Book signing — Jennifer (middle left) and her mother, Linda (middle right), pose for a picture with fans of her new book. Photo credit: Ruth Bibby
Jennifer Barrick does not remember what she had for breakfast yesterday morning. Nor does she remember whether she has met the person standing in front of her. Many of Jennifer’s memories were ripped away from her like the hood of her family’s minivan after a head-on collision Nov. 5, 2006.
After an intoxicated driver of a pick up truck struck the Barrick family vehicle, all four members were rushed to separate hospitals that November night. Five years later, Jennifer, 20, and the rest of the Barrick family — her mother, Linda; father, Andy; and her younger brother, Josh — are doing better.
A book released March 1, “Miracle for Jen,” written by Linda with John Perry, highlights the struggles Jennifer and her family have gone through since the accident.
“We’ve been on a long journey for five years, and I knew God wanted me to write a book about Jen’s journey,” Linda said. “She had all these journals she had written to the Lord, and they’re woven through the book.”
According to Linda, before the crash, Jennifer would often write in her journal and “ask God to take her life and do the impossible and to use her for His glory.” Jennifer had felt as if she was being called to missionary work.
Doctors, according to the book’s website, predicted that Jennifer would wake up confused, cursing and screaming because of her brain injuries. Instead, she woke up praying and praising God.
“Instead of making her normal, God is making Jennifer — and the whole Barrick family — extraordinary, miraculous,” the website said.
Currently, Jennifer is a woman’s ministry major at Liberty University. Because of her brain injuries, though, she is only able to take a few courses at a time.
Jennifer was recently showcased on NBC’s ‘Weekend TODAY’ show March 3, and was then interviewed on the “Fox & Friends” show March 1.
With all of the recent publicity, Linda is wishing that Jennifer’s message of hope will inspire all of those that hear her story. “Even though it’s hard and not what a mom would choose, to watch her child have to go through pain and suffering, God is using her beyond her wildest dreams,” Linda said.
According to Linda, Jennifer has always said that if just one person received Christ through her tragedy, then it was all worth it.
“So many people in the world are hurting and broken in all different ways, not necessarily from a brain injury like Jen, but through other ways,” Linda said. “They, too, can be touched by Jen’s story and her love for the Lord.”