Martin suffers from a rare birth defect in his
right leg known as Klippel Trenaunay We-
ber syndrome that has caused tremendous
pain throughout his life and has limited what
he’s been able to do. A natural athlete and
competitor by design, he would love to play
in a city league basketball team and, as he
told me this, I found myself wishing he
could. The reality of his leg suggests other-
wise. Looks will not deceive you—it didn’t
take me much time or effort to see that Ca-
sey’s right leg is weak. I conjecture that the
physical challenges of this syndrome pre-
vent him from moving at the speed his tre-
mendous energy would prefer. It is unlikely
to believe that this weakness is where the
work of God could be displayed in any
golfer’s life. And certainly, it is the last
place we might expect for God to be glori-
fied. Yet Casey Martin believes just that.

How is it possible that Casey’s testimony of
faith pivots around his disability? Born and
raised a Christian, Casey prayed for years
“Lord, heal my leg, heal my leg.” He raised “ I never felt strong at any
questions to God “Why do I have this dis- point” Casey admits. “God
ability?” And in the toughest of moments he
implored the Lord “What did I do to deserve was very good to me.”
this?” These questions framed his youth,
yet it was in college that the verses and
teachings of the Bible took hold of his heart.
Just as Jesus cures the blind man in John
9, Casey found solace through these words this golfer’s life? Can a disability be a place from which
and in prayer his eyes were opened. God is glorified? Casey holds a beautiful claim; he
says, “God has been awesomely gracious to me. My
As he passed by he saw a man blind from life has been totally blessed.” Perhaps this outlook, this
birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who stance on his Christian faith, is the surprising source of
sinned, this man or his parents, that he was all that energy.
born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he
nor his parents sinned; it is so that the What God Has Done
works of God might be made visible through
him. John 9:1-3 It is hard not to be touched by
Martin’s generous words.
Casey came to believe God is in charge, Even more humbling is to
despite the pain and the disappointment hear him share his conviction
that has accompanied his condition. God is that “deep down in my heart, I
present in this struggle, this pain. Even don’t believe I would ever
more particularly, Casey would say, God choose God.” He then clari-
has allowed it for a purpose. Casey pro- fies his meaning by saying:
fesses that “God was up to something and I “The Bible tells us that we are
can trust Him. It may not have worked out chosen. I have always found
the way I wanted, but God has done some- this truth to resonate with me
thing with it.” What exactly has God done? because on my own I would
How has the work of God been displayed in never choose God. I have
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