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How Superheroes Decompress: Respites & Shawarma (A Tribute to Volunteers)

May 20, 2014 | Categories: "How Can I Help?", How to help, Humor, Joni and Friends, Ministry and kidmin leaders, Mommy Martyrdom, Parent Support, Special Needs Ministry, and Uncategorized. Tags: control freak, Fun that works, How Can I Help?, how to help, humor, Joni and Friends, Ministry and Kidmin leaders, One Body, and Special Needs Ministry.

Confessions of a Respite Groupie Hello. My name is Diane. And I am a self-professed Respite Groupie. If there’s a church respite event within a 45-minute radius of our home: We. Are. There. “Neither rain, nor sleet, nor dark of night…” Whatever, man. We are there. It’s the only event I’m ever on time for. It blows my mind that a group...

How Special Needs Ministry Benefits Volunteers & Churches | Meet Mr. Nick

Mar 3, 2014 | Categories: "How Can I Help?", Advocacy & Awareness, How to help, Inclusion, Joni and Friends, Ministry and kidmin leaders, Parent Support, Special Needs Ministry, and Uncategorized. Tags: Family Retreat, How Can I Help?, how to help, Inclusion, JAF, Joni and Friends, Joni Camp, local resources, Ministry and Kidmin leaders, One Body, Special Needs Ministry, SpNMin, and The Inclusive Church.

In last week’s post, I shared about how Special Needs Ministries are needed to reach the 90% of special needs families who do not attend church. Most simply can’t. I also shared a few practical ways that extended –and spiritual– family can help. You can imagine how inclusive churches and special needs ministries bless special needs families like mine. And as a Special...

How To Support Special Needs Families & Ministries | BASS Conference 2014

Feb 25, 2014 | Categories: "How Can I Help?", Advocacy & Awareness, How to help, Inclusion, Joni and Friends, Ministry and kidmin leaders, Special Needs Ministry, and Uncategorized. Tags: BASS, BASS Conference, How Can I Help?, how to help, Inclusion, Ministry and Kidmin leaders, Special Needs Ministry, and The Inclusive Church.

This is my family. Over the last ten, post-diagnosis years, these fine folks have looked for excuses to line our pockets, knowing full well we have gaping holes in them. My parents have provided us with uncountable financial support, particularly during our chaotic Early Intervention Years, when we hemorrhaged money for therapies ($7,000.00 a month out-of-pocket.) St. Patrick’s...

Faith Through Disappointment – Part 3: GET PEOPLE

Oct 29, 2013 | Categories: "How Can I Help?", God Understands?!, Grief & Loss, How to help, Joni and Friends, Ministry and kidmin leaders, No, You're Not The Only One..., Parent Support, and Uncategorized. Tags: Grief & Loss, how to help, JAF, One Body, and surrendering control.

Four-part series, “Faith Through Disappointment” continues. Of the “Four Gets,” the first is to Get REAL: Giving ourselves permission to grieve or get angry. The second, is to Get HELP: Be willing to lean on others. We were not meant to carry our burdens alone. The third, is to Get PEOPLE: God provides help through people, whether they understand our...

Goldeluxe & The Three “Must Bears” of Special Needs Ministry

Oct 8, 2013 | Categories: How to help, Humor, Joni and Friends, Ministry and kidmin leaders, Parent Support, Special Needs Ministry, and Uncategorized. Tags: humor, JAF, Joni and Friends, local resources, and SpNMin.

A tribute to special needs ministry champions who honor our families with “Gold-deluxe” service. I’ve been each of these three “Must Bears” at some point. Supporting complex families like ours can be a delicate, sensitive and prickly endeavor. Thank you for your calling, passion and dedication to serve where many others dare not tread. ...

31 Crazy Things Special Needs Ministry Leaders Never Say

Sep 17, 2013 | Categories: Don't Diss Disability (DissAbility), Humor, Inclusion, Ministry and kidmin leaders, Special Needs Ministry, and Uncategorized. Tags: 31 Flavors of Crazy, humor, JAF, Joni and Friends, Ministry and Kidmin leaders, SpNMin, and The Inclusive Church.

Inspired by this recent humorous post by Dale Hudson of Relevant Children’s Ministry, here are: 31 Flavors of Crazy: Things Said By No Special Needs Ministry Leader, Ever “Special Needs”? Whatev. Just throw him in. It’ll be fine. Please, no more volunteers. Go serve 1:1 on the parking team or something. I’ve got a great idea: STROBE...

Siblings: Support Resources (Sib Panel Pt. 4)

May 21, 2013 | Categories: "How Can I Help?", Grief & Loss, How to help, Joni and Friends, Ministry and kidmin leaders, siblings, Special Needs Ministry, and Uncategorized.

Part IV in Sibling Panel Series In the first post, we shared our adult Sib Panel’s personal insights at growing up with a special needs sibling. Earnestly and honestly, they shared their struggles as well as blessings gained. In the second post, we highlighted practical recommendations how parents and families can help support Sibs. In the third post, we shared research provided by...

Testimony @ Joni Eareckson Tada’s Bay Area Tour

Jan 29, 2013 | Categories: Grief & Loss, How to help, Joni and Friends, Ministry and kidmin leaders, Parent Support, and Special Needs Ministry.

In March 2012, I had the honor of introducing Joni Eareckson Tada during her tour of the San Francisco Bay Area, by sharing my family’s testimony. Video (10:30) and transcription below: In 2005, when my son Jeremy was 18 months old, our family returned from a year serving abroad in Uzbekistan. Jeremy still wasn’t talking, so we had him checked out for a speech delay. We assumed he was...