The Church & Living Beyond Disability

Do you look at people with disabilities through the eyes of limitation? Today's guest, Jacquie McIver shares her and her son Jeremiah's testimony and how they are living beyond disability. 

Jacquie McIver is a single mother of Jeremiah, a beautiful Angel Gift given from God to nurture and love. As a former Pastor, it has always been her sincere desire to embrace everyone and help them discover their purpose in life. As an entrepreneur consultant, she helped organizations to exceed their potential. Upon graduating from Arizona State University with an MBA in Service Marketing, she spent several years traveling the world as a management consultant in corporate America with one of the world's top firms: Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLC. 

Parenting is similar to business management in that you must utilize time and resources effectively. As a parent/caregiver of her son with special needs, her professional and educational skills come in handy to provide daily solutions. Jacquie is part of a unique group called the "Sandwich Generation." This is someone who is caring for an elderly parent while raising a child simultaneously. She has committed her life to coaching, advocating, encouraging, strategizing, supporting, and inspiring others. 

Jacquie is the visionary of Jeremiah's Voice Inc.; she combined her educational, ministerial, professional, and parenting skills to launch an organization; that she believes will help to aid those who care for and those who live with disabilities. Her belief in transparency, openness, honesty, and your past circumstances does not dictate your future position in life. She stands firmly on the certainty that every human being has a purpose to fulfill. She understands that individuals living with disabilities must have a voice to ensure their needs are met. Jacquie is convinced that individuals with special needs should not-and-need not-be defined by their disabilities; instead, they should be given every opportunity to live life to its fullest! This is what invokes the motto for the organization—"Living Beyond Disability.

Interview Highlights

* Jacquie shares Jeremiah’s story.

* “I knew about God, but when my son was born, the day he was born, I had an encounter with God, and I experienced God, and my relationship with God started then.” - Jacquie McIver

* “As he got bigger, the smile got bigger.” - Jacquie McIver

* Jacquie shares what living beyond disabilities means to her and what she wants us to understand about that message.

* “A lot of times we say ‘oh, that’s my autistic son, that’s my down syndrome daughter.’ That’s not who they are." - Jacquie McIver

* Jacquie shares what the church can do to help families with children with disabilities and people with disabilities in general.

* “The church has a responsibility to service all people.” - Jacquie McIver

* Jacquie shares some of the do’s and don’ts we need to be aware of when communicating with people with disabilities.

* “Handicapped is not a word that’s really welcomed.” - Jacquie McIver

* “Don’t look at them based on what you see but look at them through the eyes of God.” - Jacquie McIver

* Jacquie shared closing remarks.

“Just be open to the Holy Spirit and serve ye one another.” - Jacquie McIver

Relevant Links and Resources 

* Connect with Jacquie at https://jeremiahsvoice.net/.

* Follow this podcast on Instagram @wearethechurch_podcast.

* Learn more about your host Sherry Jones at https://linktr.ee/sherryspeakslife.

* Check out our partnership opportunities for your ministry or business at bit.ly/wearethechurchpod.

Take care, be blessed, be safe, and remember, the church is not a building. We are the church!