What DO you do when a child works harder to escape a room than he does work the puzzles at the table? How can you possibly know where the boundaries should be with a child who inherently has none? Where is the line between nurturing and structure? While there aren’t clear answers to these questions, there IS clear theology about our family’s place in the Body of Christ. Sherri Wirt writes a short devotional for special needs parents that feel they don’t fit at church.
Jolene Philo gives 10 vacation planning tips for families with special needs! Jolene Philo will be speaking at Disability & the Church 2024 in Orlando, FL May 1-3! Go to www.keyministry.org/datc2024 to register now.
Like a new outfit that looks crisp and sharp or an old outfit that is so worn out it’s comfy and we wear it all the time….is often how we wear the banner of the special needs journey. How does it look on us? On you? Is our attire crisp and sharp or rather worn out? Cindi Ferrini writes on how YOU wear special needs and caregiving.
There is a group that many churches simply do not see and are therefore missing a great opportunity for ministry. That group is special needs dads. Guys, like me, who are caring for individuals with disabilities/special needs. This is an incredible group of men! Steve Chatman will be speaking at Disability & the Church 2024 in Orlando, FL May 1-3. Go to www.keyministry.org/datc2024 to register now.
Over the years, I have been through multiple seasons of planting and harvesting skills with my daughter. My daughter is now entering adulthood with disabilities. There are still skills that she needs to develop to make her life easier. The learning does not stop as she ages, however, the pressure I put on myself all of those years is gone. I don’t need to fix issues. I simply need to support her through them. Evana Sandusky writes on her daughter’s growth through the years and likens it to planting seeds and yielding the harvest.
Raising kids with disabilities comes with its own set of challenges and reasons to be grateful. Because this is EA/TEF Awareness Month and our son was born with EA/TEF, my top ten perks of raising a child with disabilities will be slanted in that direction.
There are a lot of logistical challenges to be found within this “shelter in place” world. But special needs kids who are home from school and out of their regular routine face more than challenges; they face real, significant loss in skills and abilities. As I contemplated how we would ever be able to make up for the lost time, I remembered a similar story in the Bible, and an amazing promise from God.
Instead of answering prayers for healing, God sent peace, and I didn’t want any part of it. Peace felt like a consolation prize. I wanted my baby whole and healthy, and I believed peace meant that God wasn’t going to heal my son. Paralysis seemed too hard, and even with God holding me close to Him, I didn’t see how life could be good again.
