Living Fearless with a Disability

When Kobe Johnson was born, he was diagnosed with a degenerative muscle disease known as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. While this has made many aspects of his life more difficult, Kobe has always been determined to use his experiences for good by advocating for people with disabilities.

We know Kobe as a camper, but he also spends his free time hosting his own podcast, “Kobe’s Confidence” where he seeks to inspire, educate, and develop others concerning disabilities, faith, and life in general.

We love what Kobe is doing, which is why we caught up with him and asked him to share his thoughts on our Summer 2020 Camp Theme: Fearless.

Here’s what the word “fearless” means to him:

“What does it mean to be fearless? Being fearless is more than just not being scared of something or a situation; it’s being able to reach deep within yourself and look at a situation or struggle as a way to grow.

The Lord is our guide to step out on the water with him and know he is our salvation. Psalms 27 verse 1 is proof that being fearless can only happen with God. It says, ‘The Lord is my revelation-light to guide me along the way; he’s the source of my salvation to defend me everyday. I fear no one! I’ll never turn back and run from you Lord; surround and protect me.’

For people living with disabilities, there can be a sense of fear that comes with normal everyday tasks. When we do not want to be scared or frightened we must seek the Lord in his dwelling place, his tent. In Psalms 27 verse 5 it says, ‘For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.’

Knowing this gives me a sense of comfort and joy. The King of Kings wants us to be in that comfortable tent away from all the bad things in the world, including fear.

For me, being fearless is something that cannot exist without God.

My fearlessness was tested a couple years ago when I was told by doctors that I would soon not be able to breathe on my own without assistive technology. I had faith in my Lord and I knew they were wrong. A few years have passed and I’m still breathing on my own!

Being fearless is possible. In my life, hearing what others thought about me was holding me back. I was constantly made known that I was different, and that my disability was a problem.

But God constantly reminded me that my disability was what made me fearless!

So, what does ‘fearless’ mean to me? It means having the ability to live through daily struggles and not know what each day holds, being happy everyday despite the situation, and going out of your way to put a smile on someone’s face.”

To catch up with Kobe on his weekly podcast, tune in to his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kobes-confidence/id1480141964 .

If you are doing something FEARLESS this year, we want to know about it! Email cason@campbarnabas.org with your story.