Families

Navigating Sexual Abuse-For Parents

Navigating Sexual Abuse-For Parents

This post is a continuation of our series on sexual abuse trauma and prevention. Today’s blogger is Brianna Edwards, LMHC and Registered Play Therapist.

How Children with Disabilities Have Fared During the Pandemic: A Sobering Report from the UK

How Children with Disabilities Have Fared During the Pandemic: A Sobering Report from the UK

Mark Arnold belongs to the Disabled Children’s Partnership, a UK-based organization that recently released the results of a series of surveys of UK families with children and young people with disabilities. The results are stark: the impact of the 18-months of the COVID-19 pandemic has been harrowing.

The Church, Adoption, Foster Care, and Orphans

The Church, Adoption, Foster Care, and Orphans

Last month I was in Columbus, Ohio for a state-wide training for Ohio's Child Protective Services (CPS). This conference got me thinking about how the Church is responding to foster care, and other impacts with foster care and orphans. There are many people out there doing a lot of good work in foster care and adoption. Here are some resources that have moved beyond local mission.

Substance Abuse Since the Start of COVID

Substance Abuse Since the Start of COVID

You may have heard it said that the pandemic has increased the mental health and suicide risks for people. But the risk of substance misuse and overdose is also trending poorly. Here’s how the Church can help.

Ordinary Work Done In Extraordinary Ways

Ordinary Work Done In Extraordinary Ways

Over the summer, my husband Fred and I have been working through some course material from an organization which has as one of their objectives, “To help one’s family member to achieve ‘An Awesome Ordinary Life.’ ” It is so easy to lose sight of how extraordinary it is when an ordinary life is lived in faithful ways. Let me explain.

Next Level Disability Inclusion Ministry

Next Level Disability Inclusion Ministry

Do you want to take your disability inclusion ministry to the next level? Be like the early church, by not only meeting the need of the moment, but by using the wisdom of those who have gone before to anticipate the needs that will be predictably coming soon.

Special Needs Parents are Candles, Burning Between Hope and Despair

Special Needs Parents are Candles, Burning Between Hope and Despair

Parents of children with special needs are often labeled negatively: ‘troublemakers,’ ‘confrontational,’ ‘needy,’ ‘over-sharing.’ The reason we (as yes, I’m one too) can sometimes pick up some of these negative labels is that we won’t take no for an answer when it comes to our child. Why do we enter into conversations, meetings and appointments with our boxing gloves firmly on? Because the world cannot understand.

An Open Letter to the Church About Chronic Pain

An Open Letter to the Church About Chronic Pain

Today was a bad pain day. I never cry from pain. Never, except for today. I have seen God heal people with prayer. God. Is. A. Healer. That’s a part of who He is. But in the midst of my pain, today I saw a flaw in my church, a church that has worked so hard on disability inclusion, and it hit me where it hurts, literally.

Lord, How Can My Child Know You?

Lord, How Can My Child Know You?

On this particular morning, several years ago, my Bible reading for the day took me to Romans 10:9-10, the Scriptures that lay out God’s path to salvation. What wasn’t so clear to me was how my son, who suffered with cognitive disabilities, would be able to meet these requirements. “How, LORD,” I asked, “is Myles gonna be able to receive salvation?”

Practical Tips for Effective Prayer Ministry for Caregivers and their Families

Practical Tips for Effective Prayer Ministry for Caregivers and their Families

Prayer ministry can be intimidating when the recipients of our caring are faced with complicated circumstances. But nothing is too complicated for God. Here are some practical tips for effective prayer ministry, for both small groups and your church.