By Mallory Mattingly
Colorado track and field runner Ashley Jones knows that “sorrow and joy” sometimes go hand-in-hand.
“In the face of hardship, in the face of challenges, to really see life as a gift, knowing that it’s coming from the Father, and knowing that He desires to give us good gifts,” Jones said on Sports Spectrum’s “What’s Up” podcast. “And He has been so kind to me over these last couple of years of really trying to understand and grieve and step into new opportunities in my life, even in the midst of pain, and I think that the tension of faith is holding many emotions all together.”
The the cross country runner’s father died in 2016, and just three months later, she lost her right arm in an ATV accident.
“So I truly believe that with the Lord’s strength, we’re able to hold sorrow and joy simultaneously,” Jones declared. “And that’s what I felt in my life. A lot is the processing still of pain, even to the present day, but then also feeling the joy and the anticipation of what the Lord has in my life.”
Related: Bethany Hamilton Clings to This Verse Amid ‘Super Rough Season’
Pro surfer Bethany Hamilton, who also lost her arm in a scary accident, shared more about Jones’ story.
“While enjoying an ATV ride in the mountains of Colorado, the vehicle she was on flipped, landing on her right arm and pinning her to the ground. Ashley’s older brother was miraculously able to lift the ATV and free her arm and then Ashley had to walk half a mile to where help could reach her,” Hamilton wrote on her website. “After an ambulance ride and an airlift to Denver, the decision was made that her right arm was too badly damaged to save, and amputation 6 inches below the shoulder would be necessary. God had saved Ashley’s life, but she now faced losing a limb.”
As Jones recovered in the hospital, she held on to Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”
“I’m going to give God my best and He’s given me His as well…that’s what’s been really miraculous and fun,” Jones said. “God has shown me a lot of grace, and then I’ve been able to give grace to other people as well. I’ve found forgiveness in my situation and that has been an amazing part of my story.”
When she was 15, the athlete returned to high school sports just a year after her amputation, though she experienced immense pain at the amputation site.
Jones transferred to Colorado from the University of Tennessee in 2025. Before that, she ran at High Point University from 2020-2023.
Despite the hardships of losing her father and her right arm in an ATV accident, Jones has kept her faith in God strong. She continues to let herself grieve as well as feel joy, because she knows “the joy of the Lord is her strength.“
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