s Heart
If I’m lying, everyone who knows us will call me out: there isn’t a person who meets Joey and ends up hating him. Me? I’ve got a list. But Joey? Not one.
When his disease progressed in 2017, everything changed. He had to stop working — no more daily routines, no more whistling through the halls, no more serving others the way he loved to. That loss hit him hard. It crushed him.
But this time, I wasn’t the same person I was when his journey first began. I was older, wiser, and ready to serve him with greater compassion and strength.
Even as Joey faced breathing disruptions so severe that he would pray each night just to live through until morning, he remained loyal and dependable.
Despite the pain, despite the fatigue, he still chooses to serve — all the time. Whether it's family, friends, or even a neighbor who needs a ride to the airport, Joey will show up. He’ll say, “I’m home when they need the ride — I get to take them!”
Even if it means discomfort or pain later, he does whatever is needed. Not because it’s easy, but because he believes serving others is what the Lord calls him to do. And he lives that out, every single day.
After his depression lifted in 2019, his beloved brother Richie — the one who first introduced him to Jesus — died unexpectedly. What I thought would destroy Joey only deepened his faith.
Our Journey Together
Joey once asked me to write a book about our story. We’ve lived what feels like several lifetimes already — and we still haven’t made it halfway. This is the beginning: sort of like a first offering, putting pieces of our journey into words.
Most days are hard, but God meets us in every single one.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
— 2 Corinthians 12:9
Joey is my head; we are one flesh before the Lord. So when he suffers, I suffer. When he rejoices, I rejoice. That’s how it’s meant to be.
“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
— Matthew 19:6
It is one of the greatest honors of my life to use my words to amplify even a small glimpse of who he is in this piece.
Joey isn’t perfect — none of us are — but his heart is consistently surrendered to God. He lives to serve, always putting others before himself, quietly and without fanfare.
“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”
— Matthew 20:26
He may never tell his own story, but he understands the power in it — especially when it points to Christ. So I’ll tell it for him, as long as I’m given breath to do so.
I can only hope that in this piece, and in the ones still to come, I give you the most accurate picture of the love that radiates from my husband. This will always be a story I love to retell — one marked by grace, endurance, and a love that reflects the heart of Christ.
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
— Philippians 4:5
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud... It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:4, 7–8a
Long-Suffering, Together
We’ve asked the Lord to heal Joey. For reasons we don’t yet understand, the burden remains. But in love, I gladly carry it with him — as he carries mine.
Together, we encourage and challenge each other. We won’t settle for complacency; we’ll stay surrendered to the work transforming us into Christ’s image.
There’s no one else in the world I’d rather long-suffer with.
I believe the Lord will continue to protect us as we grow in grace.
Final Thoughts
Everyone knows Joey as “Joey I love you Gomez” because love literally radiates from his very being. Anyone who knows him would gladly join me in that testimony.
I’m honored to amplify his story here. If it lifts Jesus higher, then it’s absolutely worth it.
Joey often reminds me that even when life feels unbearably hard—so heavy it seems hopeless—it is always the grace and favor of the Lord that meets us exactly where we are. Not to leave us stuck, but to carry us forward—illuminating His glory and filling us with hope and excitement for how God will use our lives to lift up His name.
To all the men who walk through the daily battles of physical ailments—know this: your true strength does not come from the body, but from the Spirit within you. It is the Spirit of God who sustains, empowers, and gives purpose beyond pain or limitation. Though the flesh may be weak, your spirit can be strong and unshakable.
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
— 2 Corinthians 12:9
You are not defined by your illness or your struggles. You are defined by the God who walks with you every step, carrying you when you need it most. Keep trusting, keep fighting, and keep letting the Spirit’s strength shine through your weakness.
As a storyteller, I pray the Lord God continues to empower me to amplify voices in this hour — sharing stories that honor Him and bring light to those who need to be heard.
Today’s story was a glimpse into my Joey’s journey. I hope it has encouraged someone along the way.