Caregiving, Challenges, Special Needs Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Jolene Philo
The Lessons I Learned while Raising a Child ...

The lessons I learned while raising a child with EA/TEF have been many and varied. That’s to be expected since our son was born in 1982 with esophageal atresia (EA) and a tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), two conditions that left him unable to swallow and required immediate surgery. Many of the lessons came about as a result of the surgeries and invasive procedures he endured between birth and age 5. Other lessons came later as he became more independent in adolescence and adulthood. I encourage you to use these ten lessons as a springboard for considering what you’ve learned as well.

The Lessons I Learned while Raising a Child with EA/TEF
Caregiving, Challenges, Marriage, Medically Fragile, Special Needs Parenting
Joe and Cindi Ferrini
5 Ways to Keep Your Marriage Strong into the ...

Kingdom Focus is what first comes to mind. Those of us who are married and have someone in our life with special needs for whom we have responsibility (often 24/7 and 365!) know that without focus, we are doomed. AND for those of us who are believers in Jesus, we add to that His Kingdom focus and our part in it.

For us, we have 5 top ways to work on our marriage and keep it strong. There are more, of course, but let’s not get overloaded!

5 Ways to Keep Your Marriage Strong into the New Year!
Autism, Caregiving, Hope, Love, Special Needs Parenting
Sunita Theiss
This Small Change in Communication Taught Me a ...

A few years ago, I made a change in the way I interact with my children. It’s a small practice, but it has profoundly helped our family understand and grasp the truth that God loves and delights in us. Every single day, I tell my kids, “I love being your mom.” This intentional habit has transformed not just my relationship with my children but also how I relate to God.

This Small Change in Communication Taught Me a Big Lesson About God’s Love
Autism, Caregiving, Challenges, Hope, Special Needs Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Sunita Theiss
This Year, We Can Rest in the Sacredness of ...

As the New Year begins, we are often bombarded with messages encouraging us to aim high, make big resolutions, and do more. But as parents—especially those navigating disability—this approach can feel overwhelming. Instead of striving for lofty goals, what if we embraced the sacredness of small steps and new beginnings? What if we allowed ourselves the grace to parent differently—in a way that meets the unique needs of our families and honors the season we’re in? For many families like mine, Sunday mornings don’t look like they “should.” We are navigating multiple invisible disabilities—diagnoses like autism, ADHD, anxiety, and more—and we’ve had to embrace flexibility, creativity, and sometimes just letting things go when things feel too hard

This Year, We Can Rest in the Sacredness of Small Beginnings
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

Autism

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To Jesus, Children With Special Needs Are NOT Second Best

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To Jesus, Children With Special Needs Are NOT Second Best

If all we do is share what we have with our friends and family—or, dare I say, our ‘clique’ within our congregation!—are we just sharing with those who might be useful to us in some way? Jesus is teaching us through His parables that we shouldn’t just pick our favorites for the team, choose only our friends for a meal, or reach out in ministry only to those who the world views as having influence or who can help us financially. And that must include children and young people with special/additional needs or disabilities.

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The Power of Prayer, Illustrated

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The Power of Prayer, Illustrated

When I returned home from our trip, I looked up the history of these stone walls. I learned that dry stone wall construction has been used throughout the ages because it is remarkably durable. When damaged, these walls are easily repaired. Isn’t that what prayer does?

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What I Regret Most About Being A Mean Girl

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What I Regret Most About Being A Mean Girl

As I talked with my high school classmate, he recalled that the girls in our class weren't very nice to one girl in elementary school. He recounted how the girl was ostracized for being different. I knew exactly who he was talking about, and what had happened. I took a deep breath. "I was one of the mean girls."

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Persevering Together To Perfection

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Persevering Together To Perfection

The new device will help my son be more aware of himself, his actions and words, so he can communicate better, conduct himself in socially acceptable ways with others, and as a believer, become more Christ-like. But I'm not off the hook just because I'm a neurotypical person. More than the frustration my son feels with therapies and resources to make his life better, I felt like this tool was a sanctification device that maybe we should all use.

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When Special Needs Parenting Is Like a Trailer Hitch

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When Special Needs Parenting Is Like a Trailer Hitch

It seemed to me that the experience of learning how to hitch and tow a trailer was a lot like my journey as a special needs parent, and in reality it was the perfect analogy for our lives. So here are some takeaways from my time in relative isolation driving to Ontario to have our trailer hitch installed. I hope that some of these may ring true for you as well.