Celebrating Unlikely Heroes with Disney's QUEEN OF KATWE (In Theaters September 30) #QueenofKatwe

**A huge thank you to Grace Hill Media for sponsoring this post. All thoughts are 100% my own.

When we think of heroes, what comes to mind? We think superheroes. We think military heroes. We think celebrities. We think of people who do HUGE things. But what about those unlikely heroes in our lives?

Last week, I shared with you about a friend of mine- Jen Bricker- who inspired me and made me a better mom to my son. But she was just one of the people God placed in my life for just the reason. Today, I want to share a little bit about another of these people- one of my unlikely heroes- a sweet boy named Evan.

I first met Evan during my freshman year in high school. You see, I went to a school that had every grade from preschool to 12th all in one building, which meant that in high school if we had interest in doing so, we were able to help in one of the elementary classrooms during our free period. I hadn't given the idea much thought, but one morning in my study hall, they came in and said they had a student down in the preschool that needed a one on one helper every morning. That boy was Evan- a sweet 3 year old boy with Down Syndrome.

I've often heard it said that working with special needs children was such a blessing and that you truly got to experience a kind of love that is genuine and beautiful. Evan was my first time experiencing this for myself and I found it to be absolutely true. Each morning, I was greeted with a big hug and an even bigger smile. This boy truly was the sweetest kid I had ever met. No matter what kind of day I might have been having, I'd see that smile and feel that love and my day would be brighter for it. What a way to start the day!

Later when my son- another hero of mine- was diagnosed with autism I came to realize that once again my experiences with Evan had helped to prepare me to be a better mom for my son. He taught me patience, understanding and acceptance firsthand... something I would later need with my son. He didn't do anything big, he was only just Evan- exactly who God intended him to be- but he brightened my days and made me a better person and a better mom, and for that he truly was a hero in my eyes.

He is just one example of an unlikely hero- someone who might not seem like your typical hero but who makes a difference or overcomes great obstacles despite the odds. Those are the kind of hero stories that I cannot get enough of. And that's just the kind of story we get to experience in the new Disney movie, Queen of Katwe-

Disney’s QUEEN OF KATWE is based on the inspiring true story of Robert Katende and Phiona Mutesi.  Phiona was a young girl living in the slums of Katwe, Uganda.  One day she stumbles upon Katende and a group of children playing chess in a makeshift church.  Through the guidance of Katende and the game of chess, Phiona is encouraged to believe in herself.  Eventually, she finds herself not only competing in local chess matches, but winning in international competitions.  Robert and Phiona’s story celebrates the notion that champions can come from the most unlikely places. 



I cannot wait to check out this inspirational new movie and share it with my children as a reminder that nothing is impossible. It will be in theaters this Friday, September 30.

Are you looking forward to this new Disney film? What unlikely hero would you love to watch it with?