My name is Greg “Coach” Neal. I’m a very active 63-year-old male that has been diagnosed with ALS. Writing a blog is nothing I wanted to do, but since my diagnosis in November of 2023, I have encountered numerous others with ALS that have lost all hope. As I write this today, more than a year since I was given two to three years to live, and two years since my first symptom, I find myself still very active with little degeneration and virtually no limitations on my life. I’d like to use this blog to share a little of my story as well as the actions I’m taking, that, thus far, have stymied the mountain of ALS and baffled more than a few doctors.
I am sure you’re curious about the title “The Mustard Seed vs ALS.” As I walked out of the hospital after being told I had ALS, my entire world changed, in many ways for the better. The sky was clearer, the smells more aromatic, the sounds of nature more vibrant, and my beautiful wife, Amy, looked even more beautiful. Upon getting home, I didn’t know which way to turn. We had recently watched a movie called “War Room,” where the main character posted scripture in a closet she used for prayer. My weight room became my “War Room” and the first scripture I posted was: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20. More than a year later, I’m still nourishing that seed and telling that mountain of ALS to move!
Should you choose to follow me along on this journey, my goal is to bring a little joy into your life, sharing with you where I’m at, how I got here, and hopes for what lies ahead. Music and prayer fill my life, so you’ll find lots of links to songs that inspire me as well as published prayers and devotionals where I find hope. I’ll show you where I’ve found information during my research and welcome you to do the same.
Here’s one of my favorite songs that I use to lift my spirits, even on the darkest of days. “All Joy, No Stress” by Rhett Walker
“Joy” as defined by Brant Hansen: Joy is not about suppressing difficult emotions or denying hardships, but about living with a sense of peace and contentment anchored in faith, regardless of life’s challenges.
Take care and God bless.
