Category Archives: Stories

Why after all the hard, did you choose hard again? Guest blogger Matt Mooney

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Dr. G

If I have learned anything from walking a road of loss- one I begged not to go down, then it is encompassed in the following words as best as I am able. God is not about our comfort. He is about His kingdom coming to this earth. And when we seek our own happiness in the ways that seem so native to our mind, we walk straightway into a most miserable life.

His ways are not our ways.
Continue reading →

Posted in Adoption, Families, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Introducing Amy Simpson…guest blogger for Mental Health Month

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Dr. G

I’ll be doing a short series next week in honor of Children’s Mental Health Week examining the obstacles to fixing our country’s broken system of providing care for kids and teens with mental illness and their families and exploring ways in which the church might play a redemptive role in supporting families in need of care. Later in the month (or whenever it becomes available), we’ll be launching a series based upon the publication of the DSM-5, the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Continue reading →

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Resources, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An adoptive parent’s plea…Why won’t God show us what to do?

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Dr. G

The church also needs to be prepared to come alongside parents through the process of raising kids exposed to trauma or abuse and proactively put the necessary supports in place to allow families who adopt to maintain their active role in their local church family. Continue reading →

Posted in Adoption, Families, Key Ministry, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Guest Blogger Dave Lynden…Remembering How the Story Began

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Dr. G

On the Labor Day weekend of 2010, I found myself- yet again- living the story of the Scriptures while on a trampoline with my beautiful little boy who was soaking in the unadulterated one-on-one time he had with his dad. Continue reading →

Posted in Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Joe Butler: Life with Micah, Part Two…Ability Tree becomes a reality

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Dr. G

The vision of Ability Tree is big. It’s my life mission, and will take at least a lifetime to see fulfilled. We have already seen glimpses of the vision God placed in our hearts. Listen to what one of our volunteer families wrote recently… Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Resources, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Guest Blogger Joe Butler…Life With Micah

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Dr. G

The more we learned about special needs ministry, the more we learned that the majority of churches weren’t equipped to include families with special needs. Both Jen and I sensed that it was our life mission to reach out to other families like our own.
Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Autism, Families, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Resources, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chuck Swindoll talks about autism…

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Dr. G

Chuck spoke at length about the impact of Jonathan’s disability on their family, how his presence in the family has been a blessing, and how Jonathan has helped him become more effective in his ministry to people with disabilities. Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Autism, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry, Leadership, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Nella Uitvlugt…a tribute

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Dr. G

Because so many leaders are new to the disability ministry movement and never had the opportunity to learn from Nella, I thought the best way to honor her contributions to the field would be to share the video of her presentation from this past November’s Inclusion Fusion. Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Gillian Marchenko…To the new mother of a baby with Down syndrome

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Dr. G

I am a bit farther down your new path. Give yourself time to fall in love with your son, and to get used to Down syndrome. Breathe in his baby smell. Watch how his brother kisses the top of his head, how your husband gently puts him down to sleep, how your baby locks eyes with you when he eats. The weight of the world is in those eyes.

Today, you don’t have to love Down syndrome. Just love your son.
Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Key Ministry, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tales from the special needs ministry front…

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Dr. G

I thought I’d share some very neat updates that have drifted across our radar screen… Continue reading →

Posted in Adoption, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Resources, Stories, Training Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment