Church Support, Disability Ministry, Families, Parents
Key Ministry
Creating a Church Where Everyone Belongs

It’s no surprise that I eventually became a teacher, working in inclusive classrooms where children with diverse abilities learned side by side. Later, I became a mom, got deeply connected to my church, and—as often happens when you volunteer a lot—joined the staff. I served as a preschool leader, children’s pastor, and multi-campus ministry leader. I’ve had so many wonderful days leading kids, parents, and volunteers. But one of the hardest days came not as a leader but as a church attendee.

Creating a Church Where Everyone Belongs
ADHD, Autism, Book Reviews, Care and Support, Caregiving, Hidden Disabilities, Parents, podcast
Elaina Marchenko
Finding KiND with Kari Baker: Podcast EP 136

Elaina sits down with Kari Baker, author of Finding KiND: Discovering Hope and Purpose While Loving Kids with Invisible Neurological Differences, and talks about special needs parenting, autism spectrum, and supporting other families on the same journey.

Finding KiND with Kari Baker: Podcast EP 136
Care and Support, Stories, Special Needs Parenting, Parents
Stephanie McKeever
What Pediatric Cancer Taught Me

Our first day on the ninth floor, the doctors never said, "Your child has cancer." You know those childhood cancer commercials that tug at your heart? Never happened. My husband received a phone call that confirmed a biopsy, but once we were on the oncology floor, the word cancer was never uttered. Medical textbook words were used, and the rush was definitely on. We knew exactly what was happening without ever being explicitly told in those basic words. 

What Pediatric Cancer Taught Me
#Disability&theChurch2025, Care and Support, Church Support, Disability Ministry, Families, Event, podcast, Sandra Peoples
Sandra Peoples
Help for Planning 2025: Podcast EP 135

It’s February, and we’ve all somewhat settled into 2025 and are ready to look ahead to what the year will bring. To help you prepare for your church’s steps of accessibility and inclusive events, we’ve created a Ministry Planning Calendar! In this episode, Sandra Peoples will walk you through ideas for planning ahead and praying for what God will do in 2025.

Help for Planning 2025: Podcast EP 135
#Disability&theChurch2025, Advocacy, Autism, Care and Support, Caregiving, Church Support, Disability Ministry, Down syndrome, Hope, podcast
Elaina Marchenko
Supporting Families Affected by Disability with ...

Elaina Marchenko sits down with Rachael VerMeulen from A Little Extra Love Ministries to talk about the reality for families affected by special needs, the need for disability support in Colorado, and what Rachael will be sharing at Disability & the Church Conference.

Supporting Families Affected by Disability with Rachael VerMeulen from A Little Extra Love: Podcast EP 134

Advocacy

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An invitation to our readers to brainstorm about God's purposes in mental illness

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An invitation to our readers to brainstorm about God's purposes in mental illness

What teaching or reading have you come across that's been helpful to you in better understanding God's purposes in mental illness?

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Should I teach them the right way to care for patients?

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Should I teach them the right way to care for patients?

Do I train them in the best way I know how to take care of the kids in their care, or do I tell them what they'll need to know to give kids the level of care their insurance company is willing to pay for and to go home at night with a clear conscience?

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Why are children's hospital emergency rooms becoming flooded with suicidal kids?

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Why are children's hospital emergency rooms becoming flooded with suicidal kids?

How do we explain a nearly three-fold increase in the number of children and teens brought to pediatric emergency rooms over a seven year period with suicidal thoughts or behavior?

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Join Kelly Rosati, Amy Simpson, Kay Warren and myself for a Twitter chat on youth mental health

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Join Kelly Rosati, Amy Simpson, Kay Warren and myself for a Twitter chat on youth mental health

I'd like to invite our readers to join with me, along with Kelly Rosati, Amy Simpson and Kay Warren on Tuesday, May 8th at 2:00 PM Eastern time for a Twitter chat designed to encourage pastors, ministry leaders and key volunteers to consider how they can be involved in addressing the epidemic of mental illness in children and teens.

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Tips for Communicating with People with Disabilities and Their Caregivers

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Tips for Communicating with People with Disabilities and Their Caregivers

Having had the opportunity to hear a lot of “expert” advice over the 36+ years of raising my son, here are some things I’d like to offer as my own “expert” advice to the many wonderful people who will come in contact with a person with special needs and/or their family at some time in their lives.

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When the Church Abandoned My Special-Needs Family

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When the Church Abandoned My Special-Needs Family

That feeling of abandonment by the people of God can lead to feelings of abandonment by God. But acceptance by a church will never equal God’s acceptance. God, through His Son, choose to be with me, to walk along with our family.