How many of us counted the cost (both emotionally and financially) of what it would take to raise a child and/or care for an aging parent? Many are doing both…Because we love our child, we don’t often consider the cost because we simply do what is needed and want the best for them.
My daughter arrived in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the middle of the night on the eve of Thanksgiving. A tough respiratory virus attacked her lungs, and she needed a substantial amount of oxygen support. And now, this unexpected illness meant Thanksgiving was going to be completely different than we had all planned.
Are you scrounging for thankfulness this holiday season? Holidays can be a challenge for those walking through hard days. Perhaps you feel like you've been handed the short-end of the stick; your child is struggling, you’re exhausted and it seems like everybody else has life with a bit more gravy. It’s easy to focus on our circumstances, take stock of what we have and where we are and end up feeling completely void of thankfulness. Is there a cure for this?
I first suspected I had ADHD as a teenager, but finding the right professional to take me seriously was much harder than I expected. Previous attempts only ended in frustration and tears.
Enjoying the holidays with a food allergy sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? After all, eating together is an integral component of the holiday season. I looked forward to making our traditional holiday foods until I was diagnosed with a dairy allergy in 2012. What was to enjoy about the holidays when the foods associated with it were off limits to me?
What will go wrong next? This question has come up on a daily basis for my family this summer. After digging into Acts 18:21, I now see how the hardships faced by the apostles make our recent experiences seem like a walk in the park. Instead of asking “What will go wrong next?” and worrying about what was out of my control, I followed the apostle’s example, rested in the sovereignty of God
Both of my sons had delays in many areas, but it was the lack of conversations and communication I was able to have with my children that was the most devastating to me. I prayed fervently and frequently for my sons’ speech. Discouraged that God wasn’t answering my desperate prayers, one day I decided to start praying Scripture over my boys’ speech.
Easter is one of the most important times in the Christian calendar.But the big story of Easter can be difficult for some children and young people with special needs to understand. Children learn best when their senses are engaged. Here are some sensory ideas that can be used to tell the Easter story, and give us ways to share other complex biblical themes throughout the year.
