Caregiving, Living Life Daily, Special Needs Parenting
Jolene Philo
Emotions Are Information: A New Way to View and ...

Margaret Vasquez explained that emotions aren’t who we are. Rather, they are similar to physical sensations. When we feel something hot, cold, sharp, or painful, our bodies are alerting us to approach with caution something in our environment. When we feel emotions––big and small––our mind is alerting us to something internal that deserves our attention.

Emotions Are Information: A New Way to View and Interpret Big Feelings
Caregiving, Challenges, Hope, Living Life Daily, Scripture, Special Needs Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Cindi Ferrini
Do We Follow the Word of God or the World?

The world might seem to have a lot to offer, but as it applies to the caring of a child or loved one with special needs, it offers us things that won’t make us happy and won’t deliver what we need. The world will always lack authenticity and the act of serving will not be very high on the rung of the ladder, by world standards.

Do We Follow the Word of God or the World?
Caregiving, Challenges, Hope, Living Life Daily, Special Needs Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Key Ministry
God Really Does Have a Plan for Our Kids

God convicted me. He challenged how much I believed it. What would my and my husband’s actions tell us? Were we believing God for His plan for our son, or were we expecting Him to help with ours? Were we open to the possibility that His plans might be different from what we’ve envisioned? 

God Really Does Have a Plan for Our Kids
Caregiving, Disability Awareness, Living Life Daily, Medically Fragile, Special Needs Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Jolene Philo
Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child ...

Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child with disabilities? Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child with disabilities during his frequent medical crises as a baby? Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child with disabilities when he was a young adult? Do I trust his plans now?

Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child with disabilities?
Caregiving, Challenges, Hope, Living Life Daily, Special Needs Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Cindi Ferrini
Self-LESS vs. Selfish

When we care for our child(ren) with special needs, it’s self-sacrificing. It is more than a “job” as some might say, it is an undertaking (as one of my friends shared so succinctly with me). Yet some of us have a different level and depth of care. Although our son needs 24/7 attention and care, he can do a good number of things on his own. Cindi Ferrini shares the difference between Self-less and Selfless.

Self-LESS vs. Selfish

Challenges

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The Hope in Asking When

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The Hope in Asking When

“My daughter has changed so much in this area during her 18 years of life. It’s progress, and it’s a small thing that I appreciate as her mother now. During those years when it didn’t go well, they were hard. Haircuts haven’t been the only area of growth. I recall being completely anxious every time I left the house with my daughter alone as she would run off and not respond to my pleas to stop. The running off and the anxiousness eventually stopped, but life was hard until then.” Evana Sandusky

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You CAN Pour from an Empty Cup

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You CAN Pour from an Empty Cup

You can pour from an empty cup. Some will differ with me. I will stick to it because I have lived it and perhaps YOU have as well. What do we do with an empty cup? We fill it when we need to drink from it. It’s upon need. Cindi Ferrini shares advice to fill a caregiver’s cup.

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Staying On Course When the Path Disappears (Practical Advice for Parenting Adults with IDD)

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Staying On Course When the Path Disappears (Practical Advice for Parenting Adults with IDD)

“Parenting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can be a lot like driving with a “that’s-so-2000’s” Garmin. The best information we have ultimately feels utterly inadequate.” Steph Hubach

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The Physical Manifestations of Grief in Caregivers

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The Physical Manifestations of Grief in Caregivers

The physical manifestations of grief in caregivers are unexpected and pervasive. Jolene Philo shares what God has been teaching her since the death of my mother on June 23, 2023.

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What to do Even When We Don’t Want To

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What to do Even When We Don’t Want To

Watching the news and seeing trials and challenges on many levels we’ve come to understand that until “it” happens to us, it’s often not important. People in leadership (politicians, leaders making rules, business owners running businesses, and parents raising children) will all make decisions that affect others but until it affects them….it won’t always be seen as important or necessary to consider other options of how to engage, care, or help. Cindi Ferrini writes on what do even when we don’t want to…