Vera Koo Writes About Faith

Some of our favorite blogs from Vera Koo incorporate her idea of faith. She is a strong, accomplished woman whose journey through life has sometimes been marred by heart wrenching losses and physically painful injuries. Vera has persevered beyond these difficult times. Read on for excerpts from two of her posts on the topic of God and faith, and the role they play in her life.

Vera Koo: On God’s Plan

The manner in which I tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in my left knee on Jan. 1 was, in a word, ridiculous. There is really no other way to describe it.

Because of my extensive efforts toward shooting, I had not vigorously skied in about 5 years. I had decided it was not worth the risk, because I had spent too much time preparing for shooting matches to risk injury from another sport.

However, that day in January at Squaw Valley Resort in California was supposed to be a light day of skiing with my family. I planned to go down the slopes a couple times before retiring to the restaurant for coffee and dessert with my husband.

I am a skilled, experienced skier. I have come down double-black diamond slopes. I am very familiar with Squaw Valley, having skied there for 27 years.

A couple trips down the slope should have been no trouble. And yet, I never even skied. No sooner had I gotten off the lift chair than my skis got tangled with my granddaughter’s. I fell to the ground. I heard a pop, and I screamed in pain.

In the moments after the injury, I did not feel regret. I did not feel sorrow, nor anger.

The injury occurred in such a ridiculous manner that there is no questioning it was part of God’s plan. I strongly believe everything happens for a reason. I am not to question God’s plan. He has used injuries in the past to teach me lessons.

Continue reading this blog at Women’s Outdoor News.

Vera Koo: My Faith in God

I didn’t grow up a religious person. For most of my life, I had no relationship with God or Jesus Christ. That changed 23 years ago, when I was left searching for answers and support after enduring the most painful moment of my life.

I experienced a terrible personal crisis, one that disrupted my life view and core values. I had started seeing a therapist. In the aftermath of that crisis, I was left going through life like a zombie, a shell of the person I truly am.

On the outside, I tried to remain normal and put up a front for family and friends. I did not want to air all my troubles to the world. But, on the inside, I felt like I was dying. The world around me seemed dark and cold.

Around this time, one of my friends, Rose Jean Fong, began sending me pamphlets called Christian Guideposts. Many of these pamphlets discussed the power of prayer and how God hears us when we call out to Him.

I decided to give prayer a shot. What could it hurt? I was desperate for help.

One day I decided to kneel down and pray to God. I started to notice that after my prayers, some small, good thing would happen around me. When life is as low as I was in those days, any gift of goodness – however small – can be so helpful to get you through the day.

Continue reading this blog at Women’s Outdoor News.