Caregiving, Challenges, Medically Fragile, Special Needs Parenting
Jolene Philo
When God Redeemed My Worst Christmas Ever and ...

When God redeemed my worst Christmas ever by using it for good, it came as a big surprise. Most likely because 1982 was the year of my worst Christmas ever, and the using it for good part didn’t come along until December of 2024. 42 years is a long time, which explains my surprise.

When God Redeemed My Worst Christmas Ever and Used It for Good
Caregiving, Challenges, Living Life Daily, Hope, Love, Marriage, Special Needs Parenting
Joe and Cindi Ferrini
We're Not Alone

Seasons help us to realize we’re not alone. We might still feel alone but we can see things differently and then change our thinking, and even our responses. We know everyone goes through “stuff” but sometimes we need to recognize it just happens to be our turn. The harder part is that we still have someone we are caring for full time, 24/7 added to the new hard stuff!

We're Not Alone
Autism, Caregiving, Disability Awareness, Hope, Special Needs Parenting
Shannon Blosser
Christmas Doesn’t Have to Be Silent

For families like mine, with an autistic child and my own ADHD and anxiety, Christmas is rarely “calm” or “bright.” In fact, it is often loud, noisy, and overwhelming. Our children get overwhelmed by the lights and the new items. We, as parents, get overwhelmed by all the mess and noise. There are so many sensory inputs flowing through that you feel like you are in a never-ending vacuum of noise. And, that doesn’t even take into account that I’m operating on just a few hours of sleep after leading multiple Christmas services as a pastor.

Christmas Doesn’t Have to Be Silent
Caregiving, Challenges, Down Syndrome, Living Life Daily, Love, Special Needs Parenting
Evana Sandusky
A Tale of 2 Women, Vastly Different But Forever ...

Ruth saw a bright future for herself. She didn’t have an exact plan in front of her. But at 18, she vaguely knew what she wanted in the future: a master’s degree, a husband, a job she enjoyed, and children. Emma was on another path altogether. When Emma turned 18, she was already enrolled in a school for students with more significant disabilities.

A Tale of 2 Women, Vastly Different But Forever Tied Together
Autism, Challenges, Special Needs Parenting, Scripture, Non-Speaking Communicatio
Mark Arnold
Zechariah’s story: Lessons about non-speaking ...

Zechariah, despite being visited by an angel, doubted what he had been told, and so Gabriel told him that because of this doubt, Zechariah would not be able to speak until his son was born. So, he became unable to speak, and therefore unable to communicate through speech. What did he do? And what does his story teach us about people who cannot communicate by speech, or choose not to, today?

Zechariah’s story: Lessons about non-speaking communication

limitations

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The Importance of Expectations for Your Child with Special Needs

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Guest blogger Tony D’Orazio tells a story about his son Jake, who has Down Syndrome, and why it is important for parents to have expectations, even for their children with disabilities.

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Again and Again, God Makes the Way

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Again and Again, God Makes the Way

When our ideas of ‘the plan’ look like they have fallen in a heap, new plans are coming into view. When we feel everything has shut down, God is as full of life and newness as He always has been. He works with impossibilities, He brings life out of death and makes a way where there is no way.

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Things We Don’t Have to Worry About

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Things We Don’t Have to Worry About

Often, when we talk about our children with special needs, we talk about their limitations, challenges, and the things they have accomplished. It’s always a joy to share the victories in the midst of what is often a lot of work, scheduling, and coordinating a lot of people to help make it happen. But as parents of Joey who is 38, we are also very aware that while we have a lot we need to do with and for him, there are also a lot of things we’ve never had to worry about or be concerned about.

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The Escape Plan

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Getting away for coffee or a trip out of town for a weekend for those of us caring for someone with special needs is really a luxury. So, when my (Cindi’s) sister and our two daughters and sons-in-law offered to tag team care for Joey, we booked a trip almost on the spot. We made a plan for our escape! Here’s how we made the trip great for us and for Joey.