Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast
207 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 months ago - ★★★★★ - 220 ratingsJoni and Friends shares encouraging conversations about finding hope through your hardships, along with practical ways to include people with disabilities in your church and community.
We've wrapped season 5, but we'll return with new conversations in 2024!
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Episodes
Growing a Heart for Disability Ministry – Wilame Leal Silva
October 26, 2023 07:00 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBIn our final episode of season 5, we hear from Joni and Friends team member Wilame Leal Silva. He and his wife Erica Leal were overjoyed to hear they were pregnant with their second child. Then doctors gave a diagnosis that sent them reeling. Their son, they were told, had trisomy 13, a condition likely to end the baby’s life soon after birth. Even if Daniel survived, doctors said, he would be severely disabled and not live long. Grieved facing the loss of their son—and pressured to terminat...
Care for Caregivers – Rebekah Dowhy
October 19, 2023 07:00 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBAcross the United States nearly 53 million people serve as caregivers to family members, friends, and others in need of care. On call around the clock, often without pay, caregivers can experience discouragement and burnout. Rebekah Dowhy knows the rigors of caregiving. After years of caring for her mother with multiple sclerosis (MS) Rebekah founded the Caregiving Support Network to provide caregivers with Christ-centered respite, community, and encouragement. She joins the podcast to offer...
Walking Her Home: Learning to Say “Your Will, Not Mine” – Cami Lundt
October 12, 2023 07:00 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBCami Lundt didn’t expect any surprises with her fourth pregnancy… until the doctor broke the shocking news. Baby Grace was diagnosed with trisomy 13 and a Dandy-Walker brain malformation—conditions that doctors considered “incompatible with life.” The baby, they said, had a 99.9% chance of dying just minutes after her birth. But God had a different plan. For almost five years, Cami and her family got to love and care for Grace, walking her home to heaven. Tune in to hear Cami’s story, and le...
How Including People with Disability Changes Church Culture
October 05, 2023 07:00 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MB“When disability ministry starts to take hold in the heart of a church, it’s like hitting the refresh button on the Gospel in that church.” Have you considered how including people with disabilities might positively impact your church’s culture? Stephanie Hubach is on the podcast to share the importance and value of including everyone in ministry. Stephanie is a research fellow in disability ministries at Covenant Theological Seminary and visiting instructor in the seminary’s educational m...
Ways to Become a More Disability Friendly Church
September 28, 2023 07:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBJeb Beauchamp joins the podcast to talk about expanding the reach of the Gospel to people living with disability in the North Carolina area. As an Area Director with Joni and Friends and an ordained pastor, Jeb talks about shifting culture and overcoming barriers in churches to help people with disabilities experience true belonging. Jeb also shares about biblical counseling, and how the Word of God can speak to every person, regardless of life circumstances. You can be part of bringing the...
A Life Transformed – J.D. Kim’s Story of Living with Purpose (and Quadriplegia)
September 21, 2023 07:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBJ.D. Kim’s life changed forever when he broke his neck in a snowboarding accident and became paralyzed. At first J.D. wanted to die. Then Jesus reached into his life, gave him hope, and sent him on a purposeful journey. Tune in to hear J.D.’s story of finding hope through hardship. J.D. is an ordained teaching elder from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and holds a PhD in systematic theology from the University of Aberdeen. He serves as Adjunct Professor of Theology and Assistant Directo...
Talking About Disability with Children – Laura Wifler
September 14, 2023 07:00 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBLaura and her husband have three children, one of whom has a rare genetic condition that causes global developmental delays. She is the cofounder and Executive Director for Risen Motherhood, a nonprofit that brings Gospel hope to moms. She is also the coauthor of Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments, and a fellow author in the T5 series with Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer. Learn more about Laura Key Questions: How can you open the door to meaningful talks with childr...
What is Spiritual Abuse? – Darby Strickland
September 07, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes - 25 MBDarby Strickland is a Christian Counselor who works with individuals, families, and couples, facing a variety of issues. She was trained at Westminster Theological Seminary where she obtained a Masters of Divinity specialized in Counseling. As a specialist in counseling people in abusive marriages, Darby provides a biblical response to domestic abuse and other forms of oppression. In her own counseling practice, and through speaking and writing, Darby comes alongside pastors, counselors, and...
Understanding Trauma and Abuse
August 31, 2023 07:00 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBDarby Strickland is a Christian Counselor who works with individuals, families, and couples, facing a variety of issues. She was trained at Westminster Theological Seminary where she obtained a Masters of Divinity specialized in Counseling. Learn more about Darby and her work. Books and resources by Darby: Is It Abuse?: A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims Domestic Abuse: Help for the Sufferer Domestic Abuse: Recognize, Respond, Rescue Help your...
Living in God’s Love: A Call to Christian Community
August 24, 2023 07:00 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MBKay Toombs is associate professor emerita of philosophy at Baylor University in Texas. In her work she explores the ways in which contemporary values and the context in which we live our lives impact our efforts to develop a sustainable culture and to form caring communities. In her work related to illness, disability and healthcare, she combines her training in philosophy with her experience of living with neurological disease to reflect on the experience of illness and disability, the care...
The Meaning of Illness, Healing, and Wholeness
August 17, 2023 07:00 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBKay Toombs is associate professor emerita of philosophy at Baylor University in Texas. In her work she explores the ways in which contemporary values and the context in which we live our lives impact our efforts to develop a sustainable culture and to form caring communities. In her work related to illness, disability and healthcare, she combines her training in philosophy with her experience of living with neurological disease to reflect on the experience of illness and disability, the care...
Creating a Peaceful Home: Parenting Wisdom from a Mother of Ten!
August 10, 2023 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBLaura Hernandez and her husband, Tony, are raising their ten children in the Dallas area. Over less than five years, their family grew from six to twelve, adding three biological children and three adopted children. Struggling to maintain a peaceful home and learning to care for children living with invisible disabilities, Laura developed practices to turn her family into a peaceful team, relying on the Lord. Laura works as a coach, educating mothers in areas such as: The invisible disabil...
How to Grow through Significant Loss and Grief
August 03, 2023 07:00 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MB“It is not the experience of loss that becomes the defining moment of our lives, but how we respond to loss that matters.” Loss came suddenly for Jerry Sittser. In an instant, a tragic car accident claimed three generations of his family: his mother, his wife of 20 years, and his four-year-old daughter. Left as a single father to care for his three surviving children, Jerry was nearly overcome by the tremendous weight of grief. While most of us will probably not experience such a catastrop...
Sharing Hope Through My Quadriplegia and Suffering
July 27, 2023 07:00 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBIn 2011 Cameron Horner survived a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Like many others who have endured life-changing injuries, Cameron never imagined he would live without the full use of his hands and legs. He joins the podcast to talk about how God has filled him with strength and grace amid his suffering, which has led people to know Jesus and displayed God's power through trials. Cameron Horner Ministries began as churches, schools, and other groups began as...
Finding Grace Through Canines for Christ
July 20, 2023 07:00 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBLarry Randolph, author of Finding Grace: the Inspiring True Story of Therapy Dogs Bringing Comfort, Hope, and Love to a Hurting World, joins the podcast to share the story of how God called him to start Canines for Christ, an organization spreading the Good News of Christ through therapy dogs and their owners. Larry, a board-certified crisis response specialist, rapid response chaplain, and graduate of the Billy Graham School of Evangelism, uses dogs to bring comfort and joy to people faci...
Stepping Out in Faith to Serve
July 13, 2023 07:00 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBWhen Becky Ellis first served at a Joni and Friends Family Retreat in 1999, she discovered God’s call on her life. Every summer Becky returned to Family Retreat to serve. Now a Regional Operations Director for Joni and Friends, Becky wants to inspire the next generation to love, serve, and advocate for people with disabilities. She joins the podcast to talk about bringing the love of Christ to individuals and families living with disability—and how getting involved as a volunteer can transfo...
Perseverance in Suffering
July 06, 2023 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBDisability. Illness. Loneliness. Heartache. It’s a broken world and suffering comes at us in many shapes and sizes. Joni Eareckson Tada who has lived through more than 5 decades of quadriplegia, two rounds of breast cancer, and daily chronic pain, is well-acquainted with hardship. But she also knows about perseverance! Listen as Joni explains where she finds strength to continue on in the midst of new challenges and what she has learned about the power of example. Courage breeds courage, so ...
From Disability to Ministry: Serving God While Living with Terminal Illness – Christopher Davinson
June 29, 2023 07:00 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBChristopher Davison has faced many difficulties because of his Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive, terminal illness that has led to quadriplegia. Diagnosed at age 6 and in a wheelchair by 8, Christopher didn’t expect to live past his 20s. Now in his 30s, he lives to serve God and help others to find hope and truth in their difficulties. He joins the podcast to talk about living with a progressive disability, his experience as a pastor for 10 years, and how God’s strength shines throu...
From Disability to Ministry: Serving God While Living with Terminal Illness
June 29, 2023 07:00 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBChristopher Davison has faced many difficulties because of his Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive, terminal illness that has led to quadriplegia. Diagnosed at age 6 and in a wheelchair by 8, Christopher didn’t expect to live past his 20s. Now in his 30s, he lives to serve God and help others to find hope and truth in their difficulties. He joins the podcast to talk about living with a progressive disability, his experience as a pastor for 10 years, and how God’s strength shines throu...
Living with Chronic Illness
June 22, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBAt age 14 Sarah Willoughby's world turned upside down when she fell seriously ill. Sarah went from trail running and adventuring to spending her days sick in bed. Doctors struggled to diagnose her condition until they finally discovered the culprit: toxic mold. Facing the severity of her condition, Sarah sought the Lord. She joins the podcast to share how her faith in Christ has sustained her through the trials of chronic illness and to help you find hope amid your own hardships. Sarah i...
Creating Equity, Equality, and Inclusion for People with Disabilities
June 15, 2023 07:00 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBJoni and Friends Nashville Area Director Larea Kwakye joins the podcast to talk about being called into ministry serving people living with disabilities, especially those struggling with poverty and in under-resourced communities. For more than twenty years Larea has followed God’s call on her life to share the Gospel with people from Tennessee to Europe to Africa. A lifelong learner who holds a doctorate in Christian counseling, Larea loves to watch God meet his people’s needs and transform...
The Heart of the Caregiver
June 08, 2023 07:00 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBCaregiving for a person with exceptional needs—whether it’s a child, spouse, parent, or friend—can be overwhelming. Mary Tutterow, author of The Heart of the Caregiver® study series, joins the podcast to share how peace is possible for caregivers in all circumstances. Mary didn’t expect to become a caregiver. She was a partner in an international marketing firm and a part-time local news anchor when her baby was born with cognitive and physical challenges, as well as an active seizure disor...
Finding God’s Plan for Your Life
June 01, 2023 07:00 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBJoni and Friends New England Area Director Maria DeGenova joins the podcast to share how God brought her deep healing through serving families living with disability. Maria is one of four sisters—and a twin! Two of her sisters deal with mental health struggles and learning disabilities. Like many siblings in households navigating disability, Maria needed God’s help to understand her own identity, story, and calling. And she wants you to discover what she has: that God is close and trustworth...
Living with a Brain Stem Tumor: Finding Faith and Purpose
May 25, 2023 07:00 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBAs a young child, Kyle Campbell was diagnosed with an inoperable brain stem tumor, which caused symptoms from difficulty speaking and swallowing to nausea and general ill health. While radiation therapy in his teens alleviated some of Kyle’s symptoms, effects of the tumor (and side effects of his treatments) persist to this day. Now a husband, father of three, and author, Kyle is living a full, meaningful life. Through his difficulties, Kyle has developed a deep trust in God and has learned ...
Desperate for Hope: Questions We Ask God in Suffering
May 18, 2023 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBVaneetha Risner joins the podcast again to talk about finding true hope in suffering. With a story that includes childhood bullying, losing an infant son, developing post-polio syndrome, and going through an unwanted divorce, Vaneetha has wrestled with God. But through her hardships, God has met Vaneetha in an unmistakable way and she has learned to trust him. With a passion for helping others find hope in their suffering, each of her books encourages readers to turn to Christ in their pain...
Life After Coma-Induced Memory Loss
May 11, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBWhen 30-year-old Marcy Gregg woke up from a coma, 13 years of her memories had disappeared. In her mind, she was still 17 years old. She didn't remember her husband or her three children, including the baby she had just given birth to in the hospital. Everything had vanished. Faced with the daunting task of rebuilding her identity, even turning to alcohol amid her struggle, God brought Marcy to her knees. When she turned to her faith, Marcy found hope, beauty, and healing. Get your copy of ...
How the Church can Celebrate People with Disabilities
May 04, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBHannah Snoots director of Special Abilities Ministry at Calvary Community Church in California, joins the podcast to share her story of finding joy, peace, and purpose in the midst of navigating disability. As a single mother raising two daughters with special needs, Hannah leans on the Lord for strength and hope. And having found belonging and love through her local church, Hannah encourages all churches—and believers—to embrace and celebrate people living with disabilities. Connect with Ha...
How the Church Can Celebrate People with Disabilities
May 04, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MBHannah Snoots director of Special Abilities Ministry at Calvary Community Church in California, joins the podcast to share her story of finding joy, peace, and purpose in the midst of navigating disability. As a single mother raising two daughters with special needs, Hannah leans on the Lord for strength and hope. And having found belonging and love through her local church, Hannah encourages all churches—and believers—to embrace and celebrate people living with disabilities. Connect with Ha...
Why Should We Love the Return of Christ? – John Piper
April 27, 2023 07:00 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBPastor John Piper joins the podcast to share a hopeful vision for the second coming of Jesus. Hear how anticipating the return of Christ can help people who are suffering with hardship and disability today, plus the importance of cultivating a deep love for the Savior as we await his return. John Piper serves as founder and teacher at Desiring God and is chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary. For 33 years, Piper served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church. He has authored more than ...
Why Should We Love the Return of Christ?
April 27, 2023 07:00 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBPastor John Piper joins the podcast to share a hopeful vision for the second coming of Jesus. Hear how anticipating the return of Christ can help people who are suffering with hardship and disability today, plus the importance of cultivating a deep love for the Savior as we await his return. John Piper serves as founder and teacher at Desiring God and is chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary. For 33 years, Piper served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church. He has authored more than ...
We're Kicking Off Season 5 Next Week!
April 20, 2023 07:00 - 1 minute - 1.58 MBWelcome to Season 5 of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast! We are excited to kick off a new series of encouraging conversations about finding hope through hardship, and share practical ways to include people with disabilities in your church and community. What does it mean to suffer well? How can we understand and cope with pain, loss, disability, and grief? This season on the podcast, we will learn how to lean on Christ and redefine our experiences with suffering and disability. W...
How to Help Ukrainians with Disabilities: The Long Road Ahead (Part 2) – Galyna
November 24, 2022 08:00 - 17 minutes - 15.6 MBEver since Russia invaded Ukraine, Galyna, the Joni and Friends in-country coordinator—alongside other Joni and Friends partners in the region—has organized rescue efforts and ongoing care for people with disabilities from Ukraine. Galyna gives updates on the continuing war, including what happens to Ukrainian refugees after they cross the border. You can help send Ukrainian refugees with disabilities the long-term support they desperately need: safe housing, food, hygiene products, medical...
How to Help Ukrainians with Disabilities (Part 1) – Galyna
November 17, 2022 08:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBEver since Russia invaded Ukraine, bringing violence, destruction, and terror to Ukrainians, Galyna, the Joni and Friends in-country coordinator in Ukraine, has orchestrated ongoing rescue and care for people with disabilities in and around the warzone. Galyna joins the podcast to share how God has strengthened and equipped her and other Joni and Friends partners to serve vulnerable people in the midst of severe danger. You can help send Ukrainian refugees with disabilities the long-ter...
How to Advocate for People with Disability and Dwarfism – Angela Muir Van Etten
November 10, 2022 08:00 - 20 minutes - 19 MB"Advocacy makes change possible when people call out what is wrong, care enough to stand up for what is right, commit to the cause for as long as it takes, and have confidence in God's power to change hearts." -Angela Muir Van Etten Learn more about Angela Get your copy of Angela’s book, “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities” Advocacy Resources: Find your state’s Protection & Advocacy resources Learn more about Centers for Independent Liv...
Weak Woman, Strong God – Dr. Jean Sutherland
November 03, 2022 07:00 - 41 minutes - 37.6 MBWhen an unexpected disability or disease turns your life on end, how do you journey through each day without letting fear, depression, or discouragement overtake you? Dr. Jean Sutherland can answer this question from personal experience; she has leaned on the Lord through three bouts of aggressive cancer (and treatments) that have significantly altered her life, abilities, appearance, and even the way she eats and speaks. Dr. Sutherland joins the podcast to share how God has sustained her th...
How to Help Relieve Exhaustion and Isolation for Families Living with Disability – Jennifer Evans
October 27, 2022 07:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBA recent Joni and Friends survey identified respite care as the top unmet need among families living with disability. Many parents and caregivers who lack respite care options have to just keep going despite exhaustion, isolation, and discouragement. Disability advocate Jennifer Evans joins the podcast to talk about the gift of respite—how providing this type of rest can enable families to experience the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Download We’ve Got This and other Respite Care Resource...
Out of Addiction to Freedom: The Road to Recovery – Jennifer Evans
October 20, 2022 07:00 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBJennifer Evans is a humanitarian, author, and speaker whose work address topics of overcoming addiction, burnout, and mental health challenges. Jennifer has served at Joni and Friends Arizona, and as Executive Director for Grace Sober Living, a nonprofit organization that provides Christ-centered recovery care and housing to people overcoming addiction. Jennifer has also worked as director of a public health charity where she developed community-based hearing healthcare programs. She is a n...
Pressing On: How to Lean on Christ through Suffering – Joni Eareckson Tada
October 13, 2022 07:00 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBAfter more than 55 years living with quadriplegia and chronic pain, Joni Eareckson Tada knows what it means to “press on” through suffering. As she celebrates her 73rd birthday, she’s using this miracle milestone to share the Good News of Jesus with families struggling with disabilities. Will you give in Joni’s honor and help others press on in their suffering? Celebrate Joni’s Birthday! If you or a loved one need encouragement, Joni’s book, Songs of Suffering, will bring comfort and ins...
The Power of Hospitality: Finding Healing and Wholeness in Community – Rosaria Butterfield
October 06, 2022 07:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBRosaria Butterfield used to be a committed unbeliever, a leading thinker in queer studies, and a practicing lesbian. Then God used an invitation to dinner in a modest home, from a humble couple who lived out the Gospel daily, simply, and authentically, to draw Rosaria to himself. Dr. Butterfield shares her story in her book, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith Rosaria is also the author of The Gospel Comes with a House Key, which...
Radically Ordinary Hospitality: A Conversation with Rosaria Butterfield
September 29, 2022 07:00 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBRosaria used to be a “committed unbeliever,” a tenured professor at Syracuse University, a leading thinker in queer studies, and a practicing lesbian. Then God used an invitation to dinner in a modest home, from a humble couple who lived out the Gospel daily, simply, and authentically, to draw Rosaria to himself. Rosaria shares her conversion story in her book, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith Learn more about Dr. Rosaria Butte...
How God Uses Horses to Heal: The Power of Equine Therapy – Jodi Stuber
September 22, 2022 07:00 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBJodi Stuber, co-founder and program director of HopeWell Ranch and the co-author of Project Solomon: The True Story of a Lonely Horse Who Found a Home—and Became a Hero, joins the podcast to share how her organization uses rescued horses to help meet people’s emotional, spiritual, physical, and social needs. Through their compassionate and creative approach to equine therapy (therapy using horses), Jodi and her husband Ty have witnessed God healing hundreds of people: Veterans with post-tr...
Sasha Carpenter: Abortion Survivor and Voice for the Voiceless
September 15, 2022 07:00 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MBAn abortion survivor and one of eleven adopted sisters (most with disabilities), Sasha Carpenter returns to the podcast to talk about her family and their ministry and advocacy work, her own journey living with cerebral palsy, and how to be a voice for the voiceless in today’s world. Listen to Part 1 of Crystal's conversation with Sasha Carpenter. Learn more about Ting Ministries. Learn more about Sasha’s family members: Our Family – Ting Ministries. KEY QUESTIONS: How can you speak ...
An Abortion Survivor’s Story of Adoption and Redemption – Sasha Carpenter
September 08, 2022 07:00 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBSasha Carpenter joins the podcast to share her story of adoption and redemption in Christ. Born in Russia having survived a failed abortion, Sasha was adopted into a family that loves Jesus. Now an adult, and one of eleven adopted sisters with disabilities, Sasha works as an adoption advocate and writer—a “voice for the voiceless.” Sasha is also part of Ting Ministries, an adoption counseling organization founded by the Carpenter family to serve orphans and vulnerable children around the w...
Chronic Hope: Parenting a Child with a Chronic Disease – Bonnie O'Neil
September 01, 2022 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBBonnie O’Neil calls herself a hope hunter, finding hope in the hard seasons of life. Born in the shadow of her brother’s death to type 1 diabetes, and raised with a sister living with the disease, she was nevertheless unprepared for the sorrow she experienced when her own son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age five. Over time, and through a crisis of faith, Bonnie sought the Lord in her family’s struggle. She slowly learned the restorative grace of giving space for sorrow rather than...
The Caregiver’s Journey: Surviving to Thriving – Susan Wahlers
August 25, 2022 07:00 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBSusan Wahlers is the founder of Makers of Care, a nonprofit that provides resources and support for caregivers, and equips churches to proactively serve them. Susan understands the exhaustion, loneliness, and discouragement that caregivers face. When her husband Dave was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at 55, their life went into disarray and caregiving became consuming for Susan. Following Dave’s passing in 2019, Susan founded her ministry to caregivers, providing a path from surviving t...
Alzheimer’s Disease: Help and Hope for Caregivers – Susan Wahlers
August 18, 2022 07:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBSusan Wahlers is on a mission to ensure every caregiver has what they need. She founded Makers of Care, a nonprofit that provides resources for caregivers in dire need of support during a long-term crisis. The organization also equips churches to proactively serve caregivers. FACTS ABOUT CAREGIVERS (courtesy of Makers of Care) 80% of care, for those unable to care for themselves, is provided by friends and family. Most caregiving situations result from an unplanned crisis or diagnosis. A...
God’s Power in Weakness—A Message from Joni Eareckson Tada
August 11, 2022 07:00 - 9 minutes - 8.55 MBWhen a diving accident left Joni Eareckson Tada with quadriplegia at 17, she felt like her life was over. She couldn’t fathom what good her life could be without legs that walked or hands that worked. She couldn’t imagine that God had good purposes in store for her. She certainly didn’t expect her suffering to sow the seeds of an international disability ministry. Looking back on 55 years in a wheelchair, Joni reflects on the Lord’s faithfulness amid her adversity. She shares how trusting Go...
Purpose, Identity, and Diversity in the Church – Dr. Lamar Hardwick
August 04, 2022 07:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBLamar Hardwick (DMin, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary) is the lead pastor at Tri-Cities Church in East Point, Georgia. He and his wife, Isabelle have three daughters. Dr. Hardwick’s blogs and articles can be found on his website. Get your copies Dr. Hardwick’s books: I am Strong: The Life and Journey of an Autistic Pastor Disability in the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion Key Questions: What is my purpose? How can my community become more inclusive? How can my c...
Meet “The Autism Pastor,” Dr. Lamar Hardwick
July 28, 2022 07:00 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBLamar Hardwick (DMin, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary) is the lead pastor at Tri-Cities Church in East Point, Georgia. He and his wife, Isabella have three daughters. Dr. Hardwick’s blogs and articles can be found on his website. Get your copies Dr. Hardwick’s books: I am Strong: The Life and Journey of an Autistic Pastor Disability in the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion Key Questions: What is it like to grow up with undiagnosed autism? What is it like to live wi...
Community: A Key to Hope for Families Living with Disability – Leisa Williams
July 21, 2022 07:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBFor more than two decades Leisa Williams has cared for a son with a disability. She knows firsthand the grief, hopelessness, family divisions, and weariness that often plague families living with disability. (Listen to part 1 of this conversation.) Leisa joins the podcast again to talk about the power of HOPE: Having Other People Engaged when the challenges of life seem too heavy to bear. She shares about her journey from resistance to radical acceptance of the role Christian community can ...