As I reflect on the past 20 years, I always come back to my firm belief that God has been guiding my husband, James, on this journey.
This goes all the way back to the time before James purchased the practice and building that are now Natural Healthcare Center. When James spoke with Dr. Dennis Nitto, who operated his chiropractic practice in the Natural Healthcare Center building, Dennis said he already had an agreement in place to sell the practice.
James turned to the Princeton area, which his research had shown could support the kind of practice he envisioned, but deal after deal fell through. It was very discouraging. Then we found out that the deal Dennis had in place also fell through.
It was as if God was revealing his plan to us.
Instead of opening a practice in Princeton, we were guided to the little town of West End. As we built relationships with patients and local residents, we discovered what a wonderful community West End is, very genuine and real, with so much depth and a story behind every face.
This community soon learned that James gives every ounce of himself to every patient who walks through the door. Every individual is of equal value, and no stone will go unturned to help them.
James encourages every patient to aspire to be a healthier version of themselves, and the best version of themselves. He walks that walk with them, not just by providing the services they need, but by being a confidante and communicating in terms they understand.
Anyone who knows James has seen his gift of communication. Give him a topic and just say “go.” When it comes to patients, he speaks with them, not at them, in a way that’s encouraging, motivating, and inspiring. James wants to run to the back of the end zone for every patient he sees, and that fills me with great pride.
Trust me, I hear the stories every day at the dinner table or over a cup of coffee. I hear his raw emotions coming through. As stressful as some days can be, James gets such fulfillment from his work because this is his true calling.
Of course, we’ve dealt with our share of adversity, but that has only made us stronger. When James found out he needed surgery a couple years ago, he had to basically stop everything he had been doing for his entire adult life.
Here he was, now the patient, feeling the pain, weakness, and dependency on others that he’d helped thousands of patients deal with in their lives. As much as he understands pain, living through his own pain, surgery, and a long recovery process gave him a much deeper understanding of what his patients experience.
I feel like this journey reminded all of us how fragile health can be, even for someone who takes such good care of himself, but it also created an even deeper sense of compassion in an already compassionate man.
Today, my greatest joy is seeing my children work alongside their father at Natural Healthcare Center. They’ve grown up there. I couldn’t be prouder seeing them learn the nitty gritty of the business, whether it involves phone skills, insurance verifications, patient communication, or data collection. They’re also able to interact with an incredible team whose talent and passion have helped build Natural Healthcare Center into what it is today.
Every day is “bring your child to work” day. My kids get to work in such a great atmosphere and see their father in his element. They get to hear his conversations, his rapport with patients, his laughter, his knowledge, and his encouragement.
These experiences not only benefit them as they pursue their own careers, but it helps them gain an even greater appreciation for their father and the love he has for his patients and the community.
Honestly, this would be the ideal scenario for my kids from my perspective. To have what Dad has. To find the same level of fulfillment from whatever path they choose. To be able to truly love what they do.
This is an amazing legacy James and the Natural Healthcare Center team have built and continue to build here.
I truly believe this is where God wanted James to be, and that Natural Healthcare Center is a gift to us. I’m so grateful to be able to watch God’s plan unfold over the past 20 years and see James make a difference in so many lives. It’s just an amazing place with amazing people.