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How Superheroes Decompress: Respites & Shawarma (A Tribute to Volunteers)
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...
read moreHow Special Needs Ministry Benefits Volunteers & Churches | Meet Mr. Nick
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...
read moreHow To Support Special Needs Families & Ministries | BASS Conference 2014
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...
read moreFaith Through Disappointment – Part 3: GET PEOPLE
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...
read moreGoldeluxe & The Three “Must Bears” of Special Needs Ministry
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. ...
read more31 Crazy Things Special Needs Ministry Leaders Never Say
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...
read moreSiblings: Support Resources (Sib Panel Pt. 4)
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...
read moreTestimony @ Joni Eareckson Tada’s Bay Area Tour
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...
read moreUnbroken Faith

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