My mother lived for less than two years after showing the first signs of ALS. It was very hard to find the hand of God for me in that experience. It was only later on when I reflected on her strength thru the whole ordeal that I realized that the hand was there.
I now know what bravery is.
Just remember that we have been created for Eternity, not just for this brief learning period we call Time. God has bigger plans for you than merely the Here & Now, if you are willing to accept Him.
Hawking is a brilliant thinker, but one cannot understand the Universe without accepting tutoring from its Creator. Just ask Newton, Kelvin, Faraday, Boyle, Copernicus, Kepler and so on.
http://nobelist.tripod.com/id4.html
Scroll down and read their comments for yourself.