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2014 In Review | Why I’ve Been Away

Jan 2, 2015 | Categories: Faith Rehab (Mad at God), Humor, Letting go, letting God, and Uncategorized. Tags: anxiety, Faith Rehab, fear, humor, Special Needs Ministry, and surrendering control.

Gracious Blog Readers, I know. I’ve been away. It’s been over six months since I last wrote a post. Thank you, though, for sticking around to see this one. It’s been a hard year. One that whooped me to the likes I haven’t experienced since Autism D-Day ten years ago. No incidents of death, disease or dismemberment. And certainly...

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...