The History Behind “Bumps Are Okay”

~By Sharon Czerwien

Have you ever had a whirlwind year!? This has been one for me (well, a whirlwind year x 2).

It was on this weekend, exactly two years ago, that my children and I were in a car accident on a big city Interstate. Though it was not the most “dramatic” accident that took place in the state that day, it was traumatic on my children, especially one child in particular.

Fast forward many, many months…necessary healing was still occurring. There was anxiety and immense frustration, specifically surrounding the resultant health of one of my kiddos. I viewed the adverse insurance party as the enemy. Why, I thought, would they fight me regarding a child!?

At the same time, I was frustrated about not healing quickly enough from the crash. I needed to start seeing a physical therapist, and I was blessed to receive help from one at The Tummy Team®.

Behind the Scenes

God was working, behind the scenes, in incredible ways! God allowed two specific people to change the course of my life forever.

1. Rosalie Francetich

I started Biblical counseling with Ms. Rosalie, as I was stressed about driving in the big city again. I was also losing sleep worrying about my child’s health.

My time spent with Ms. Rosalie was valuable to me! I am thankful for her guidance.

It was quite humbling, though. After all, my graduate school electives were in Biblical Counseling. Why in the world did I struggle in my heart regarding this car accident!? Nonetheless, I needed to speak with a counselor. What a great blessing it was, though!

Ms. Rosalie covered material I knew but had struggled to apply in my circumstance. She applied biblical principles to my specific situation, and it was a game changer.

I was refreshed in my thinking about our good God and His purpose for trials. I realized that my bump was okay. This phrase applied to both my car accident bump AND to the idea of life’s bumps (trials) in general. Thus, the initial concept of bumps are okay entered my mind.

2. Kelly Dean, Physical Therapist and Founder of The Tummy Team®

As I was going through my counseling, I also started my physical therapy with Kelly Dean. I learned much from her about the physical core. Even my pre-work for physical therapy was astounding and eye opening. A healthy physical core was integral and imperative for the workings of the entire body.

I applied this spiritually. How was my spiritual core? I knew I needed to continue to exercise my spiritual core, as it was integral for my spiritual health and stability, too!

It all Came Together

I was so excited about these spiritual pieces coming together, and I was excited to have a refreshed look on trials. I kept reminding myself that bumps are okay…bumps are okay…bumps are okay! Hard times, annoyances, troubles, trials…they are okay!

It was around November of 2020 that God started laying forth ideas in my heart for a blog and book about the concept of BUMPS. God had already blessed me with these two great ladies, post car-crash.

I contacted Kelly Dean in December of 2020 about her playing a role in a book. I desired for her to explain the physical core and its vital role for physical health and stability. Then, I desired to write the rest of the book on the spiritual principles for living in a God-honoring way through life’s bumps.

Around the same time, I contacted my mom, Debbie Christopher, to co-blog with me. She agreed to team up with me to write about Grace Through the Bumps, now known mostly as Bumps Are Okay.

Writing about Bumps Are Okay and meditating on the Bible verses that deal with those life-lived bumps help me to dwell on important Truth.

There ya have it…that is how Bumps Are Okay came about and why God laid it on my heart to write the book: Core: Biblical Principles for When Life Gets Bumpy.

You and I will never be bump free! Let’s drive through life, though, trusting God through the bumps!

Drive easy,

Sharon