WHOA That's Good Podcast - You Can Find Hope in the Midst of Hardships + Live Q&A | Sadie Robertson Huff & Makayla Noble

Episode Date: August 31, 2022

Makayla Noble, a champion cheerleader and influencer, shares her incredible story of courage and faith with Sadie exactly 11 months after her tumbling accident led to a severe spinal cord injury. Makayla's encouraging message is to remember that God is not done with you yet! He can use your story right now — right where you are. Friends, amid all the trials, hardships, and anxieties you face, know that you always have someone you can trust. Credits: “Cheerleading Injury Not Slowing Down Makayla Noble”: Spectrum News Original video: https://bit.ly/3AqJJeM Permission to republish granted to WHOA That’s Good Podcast by Spectrum News. - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I felt that this was meant to happen to me. This has happened for a reason. I'm gonna do what I can to make the best of it. Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on! Beautiful! Trileting means a lot to me. It's something that I live for. I love it.

It's my family. She was an amazing cheerleader and it was so important. It was just, it was my thing. It was my go-away place that if I was having a bad day, I would go to cheer and get it all out there and it was just, it was my thing. It was my go-away place that if I was having a bad day, I would go to cheer and get it all out there and it was just, it was my home.

The level that I was at there was only three teams in the whole world that were able to be at that level and stay at that level. My first year I was on it. We went undefeated. We won nationals. And then we went to ESPN, we got World Sports, which is called Worlds. That's like the Superboards, the final competition. And we were able to win not only in our division, but we beat every team and every division.

And we were the grand champions, which is pretty cool. She doesn't have any regrets because she gave 110% to cheerleading and she reached every goal that she had ever set for herself. It was September 20th and it was the week of homecoming. I remember like it was just her day. The football players and the cheerleaders, we did like a country dance together, and so we were at a friend's house practicing the dance.

A lot of us decided we were going to teach the boys how to do like this flip. It just went wrong. I went back and flipped and landed straight on my throat and then in the grass of the backyard. As crazy as this sounds it, I knew instantly that I was paralyzed. I received a phone call and they said it was serious that she couldn't feel her legs and that they had called the ambulance. A call on sensation I just felt through my body that I was like okay I'm laying here I'm not gonna try and get up I'm just gonna lay here and I know I have to stay calm. I was so scared and it was so overwhelming.

And the hardest thing was, is like, once I got there, she was so calm. Like, you would not even know that she had broken her neck. It felt like an eternity laying on that ground. Hearing the sirens come out. The first thing she said was, mom, I'm gonna be fine. They're poking her toes and they're like, make it like, can you feel this? And like, as a mom, I am sitting there, like, willing her, like, please feel something, like, move your toes or say you can feel something.

It was heartbreaking. In the beginning, if I'm being completely honest, I didn't want to be a woman. I was like, I'm not a woman. I'm not a woman. I'm not a woman. I'm not a woman. I'm not a woman. I'm not a woman. that's important at the time. straight up, like, give me everything he said, you know, she'll never walk again. I remember those feelings, like, it was heart-wrenching, like, and I couldn't even imagine life,

like, I couldn't imagine her never walking again. I'm in a wheelchair, and this isn't something that defines me. It's actually there to help me. I've grown to love my wheelchair, and I appreciate it so much. It's given me the ability to go wherever I want, do whatever I want.

Thank you, my dear. Oh, my dear. There you go. Hi! I miss you. Here we go. I'm 7-10. My 6-7-8. My 6-7-8.

My 6-7-8. Yeah, show of waiting is the reason I'm in this You didn't even know if you had a kid. My six, seven, eight. My six, seven, eight. Yeah, cheerleading is the reason I'm in this chair, but more than that, cheerleading has made me who I am today. You know, it's made me such a strong person and I knew that once I was ready enough, I wanted to get back at it.

No, that's not bad. Hi, everybody. I'm here with my mom, my sister sister and we thought we would answer some of y'all's top questions because you guys are very curious to know more about the platform that I've gained through this all. I think of blessing, it's something I never expected. We post daily updates of things I'm doing and posting the small victories and posting the things that that went wrong that day.

And looking back even the day of my accident, I knew I wanted to document it all. When I was in the ambulance, I asked my mom to take a picture of me because I was like, we're going to document this. This is going to be something. What we found is being vulnerable and sharing this is helped so many people. They have fallen in love with Michaela and this story, and people are so invested in this

that they're like, you can't stop now. -♪ Definitely not quick, but it works. Uh-oh, maybe two four. And once I have a house on my own, it will be hardwood and no carpet. I hate doors. This might be it. Oh my's my be it.

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. Hallelujah. And we got the door closed. I absolutely let myself have those moments of anger, frustration, sadness, and just missing the old version of myself and missing the carefree version of myself. I have my sister talking for me today.

Interpreting. I'm talking. And I kept this a secret. I can feel my legs. I can feel my toes. And my toes. And everything. I'm really happy.

Oh yeah. We're really happy. I don't try and stop myself from crying or saying, oh, it's okay because it's not okay. This isn't something that's okay, but after those moments are over and after those emotions have been felt, I say, okay, down with that,

and we'll keep moving on throughout the day. I still have high goals for myself, I have high expectations and they're gonna be more challenging to achieve but I'm gonna go for them and I'm gonna do them. Can everybody stand up on your feet and welcome, Michaela, stand up on your feet. It's awesome. You're so love. You're so love.

Listen, y'all can sit down, but I know y'all follow a lot of influencers on Instagram. And if you're going to follow any influencer on Instagram, you're going to be this girl. If you're going to watch anybody's YouTube channel, it needs to be this YouTube channel. I love your page. I don't even really watch YouTube channels, but I find myself watching you and your sister and your mom, because they're just so cute in the best. You are such an inspiration, such an inspiration.

And we're going to get into all that. But you just share with me two cool things. And I want them to hear it, because I think it's really special. So my first big thing is today is my actual 11 months since my accident. And it's like each month on the day of my accident, it's like a big deal. And if you've been through like a traumatic accident, a lot of people call that day like your alive day. It's kind of a day that God could have taken you away from this earth and your family and friends, but he chose not to and he said, I'm not done with you yet.

So it's a really big day to celebrate. So I'm super excited that I get to spend it with you all. That's amazing. You're a live day and you know what's so cool is it's like on your alive day here you are and like so many other people are having Alive days in their spiritual life You know, it's like this is the day that the Lord saved me and I just think that's so cool And the other thing I thought was really cool was the significance of your age Which is so fun. So I'm 17 and I just DC and Say to hear we're talking about like their ages and when they're 17 how they

really took their next step and in their journey with God and I just thought it was cool that I related to them and I'm 17 and I'm here and I'm starting this journey it's new and recent but I'm so excited to continue it and I just know there's gonna to be hopefully some big things coming from it. Yes, already there has been. It's amazing. This episode is brought to you by Likinta, by Wyndham.

Wherever your work takes you, you know it's going to be a good time, because you're staying at Likinta by Wyndham. They have free breakfast, fully equipped gyms, and free high speed Wi-Fi. To help you take care of any last minute business, or help keep you in the know on all things sports. Tonight, La Quinta, tomorrow you triumph. Book your stay today at lq.com. All of that verse says, don't let anyone look down on you because you're young. And then it goes even further to say, but set an example in love and speech and purity. And that is what you're doing. Like you are an example to so many

people. I was hearing a story last night about an older gentleman who didn't know the Lord had gone away from the Lord and came back to the Lord because of your story. And I just know like that's happening all around the world from your, the way you walk this out. I want to talk to you about the way you walk this out because I think for a lot of people, bad things happen, hard things happen, and it's like they wait until a miracle happens to give praise to God. They wait until the miracle happens or they're waiting for it to happen in order to let God use their story. But what I love about you is you're letting God use your story right where you're at.

Like you're letting God use your story while you're sitting in that wheelchair. You're letting God use your story before you see some kind of miraculous healing. Like you're like right here right now, God's using my story. And so even you said, get the phone out. Like we're going to document this. How did you have that kind of faith in that moment to be like, I'm going to let God use

me in this moment in this story? Just from the second the accident happened, I don't know, I just, I said it in the video, I just felt such a sense of peace and calmness and it's God, I don't know how else to describe it. You know, I was laying on the grass with 30 teenagers around me and teenagers, or not-cromy situations like that, like anyone would be, but I was just laying there and I was like, okay, I'm gonna stay calm.

I have to stay calm and I know things are gonna be okay. It doesn't seem okay right now and I didn't realize how serious it was, but I just was able to say calm and just know that God has a plan for me and this is his plan for me. It wasn't like he wasn't watching and something slipped and happened and I had an accident. No, it wasn't an accident. God did it on purpose for a reason, for a bigger reason, than me and my cheerleading career. It was supposed to happen to me,

and it did happen to me when it was supposed to happen. So I don't know. I just was able to really just fully dive into my relationship with the Lord and just believe whatever He has for me that that's going to just trust in Him and follow his path because his past is so much better than mine. I'm so good. So good. I think I think what's amazing It's like I think a lot of people. It's like we can get so You know, we don't take our face so seriously and then when big moments happen Then we're like oh, we need Jesus. We need to take her faith seriously And then you're like where is Jesus but for you? It's like you this is who you are

You love Jesus. You had a relationship with him You already trust him and so when this happened you were able to say, okay, I trust you I know your character God. I know you're good. This isn't good. This doesn't look good But you are good and so I think what's amazing about you is you were so rooted in your faith beforehand that when this happened, it didn't shake your faith but actually grew your faith. And watching you step into this, I said this to you right before,

but you said sometimes it's hard for your family and friends to see that. And I can understand why. And I said, is it hard for you? And you said, it's really not. And you can see what God's doing. And I said, you just have such a supernatural ability to see what God's doing instead of just seeing your

circumstance. And I think that's something we can all be inspired by. Your sister said, after you had an accident, it changed her life by seeing the way that you responded because you were still so joyful. And even watching that, you can hardly talk, but your joy was so radiant. And your joy was so alive.

And everyone who meets you, even my husband, was like, she is just like joy in a person. She was so radiant. And your joy was so alive. And everyone who meets you, my husband, was like, she is like joy in a person. Like, she is so joyful. Like, what have you learned about joy through this process? I think, I mean, you saw me laying on that bed. In the beginning, I was paralyzed completely, couldn't move my neck, couldn't move my arms, shoulders, anything.

And just laying in a hospital bed for weeks and upon weeks and having everything taken away from you all the distractions, it really, really leaves you with what you're thankful for or how miserable you are. You know, and I obviously took the root of how much I have to be thankful for and how blessed I've truly am Even in a situation like that when it's so hard to see the good when you're surrounded by all the bad stuff, but I don't know. I was just able to lay there and just really think and thank people around me

think and thank people around me. Just thank God. So good, your gratitude, it's like your gratitude defeated the disappointment in that moment. Gratitude is so powerful. I heard it some one time that gratitude defeats fear because where there is gratitude you can't be afraid and that's actually really true. And so I used to struggle with fear a lot and every time fear would begin to come up in my life based off of whatever the fear was, I would begin to thank God for that thing. So I don't know if you all have this but sometimes I have an irrational fear that something's going to happen to honey or something's going to happen to Christian. Instead of sitting in that fear of say, thank you God that I have an amazing daughter.

Thank you God that you've given me such a great husband. And as I begin to thank him, I forget that I was even afraid. And it seems like that was your story in the hospital. It's like thanking the people, thanking God for what he is doing. And when you have gratitude for what you do have, you don't see as much what you don't have. And I think that's such a beautiful picture. I love you on your sister's relationship.

Because our whole thing is, hello sister, sisters and friends. I love my sister so much, both my sisters and my sister-in-law's, I just love sisterhood. And you and your sister are such a beautiful picture of sisterhood. I know your sister takes care of you a lot.

So tell us a little bit about you and your sister's relationship and what have you learned about sisterhood through how close you all have gotten over the past 11 months. So I put older sister, her name is Mariahiah and she's 22 and she's here somewhere and she's just the best girl ever. So when my accident happened, she just finished a statistician school actually and again God's timing is crazy, but she was kind of at a monumental moment

in her life where she was deciding which path she was going to take. And then my accident happened and she was there every single day right by my side with whether I was asleep or awake talking to her or trying to talk to her. She was there and she's always been there since and she was before it, too, but just sisterhood is so amazing and just seeing how much love she shows me and gives me, it's just, it's incredible and I'm so thankful for her and just the love I've received from so many people.

It's crazy that when you love someone so much and then something happens to you, it's cool to see them showing all their love to you too. Yeah. Sisterhood can be through your best friend. Sisterhood can be through the people in your life who are around you and there for you in those moments. And I love how she actually just told me right before to the two of her best friends are here who were there during that moment and literally

stay with her for two weeks in the hospital, missed two weeks of school, but they were just there. And I think that is what sisterhood is all about. It's just being there. And it's just showing up. And that's why when the Lord gave me that word to be a sister and a friend, those who don't have one I was like that's amazing because being a sister and a friend is the most true Vulnerable relationship like you're gonna sit by your sister. You don't care what you look like I'm so you can have me oh and a booger Don't even matter

Don't even matter what the heck is my sister and you just gotta love you just gotta love those people. And I love how your sisters take care of you in so many ways. And so for us, like show up for your people. Like sisterhood, these moments that Michaela's walk there are not meant to walk alone. If you walked alone, I think the beauty of maybe even how you had been so joyful has something to do also with the people you've surrounded yourself with. And so, you know, maybe you haven't gone through something

like this, but we all have gone through hard things that we need sisters and friends for I think it's beautiful One thing that is so obvious about you is you're like the most motivated person ever and it's like it's so inspiring I just want to like stand beside you all day and be like okay if you can do it I can do it kind of thing because you're just like like going for it. And I love that you still cheer. Yeah. And I mean, we're not talking about this accident it was years ago. This was 11 months ago.

And you are there cheering with your friends doing, like didn't you say you did like a show or something? Like they, it was like a big competition or something. Oh yeah, we've done a few like pepper hally's. Yeah. And like you're there and you're doing it. It's just, and you're not just sitting there, like you're doing the cheers. Yeah. Which is just amazing and you're not just sitting there like you're doing the cheers

Yeah, which is just amazing and so I want to talk to you about how like how do you not let a disappointment like this define your life and own you Because I think a lot of people it's like woman the chair So it's over and you're like I'm in the chair. I'm gonna go cheer in the chair How do you not let that take you down but actually use that and still do the things that you'd love to do? So if I'm being honest in the beginning, my coaches came and we're like, okay, like, when are we getting back to cheer? When are you going to cheer again? When I was still in the hospital and I was like, no, like, it's done.

Like, I'm done. Obviously, look at me, I'm done. And they were like, no, like, you're cheering. Like, I don't care you're cheering and I was like yeah okay whatever you know they're just trying to get me in a better mood but as things came about the tryout season came about and I was like if I don't cheer if I don't do what I love, I'm gonna regret it so much more than just the fear of getting out there.

So I signed up and had meeting and talked to my coaches and they just made me feel a lot better about the situation and I realized, okay, like I'm not gonna stand up and be able to cheer like I used to overnight, I'm gonna be realistic. But if all I can do is to our movements, then I was like, I'm gonna do the arm movements and I'm gonna do them to the best of my ability. And I'm gonna be the best one out there doing the arm movements because that's all I can

do. That's right. So I just, I've always had that kind of competitive mindset and it's like, if I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it to the best of my ability and give 100% to an effort and energy. So I was like, I'm just going to go out there with my best friends, my girls, my sisters. I mean, I've grown up with these girls and it's my senior year and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. So even though I'm looking a little different out there, I'm still going

to do it because I have to and I want to. Come on, that's so good. I love that. Whatever you do, you do it at the best of your ability. It reminds me of that verse and it says, you know, whatever you do, do it as if you're working for the Lord and not for man. And that is what you do. You're like, God gave me this body. This is my alive day. I'm going to be here on stage, preaching to people, you know. I'm going to be at the pep rallies cheering. And we really do take life for granted so often. And there was a life that we've given like, live it to the full. You live your life in such abundance and such fullness. And I remember watching the YouTube video of your trial day. I just loved it because

you're sitting there doing it and you're like, oh, it's just not right. And you're pushing yourself to be the best that you can be. And we can all learn from that and we should. Not everybody knows this about you because you can look at somebody from the outside and you can assume things. You're like, Mikaela is in a wheelchair but she's so beautiful and she's so well spoken. She's so good at all these things. She's great, you know? But you like work your butt off every single day.

Like, I see you on Instagram and the gym. You're doing like sit ups with things. You're like trying to throw balls. They're helping you move everything. Like, you're working so hard. And I love that about you, that you're not giving up. Some of us struggle to even go to the gym on a regular Monday and we're not in a wheelchair and you're going to the gym and getting a done.

Where does that motivation come from to say like, I'm not done and Mesteroi doesn't have to in here and it might can be better. I'm going to push myself to wish for that. Like where does that come from? Again, the competitive mindset just always wanting to be the best that I can be. But again, when I'm having down days and not feeling like going to the gym and not feeling the best, I think back to the moments when I was in the hospital bed,

not being able to even get out of a bed for weeks at a time. And just thinking of like, oh my gosh, I'm laying here. And I actually want to go and work out. And I actually kind of want to go to school because I miss those things. But I just think of those moments when I'm like, I used to not be able to do that. And God has given me the ability to gain so much back that I would just, I have to, I have to go and use that and better myself as much as possible. I would just, I have to, I have to go and use that and better myself as much as possible. And I always use the phrase God's not done with me yet because he's not, he's not, he's

not done with me, he's not done with y'all. We're all here today and so he's not done with us. So I just think that's like, that's like my biggest thing is God's not done with me and he is so much in store not only for me but you and everyone out here in the crowd that if he woke us up this morning like that's a blessing in itself that's amazing and I just feel like he's giving us this time and he's giving us these abilities to go out and work hard and do good, so I'm gonna use it. Come on, girl.

Yeah. Just, let's take a moment for that word, that God's not done with us yet. Because I feel like that's a word for some people in here today. Like on a really real note, like some of you just feel like, what is God gonna use me for?

What makes me special? You know nobody cares about me kind of mindset that you've had this live The enemy's feeding you that no one cares about you that you're insignificant that what's your testimony serve? What what have you done? The friend God is not done with you. God is so for you. He created you. You're alive. The very fact that you are alive holds so much significance. And I think because life was just given to us,

we take it so much for granted. But life is such a gift. And it is not to be taken for granted, so live to the full and meticulous, such a good example for that. And I know the enemy would love to tell you that no one cares. People care. We care.

I care. Mikaela cares. God cares. The friends around you care. I know the enemy would love to tell you that you're not significant. Your story is so significant. You might think it's not big enough. It's not crazy enough.

The minute God enters your story, it becomes as big as he is. So it's big enough. It's wild enough. It's incredible enough. And so I know some of you have been Iaved to think that some of you aren't teetering on the line of thinking that you want to give up on some days. And I just rebuked that life from the enemy over your life. And I hope that when you have those lies, you hear our voice saying that God is not done

with you, that you are loved and that you are significant and that you have a story because he's given you a life to live. And Michaela, you set the most beautiful tone living your life like that. You posted a picture and it was of your scar. And you put as the caption, Philippians Philippians 4 6 don't be anxious about anything But everything with prayer and petition present your request to the Lord So you know that verse is hard for anyone to say don't be anxious about anything I mean we can think of like 10 million things. We're probably all anxious about right now

Don't be anxious about anything but everything so I'm gonna ask you for someone who you could have reason to be anxious You could start to think about the future. How do you practically put that into play? Like, how do you practically begin to give your anxieties to the Lord? Again, easier way, easier said than done. I mean, we all are stressing about the littlest things. You know what we're doing tomorrow.

What we're going to have for dinner. But I think my accident, I hate that. the littlest things, you know what we're doing tomorrow. We're gonna have for dinner, you know? But I think my accident, I hate that it took my accident for me to realize that I don't need to stress about the future so much and others don't need to. But again, just giving it to the Lord, I'm being like, God, I don't know why I've spent all this time worrying about my future and planning out my next step

and what I'm gonna do when I go to college and what I'm gonna major in, and it's, you already have a plant. You have it set in stone, you've already created it. And I just felt like I wasted so much of my precious time. Wearing about things that were never going to happen and creating fake scenarios, you know, in your brain of, oh my gosh, well, what if this happens then how am I going to respond? That's not happening, you know?

So I just, I still struggle. I'm still anxious about a lot of things as we are, we're human, you know? But I just try and really just think back, okay, God has a plan for me, God's not done with me yet. I need to just be in this current moment and he has the next step planned out. So good, how many of you needed that? Yes, I think we all needed that.

I love the verse where he says, don't be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough worries of its own. And I think about that. And I love how you said, you were worried about some of the things that were going to happen in the future that didn't happen or do you have to happen.

And I remember being in a dating relationship and we argued so much about our future. And that wasn't even the guy who was going to marry. I'm like, man, I spent so much time talking about the future that never happened. And so I think so many times we can get caught up in that, arguing about the future, talking about the future, worrying about the future, when the future is in God's hands.

You're responsible for how you choose to respond to today. And so think about today. How do you respond today? Many of you are making these huge responses to these moments today that are going to shape your future forever. You know, like God have that. You are going to be responsible for giving your life to Jesus today. Mikaela, you are such an inspiration. This has been a joy to talk to you. Can we just give it up for Makayla and Faker for everything that she's done? Awesome. Yes, stand up. Stand up. She deserves a round of applause. Sadie, please say one more thing.

Please say one more thing. I have something big to say. So my goal that I kind of put out there, and again, I'm anxious about every single day. I'm like, I don't know why I said this, but I'm a senior in high school this year, and my goal, and I kind of told the world, so I kind of have to do it, is I said I'm going to walk across the stage at graduation in one way or another, and so there's steps happening to make that happen, which I'm so excited about. But I realized I was like, graduation is in the spring. And the next time I come to the L.O. conference,

I'll have to walk in some way. Yes! So I'm looking forward to that. Yes, come on! Yeah, come on! Yeah. Look, let's take a minute right now. Can everybody stretch out your hands towards Mikaela and can everybody pray?

Just speak in faith that that's going to happen. There's the moment in the Bible where Jesus is going to perform a miracle and he says, if you don't have the faith to believe it, get out of the room because this room is going to be a room of faith. And when this room brings faith to the picture, I'm about to heal this person. And Michaela just sat here and said, hey, I just want to tell everybody this, because I believe it

so strongly that I'm going to walk across the stage. And so we're going to partner with that. And we're going to pray. If everybody can pray out loud as I pray, and let's just let, you know, bring our requests to the Lord. So don't be anxious about anything, but with prayer, bring it to the Lord. So we're going to pray.

God, we just thank you so much for Michaela. I thank you for who she is. I thank you for the inspiration she is. God, I thank you that she is an influencer worth following because she is leading people to you. God, I pray right now in the mighty name of Jesus. You are a healer. God, you are a healer. We know you can. We know you are able, even if you don't in this moment,

we know you are God, but God, we pray. In full belief right now that she can be healed. Charlotte said it last night that you might not think that it can be possible because the doctors have said that God is a healer. pray in full belief right now that she can be healed. Charlotte said it last night that you might not think that it can be possible because the doctors have said, but God we know it just one word, the story can be rewritten. So God I pray that her legs would function and operate the way that they were intended to operate, that they were originally designed and created by your perfect creator hand to operate. God I pray that her feet would go straight back into alignment,

that her hands would go back into alignment, that everything would be back to its original, beautiful, created form that God that accident would have no future marker on her life God. It would be a part of her story, but it would not be her whole story God. I thank you for what you're gonna do. I thank you for her faith to believe it.

I pray that before graduation, she's walking and she's walking with confidence. I love how your words says, the Godly walk with integrity. And God I pray and I thank you that before she physically walks, she spiritually walks with so much integrity and everyone in this room can see that. And it is an inspiration to us also. Thank you for the integrity she walks in before she ever walks physically

thank you for the example she walks in spiritually we love you so much we believe in faith and we're gonna continue as this reason for it to pray and believe for what you're gonna do in Michaela's life it's your name and pray Amen. Amen. Thank you. Thank you.