Judy and Jack Jurries are parents of two sons; their Catholic faith plays a big role in trusting and responding to God’s unique plan for both young men. (Submitted photo)
Jenny Snarski
Catholic Herald staff
As April showers bring May flowers, so wife and mother Judy Jurries likes to think of the “storms” God allows us to pass through so others can see a beautiful example of faith and strength.
God trusts us each with unique journeys, but if “you’re owning it,” living it in relationship with him, “You are gonna help someone else,” she said. There is beauty and fruitfulness in that.
Judy and her husband Jack raised their family in Arbor Vitae. They also run JJ Acres, a garden center and landscaping business that has served the Minocqua and Woodruff area since Jack’s parents opened it in 1971.
In October 2018, the Catholic Herald featured the Jurries’ younger son, Joey, who has Down syndrome, for his swimming abilities. “Joey is special,” she said at the time, “but no more special than the rest.”
Years later, as Joey has graduated, continued to advance in his swimming career, and older brother Jonathan earned a college degree and moved to Florida, Judy’s thoughts on parenthood offer insight.
Through day-to-day ups and downs, adjusting as a mom to young adult men, Jurries finds comfort in the “Trust Me” prayer given to her by a friend.
The prayer (written by an unknown author) begins with questions that actuate faith and challenge the anxiety we feel about loved ones. “Do they not also belong to me? Would I refuse to work in their lives just as I work in yours?
“I have not put you in charge of redeeming them … Nor do you have the power to change their hearts …” The prayer invites “to love, to forgive, to pray for them and to turn them over to me,” then exhorts to draw closer to him, trusting that he will do the rest.
“It’s a really powerful prayer.” Judy shared it’s been particularly helpful as her older son has moved away, both geographically and from the practice of his Catholic faith. As her mothering duties have shifted from making sure her sons are well-fed and home on time to “letting God do the work in him that God intends for him to do,” the prayer has brought her a “lot of peace.”
Recognizing the natural inclination all parents have to take care of their children – to keep them safe and see them flourish – this mother has also experienced that, as children move into their adult lives, what that care looks like has to shift. Alongside their “empty nester” friends, this also means, for the Jurries, the likely scenario that Joey will always be under their roof.
Joey’s journey is a focal point for their family and community. After being spotted as a Special Olympics swimmer, he was asked to join the Lakeland Union High School swim team, later qualifying for the U.S. Down Syndrome Swim Team. He has set records and won medals at international competitions in Canada, Italy, France and in July 2025 with Team USA in Bangkok, Thailand.
“One person’s ask” completely changed the trajectory of Joey’s life, their family and community. Judy understands “the power of asking,” of inviting and including. Judy also affirms, synonymous with faith is “the power of our listening” and responding.
She sees Joey’s story within this bigger story of faith, how God’s providence uses parents and other mentors woven together for children’s good and, as they develop into adults, their personal missions in life.
“It’s important for us to have this awareness,” she said. “Ask people” to use their gifts and talents; “help them to be included.” Interacting with Joey has led multiple teenagers to pursue special education as a career.
Joey’s example pushing himself athletically has also elevated others to set goals outside their own comfort zones. As he has trained for triathlons in recent years, family and friend have trained and participated with him, all growing and succeeding together physically, mentally and, Judy hopes, spiritually, too.
Watching this play out in her life convicts Judy of what many people saw, and were vocal about, early on. The “heavy cross” of raising a child with Down syndrome has truly been her “biggest blessing,” but that also applies to the cross of letting her older son move away and live faith on his own terms.
“We want to hold on,” she acknowledged, “but holding on is not our job.
A former high school catechist for Holy Family Parish in Woodruff, Judy and her co-teachers tried to teach the teens “real-life faith.” “Most of them were there checking a box because their parents brought them for Confirmation, and we told them that was okay.”
“This is your journey,” they encouraged, praying that the principles taught would be there when the need for faith was felt.
“When Jonathan was a practicing Catholic [because he still lived at home], he never had bookmarks in his Bible.” Judy shared that now as a practicing Evangelical, his Bible has bookmarks and he actually reads it. She doesn’t deny wishing he was receiving the sacraments, but she doesn’t believe God loves her son any less today. She trusts God is at work in his life.
“Prayer works,” Judy emphasized. “I sit back and am in awe.”
She concluded with her husband’s words, “’We’re all on a journey, right?’” Joey’s journey, she said, might be “easier to talk about because of that extra chromosome—his accomplishments really are a feel-good thing .… But we need to remember the greater journey it’s meant to exemplify.”
She sees her sharing about Joey’s journey has helped others look at their own lives like a journey, and “That must be what God’s calling us to do as his parents.”
Yes, of course, she’s proud Joey is a world-champion swimmer, “top 10 in the world. But that’s not what I want to be celebrating.”
What she does want to celebrate is the message that has accompanied the Jurries family through every one of Joey’s swim championships, the importance of having “the faith of a mustard seed.” She is currently designing a new iteration of that thought for T-shirts for one of Joey’s upcoming events.
On the front, #actuallyIcan and on the back #actuallysocanyou.
“We are all capable of doing great things,” she said. The key is always returning to prayer, purifying your intention to follow God’s will and not being deterred by the messiness of life.
“Ask God, ‘If this is your will, let it be done,” Judy invited, “’and if it’s not, help me understand what your will is.’”
“When you ask, you do receive. God gives you the tools … and peace.” Peace comes from knowing what the “endgame is,” but being okay with not knowing what each stop along the way will look like.
“It takes time. It takes gratitude, and it only happens one day at a time.” There will be moments of glory, she confirmed, “but the majority will be boring, repetitive, simple things. It is then that we need to appreciate and trust God—in every single moment, in every single storm.”
