Category Archives: Resources

A New Year brings a new relationship…

As we embark upon a new ministry year, I’m especially enthused about the relationship we’re building with Sandra Peoples and her team of writers at Not Alone, the special needs parenting website launched in 2013 by our friend and former colleague Mike Woods Continue reading

Posted in Families, Key Ministry, Parents, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Start with Hello

I am pleased to announce the release of Start with Hello, the first of many how-to booklets that fit together in Joni and Friends new Irresistible Church series. Designed to help a church launch or re-launch sustainable, effective special needs ministry, Start with Hello walks the ministry leader through five steps to starting a special needs ministry. While each church’s journey is different, with different dreams, resources, needs and people, we’ve found that working through the five step progression puts a church on the right path to becoming an irresistible church. Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Intellectual Disabilities, Key Ministry, Resources, Special Needs Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Our Ten Most Popular Blog Posts of 2015

In the event you may have missed something that was quite popular among your fellow readers, today we share the ten most viewed posts of 2015. Continue reading

Posted in ADHD, Adoption, Advocacy, Foster Care, Key Ministry, PTSD, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My 8 favorite Bible verses for special needs ministry (and the one I usually don’t use)

These are the eight verses I use to emphasize the calling that each church has to include all people. Continue reading

Posted in Inclusion, Intellectual Disabilities, Key Ministry, Resources, Special Needs Ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

When prayers for healing go unanswered…

“The faith formula for healing…if you have enough faith, you’ll be healed…is absolutely wrong.” Continue reading

Posted in Controversies, Key Ministry, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Clinging to Faith while Parenting Children with PTSD

God was in control when his Son hung on the cross. Surely he is in control of the lives of our traumatized children, too. Continue reading

Posted in Hidden Disabilities, PTSD, Resources, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Childhood PTSD Symptoms in Tots, Teens, and In Between

Symptoms of childhood PTSD change as children mature. Behavioral clues and symptoms in a 2-year-old will be different from those of an 8-year-old, and the 8-year-old’s symptoms may be markedly different from those of an 17-year-old. Continue reading

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Why the Spotlight Is on PTSD in Children

Thank you for stopping by for the sixth post in Jolene Philo’s weekly series about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children. Last week’s post discussed what happens when a person, child or adult, responds to a perceived threat. The Instinctual … Continue reading

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What Causes PTSD in Children?

The good news is that most children don’t develop PTSD after experiencing traumatic events. Research is being conducted to discover why some children are more resilient than others. But mental health care professionals already know some factors exist that increase the risk of developing PTSD. Continue reading

Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health, PTSD, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ten Common Myths Surrounding PTSD in Children

This post looks at what childhood trauma is not by providing a brief look at 10 common myths surrounding PTSD in children. Continue reading

Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, PTSD, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments