MDA Ambassador Guest Blog: Lessons in Life and Fatherhood

Rob Roozeboom is the founder of RISE Ministries and the creator of RiseFest, one of the largest Christian music festivals in the Midwest. Living in Iowa with muscular dystrophy, Rob is passionate about sharing hope, encouraging others through faith, and advocating for people living with disabilities. He and his wife are proud parents who believe some of life’s greatest lessons come through perseverance, family, and trusting God through every season. Fun facts about Rob: he once went skydiving and even rode in an elevator with Kermit the Frog. 

I’m a husband, father of three, author, speaker, and founder and president of RISE Ministries, Inc. I’ve lived with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) since I was diagnosed at age five. I come from a family of five: my dad and mom, my older sister Amy (who was also diagnosed with LGMD) and our younger brother Bill, the “normal” one.

Rob and his wife, Sharla

I’ve been married to my beautiful wife, Sharla, for nearly 29 years. It is through her sacrificial, unconditional love that I first understood there is a God who loves me and has a purpose for my life. For the past 25 years, I’ve shared a message of hope while navigating what it means to feel broken and to watch my body gradually weaken and lose mobility.

Early in our marriage, Sharla taught me something that changed my perspective: “It’s not about what you can do; it’s about who you are.”

So, who am I?

I’m someone who has learned that joy and grief can coexist at the same time. I can stand on a mountaintop while also walking through a valley and that’s okay. I remember a conversation with my friend Micah Tyler, a Christian singer-songwriter, who told me that on the very day he was nominated for a prestigious music award, his brother was diagnosed with cancer. Within one moment, he was celebrating and grieving at the same time. That truth stuck with me.

I’ve experienced that deeply in parenting.

I’ll never forget the day our oldest son, Jager, graduated from high school. Just two short months later, we dropped him off for Basic Training with the Army National Guard. It was one of the hardest days of my life. I watched my little boy leave, wondering if he’d come back the same or at all. Jager had been my arms and legs. He traveled with me, met me at the office every morning before school to help me, and suddenly we were saying goodbye. My heart grieved.

Today, he’s 23. He completed Basic Training years ago, became a police officer, continues to serve in the National Guard, and still helps with RISE Ministries when he can. I now find joy in watching him step into his calling.

Rob’s children, Jager, Riley, and Aidan

We were also blessed with our daughter Riley, who is finishing her sophomore year of college. Dropping her off that first fall (nearly five hours from home) left me in tears. But it was time for her to leave the nest and begin her journey. I miss her presence in our home, but I treasure the phone calls that start with, “Dad, what do you think about…?” I remind her often that I’m only a phone call away.

Now, Sharla and I are just weeks away from becoming empty nesters as we prepare to send off our youngest daughter, Aidan. She will graduate high school soon and begin her college journey this fall, pursuing a career in education like her mom. It’s exciting, and if I’m honest, a little overwhelming. No one really prepares you for this part of parenting, where you raise your kids and then release them into the world.

As I reflect on these moments, I realize how much living with LGMD and being a parent have taught me.

I’ve learned that joy and grief truly do coexist. I’ve learned it’s okay to grieve—whether it’s grieving what was (like what my body used to be able to do), what is (like a quiet house), or what likely will never be again (like having all my kids under one roof). I’ve also learned to find joy in watching the people I love pursue their dreams, even when I can’t participate in the same ways. If it brings them joy, I can celebrate that too.

I’ve learned the deep sweetness of relationships: with my wife, my kids, and others who have stepped into our lives. There are young men who have become like family to us, not by blood, but by showing up. They work with us, travel with me through RISE Ministries across the country, help me get to work each day, and take pressure off my wife and kids. Their presence has been a gift.

This life is a beautiful thing.

I’ve learned that there can be purpose in pain not because of anything I’ve done, but because there is a God who loves us and calls us to live for something greater than ourselves.

There’s so much more I could share, but let me leave you with this:

Rob and his family

Don’t be afraid to live with both joy and grief. It’s part of the journey. Allow yourself to grieve. It’s healthy and necessary. Embrace being a parent. It’s one of the greatest gifts and responsibilities we’ll ever have. Don’t be afraid to let your kids step out of the nest and then help them soar.

Love your spouse well. My wife is one of the most selfless, giving people I’ve ever known, and I want to honor her with the same kind of love she’s shown me.

I didn’t choose LGMD, but I am choosing not to let it stop me from becoming a dad and living a life that shares my faith and the joy I’ve found even in brokenness. My prayer is that my life reflects that truth and that my kids will carry it forward in their own way.