Guest: Paula Umana, author, motivational speaker, and mom

Paula Umana spends her life letting others know suffering isn’t a punishment; it’s a gift. 

Born in Costa Rica, Paula was accepted into a competitive tennis academy by the age of 10, becoming the #1 tennis player in Central America for 9 straight years. Accustomed to being photographed with a tennis racket and trophy, Paula gladly retired in order to raise a family. After four daughters, it was the birth of her son where life turned upside down. Within weeks of his birth, her body rebelled, leaving everyone in shock. After extensive tests, her diagnosis was CIDP, a paralyzing neurological disorder that took away Paula’s ability to even hold her son. When your athletic ability becomes your identity, it’s extremely traumatic to have it suddenly taken away. Yet, Paula refused to give up, even when doctors gave her little hope. Her kids needed her. She recovered over the next four years, except for her lower legs; she wears special braces from her knees to her feet. Along the way, she found a path of contagious hope where God redeems suffering. Paula shares stories of hope through books, retreats, and speaking engagements around the country. 

Biography: Born the youngest of 7 children in a Catholic family, Paula often walked to a nearby church to pray after a hard day on the courts. It was her faith which carried her through the devastation of losing her freedom. Married to Serge, they live in Atlanta with their five children. 

Resources:

Paula Umana's website 
Books by Paula Umana:  40 Gifts of Hope: Encouragement in Times of Sickness and Suffering; Imitation of Christ for the Sick and Suffering, and a Bible study, “Rediscovering Hope:  8 Lessons to Turn Your Pain Into Purpose”
EWTN podcast (on demand) – Gifts Of Hope
Information about CIDP -- Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy