The Christian actress learned earlier this year her husband has a terminal disease, but is trusting the Lord and even trying to encourage others who are enduring difficult trials.
Shannen Fields first came to notice in the Kendrick Brothers' movies Flywheel and Facing the Giants, playing a lead role opposite Alex Kendrick in that latter picture back in 2006. Since then, she's gone on to act in upwards of a dozen faith-based films.
In March of this year, the wife and mother of two adult children got devastating news: her husband of 29 years, Jimmy Fields, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, the muscle wasting condition leads to loss of motor function and ultimately death since there is no cure.
Jimmy can currently function, though he has already lost the ability to move certain parts of his body and Shannen has to "help him with everything." At the end of last month, the actress told a Christian women's group, Shine Like a Boss, that when the doctor gave her husband the diagnosis, it was as if she fell into a dark pit, and is still going through it. And though her voice periodically cracked with emotion as she spoke, she added that she knows she is not alone in the darkness, and is leaning on God and her fellow Believers every day.
"You got to wake up, you've got to have His Word, you've got to worship and you've got to have each other. I am finding that the sisters in my life bring light and life to me - the Body of Christ."
Fields is praying for a complete healing for her husband, knowing that only a miracle from God can make that happen. She also hopes that her circumstances - and her faithfulness to and trust in the Lord - will encourage others dealing with similar trials.
"Whatever pit you're in, your pit can begin to be filled with light. And then you can start to look up and go through it."
Wow, even in such dire personal straits, our Christian sister Shannen Fields is shining the loving light of Christ for others to see. Please join Christian Film Blog in prayer, asking that God would miraculously heal her husband Jimmy, if He is willing, and that He would draw Shannen, Jimmy, their children and loved ones closer to Him and to each other through this extremely trying situation.
If you would like to watch her appearance at that Shine Like a Boss event, and we recommend you do because it is powerful and uplifting, you can do so via this link.