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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Life is a juggling act, and sometimes I have too many balls in the air. Sometimes, no matter how hard I try, one or more of the balls drop. By identifying which balls you can let fall, you can prioritize the breakable ones, like relationships with your spouse and kids, growing your faith, and even your mental health.
Ideally, every person is welcome and embraced by a church as Christ welcomes and embraces all with unconditional love. That, unfortunately, is not always expressed by the church. I believe in those moments when we do feel we need to leave, God’s love will guide the conversation and direct us towards a place that will be more welcoming and open to expressing the love of Christ for all people.
Compassion in Action: A Guide for Faith Communities Serving People Experiencing Mental Illness is available as a free download through the HHS website.
There is no clear evidence growing up in a family with traditional religious beliefs related to sexual expression or attending a church espousing traditional beliefs makes kids any more likely to attempt or commit suicide and overwhelming evidence that teens who delay the onset of sexual activity - gay as well as straight - are much less likely to struggle with suicidal thoughts or behavior.
