Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast: Recent Episodes
Joni and Friends
Join Crystal Keating each Thursday for an encouraging conversation about finding hope through your hardships, as well as practical ways to include people with disabilities in your church and community.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
How do you trust God when suffering doesn't end?
Pastor Shane Colwell knows this question intimately. For more than a decade, he and his family have cared for their son Chase, who lives with profound medical challenges, daily seizures, and ongoing uncertainty. Through years of hardship, Shane has discovered that God's faithfulness is often found not in immediate healing, but in His sustaining presence.
In this deeply practical and biblically rich conversation, Pastor Shane answers some of the most difficult questions Christians ask about suffering. Together, he and Stephanie discuss lament, unanswered prayers, chronic illness, disability, grief, marriage, community, and how to cling to God's character when life doesn't make sense.
Whether you're navigating disability, caregiving, chronic pain, or a season of unanswered questions, this episode offers compassionate encouragement and biblical hope for every believer.
- Get your copy of Shane’s book: I KNOW IT HURTS: 6 Biblical Truths from a Pastor and Father of a Medically Fragile Child
- Find out more about Shane and connect with him at ShaneColwellMinistries.com
- Follow Shane and his son Chase’s story on Facebook at @ShaneColwellMinistries and @TeamChaseColwell
- Read Shane’s Blog: ShaneColwellMinistries.com/Blog/
- Read Joni Eareckson Tada’s thoughts on how Suffering Reveals the Goodness of the Father
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can you grow closer to God while suffering?
- What is the difference between lament and complaining?
- How does God used suffering to refine your faith?
- How can you trust God when healing doesn't come?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- 1 Peter 1:6-7, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (ESV)
- 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."
- Psalm 23:4, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." (ESV)
- Galatians 6:2, "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
In this deeply honest and hope-filled conversation, author Katie Blackburn shares her journey as a single mom of six, raising a son with severe autism. With vulnerability and wisdom, Katie reflects on how God meets us in our limits: not with quick fixes, but with sustaining mercy.
From the unexpected joy of a disability baseball league to the power of community in breaking isolation, Katie reminds us that we are not meant to do the hard things alone. She also shares practical encouragement for parents, churches, and anyone longing to better support the disability community.
This episode is a tender invitation to embrace grace in the middle of chaos, to find purpose in the present moment, and to trust that even when life looks different than we imagined, God is still writing a beautiful story.
Get your copy of Katie’s book: The Very Best Baseball Game
Find out more about Katie and connect with her at KatieBlackburn.com and on Instagram at @katiemblackburn
Listen to Jerry Sittser’s podcast episode: How to Grow through Significant Loss and Grief
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How do you hold onto hope that God has a plan?
- How can you develop a heart of compassion for those with disabilities?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Romans 8:26-27: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
What happens when the life you've built changes in an instant?
Former professional basketball player Patric Young seemed to have everything ahead of him: a successful athletic career, a new job, and a wedding just days away. Then a devastating car accident left him paralyzed from the waist down and forced him to confront big questions of identity, purpose, and faith.
In this conversation, Patric shares how God met him in suffering, taught him to surrender what he could not control, and helped him discover that his value was never rooted in his abilities. Together, Stephanie and Patric discuss disability, grief, community, perseverance, and the hope that remains even when circumstances don't change.
Whether you're navigating disability, chronic hardship, caregiving, or an unexpected life transition, this episode offers biblical encouragement and practical wisdom for trusting God in the middle of life's hardest seasons.
Follow Patric on Instagram: @patricyoung4
Get a copy of Patric’s book, Sit to Rise: Turning Your Darkest Pain into Your Brightest Victory
Learn about the Patric Young Foundation
MENTIONED RESOURCES:
A Place of Healing, Joni Eareckson Tada
Win the Day, Mark Batterson
The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson
Failing Forward, John C. Maxwell
KEY QUESTIONS:
What does it look like to choose hope when your circumstances haven't yet changed?
What is God teaching you in your current season?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
James 1:2-4: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
Romans 8:18: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
What does true belonging look like for families living with disability?
In this conversation, Carrie Mastenbrook shares her journey as a mom to Andrew, who had a stroke at birth and lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. From overwhelming early medical challenges to unexpected moments of joy (like Andrew becoming a Special Olympics champion), Carrie reflects on how God has been present through it all.
Now serving with Joni and Friends, Carrie is passionate about helping churches move beyond simply accommodating families with disabilities to truly embracing them. She offers practical wisdom, personal stories, and encouragement for both families and church leaders seeking to build a community where everyone is seen, known, and valued.
This episode is a beautiful reminder that even in life’s hard moments, God is near. He is always working to bring purpose, connection, and belonging through Jesus.
- Connect with your local Joni and Friends U.S. Ministry Office
- Learn more about Joni and Friends Family Retreat
- Discover free Church Training Resources
- Volunteer with Joni and Friends!
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can your church move from simply accommodating families with disabilities to truly embracing them?
- How can your church better include people with disabilities in your current discipleship programs?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Philippians 4:13: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Worship leader and songwriter Isaac Immanuel shares his powerful story of faith in the midst of suffering. Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare brittle bone disease that has resulted in hundreds of fractures and dozens of surgeries, Isaac has learned to see weakness as a platform for God’s strength. In this conversation, he opens up about living with disability, stepping out in faith to embrace God’s calling on his life, and cultivating a posture of humility and worship. Through his story and music, Isaac offers a compelling reminder of what it means to find true identity in Christ and to hold onto hope even through the breaking.
He is known for his authentic faith and passion for leading others in worship. As someone who has faced significant physical challenges from a young age, Isaac speaks candidly about the tension between limitation and calling. With a desire to encourage his generation, he shares how God faithfully answers prayers and cares for the desires of our hearts, often in ways that reveal His preparation long before we recognize it. Isaac’s story is a reminder that God’s strength is made evident not in spite of weakness, but through it.
Follow Isaac Immanuel on Instagram and TikTok
Stream his original song “Out of Darkness”
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What does “worship” mean to you? How do you live it out in everyday life?
- How would you encourage your generation to step out in faith and into their calling?
- What has been the result of saying “yes” to God in this endeavor?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (KJV)
- Proverbs 16:9: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Stephanie Daniels, our host of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, is gearing up for Season 8. Join her each week this summer to hear from inspiring guests who will encourage you right where you are. Whether you're looking for practical ways your church can embrace people living with disability, you are personally facing a new disability or diagnosis, or you serve as a caregiver, you’ll discover hope through your hardship as you listen!
Join us for your weekly dose of encouragement beginning Thursday, July 9th. We'll see you soon!
Subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen: Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram for episode updates and more!
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Author, speaker, and Bible teacher, Jennifer Rothschild joins host Stephanie Daniels to share her story of literally walking by faith and not by sight. Since losing her sight at age 15, Jennifer hasn’t let blindness stop her from seeing and sharing God’s goodness. You will be encouraged by their conversation and reminded to trust God even when life doesn’t look like what you planned. And that God’s strength shines brightest in our weakness and hope can bloom in the darkest places.
Connect with Jennifer and listen to her podcast at her website jenniferrosthschild.com
Check out Joni’s books in the Joni and Friends Bookstore
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How have you seen God show up in your weakness?
- How can you be patient with yourself… and with God?
- How can you personally reach out to people with disabilities in your church?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Job 1:21: “...The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Amber Smith, wife of former country music artist, Granger Smith joins Stephanie Daniels to share about her book, The Girl on the Bathroom Floor: Held Together when Everything is Falling Apart. Amber shares her deeply personal experience of losing her three-year-old son, River, and God’s faithfulness to her in the pit of despair. Her story will encourage you to hold onto the hope that God is near, even when it feels quiet, and that the bathroom floor is not the end—it’s just the beginning.
Get your copy of Amber’s book: The Girl on the Bathroom Floor: Held Together when Everything is Falling Apart
Find out more about Amber and connect with her at: arisewithamber.com
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How have you experienced God in the bathroom floor seasons of your life?
- How can you invite God into your heartbreak? Who can you ask to walk with you?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Revelation 21:14: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
- Hebrews 12:1–2: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
- Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Dr. Jason Kolb and his wife Amy know firsthand about unexpected turns in life. In January 2023 Jason took a wrong turn at high speed while skiing and landed at the bottom of a 20-foot drop. As an ER doctor, Jason knew he was paralyzed from the chest down and had broken several ribs. Jason and Amy join Stephanie Daniels to share their journey of discovering God's sufficient grace in ways they never could have planned. Their conversation will encourage, challenge, and remind you that no matter what you face, God's grace really is enough.
Read more of Dr. Kolb’s story
Get your copy of Dr. Kolb’s book, Down the Mountain: Skiing, Suffering, and Sufficient Grace
Connect with him at www.drjasonkolb.com
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can you bring community to someone experiencing isolation?
- Whose burden can you bear?
- What trial do you need to entrust to God today?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- 2 Corinthians 12:9–10: “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
- Psalm 23:1–4: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Shawn Thornton, our Joni and Friends President and Chief Ministry Officer returns to the podcast to share his experience and insight on disability ministry in the church. Raised with disability in his immediate family, Shawn has a unique perspective on how the church should care for people who live with disability. Hear how God has used his personal experience to grow him as a pastor and prepare him to reach the global church through his role with Joni and Friends.
- Listen to part 1 of Shawn’s conversation with Stephanie Daniels
- Get your copy of Shawn’s book, All But Normal: Life on Victory Road
Prior to leading Joni and Friends, Shawn served as Senior Pastor of Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, California, where he helped launch a dynamic disability ministry that has become a model for churches nationwide. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Awana Clubs International and on the Board of Trustees of Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks, California.
Shawn and his wife, Lesli, live in Southern California and have three grown children, Jon, Katie, and Megan (who is married to Wes).
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can you encourage your church’s culture to welcome people with disabilities?
- How can a struggle you experience equip you to encourage someone else?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Psalm 34:8-9: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. Fear the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear Him lack nothing.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Shawn Thornton is the President and Chief Ministry Officer of Joni and Friends, an international non-profit organization founded by Joni Eareckson Tada that offers hands-on help and Gospel hope to people living with disabilities. With decades of pastoral experience, Shawn most recently served as Senior Pastor of Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, California where he supported the development of a disability ministry program that provides an example for churches across the country. He and his wife, Lesli, have three adult children—Jon, Katie, and Megan.
Get your copy of All But Normal: Life on Victory Road
Growing up, Shawn Thornton’s life was anything but normal―but then, so was his mother. After waking from a coma following a car crash, Beverly Thornton’s once sweet and gentle disposition had been replaced by violent mood swings, profanity-laced tirades, and uncontrollable fits of rage. Inside the Thornton house, floors and countertops were piled high with dirty laundry and garbage because Bev was unable to move well enough to clean. Dinners were a Russian roulette of half-cooked meat, spoiled milk, and foods well past their expiration dates. A moment of frustration might prompt her to hurl a knife at Shawn, his brother, Troy, or their dad or to vehemently cuss them out, only to shower them with love and affection moments later as though nothing had happened. And God help the family cat!
On several occasions, Bev even tried to jump out of the car on the highway while Shawn and his brother struggled to keep her inside. Yet this same woman was also a devoted Bible reader, Sunday school teacher, and friend to the elderly, poor, and marginalized wherever she went. How the same woman could be a saint one minute and a nightmare the next was a constant source of frustration for the family. Then one day, after decades of embarrassing outbursts, a surprise discovery finally helps the Thornton family come to grips with Bev’s mysterious condition and brings Shawn to a startling realization that changes the course of his life forever.
A heartwarming coming-of-age story, All But Normal is a powerful reminder that sometimes the “broken” people in our lives are the ones who need fixing the least.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How has God used hardship in your life to make you more like Jesus?
- What difficulty in your life might equip you to encourage others in Christ?
- Do you have confidence that God is always with you? Ask God to reveal his presence to you as you draw near to him.
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 136:1–4:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
To Him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Vaneetha Risner is no stranger to suffering. Having lived through polio, the loss of a child, and multiple miscarriages, she has wrestled with God and learned to trust in his goodness. Vaneetha joins Stephanie Daniels to share about her journey and how she has continued to hope in God through the darkness of deep pain. Their encouraging conversation will remind you that God sees you and reassure you that you never have to suffer alone.
Get your copy of Vaneetha’s devotional,Watching for the Morning
Find out more about Vaneetha and connect with her at: www.vaneetha.com
Learn more of Vaneetha’s story on previous podcast episodes: Desperate for Hope: Questions We Ask God in Suffering and Finding Freedom Through Forgiveness
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How have you seen God work through the hardships in your life?
- What struggle do you need to bring before God today, trusting him to meet and sustain you?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Psalm 34:3–5: “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”
- Psalm 30:5: “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Kay Warren, known for cofounding Saddleback Church with her husband, Pastor Rick Warren, joins Stephanie Daniels to discuss a deeply personal topic. Kay is the mother of three adult children, including Matthew who lost his life to suicide at age 27 after years of chronic depression. Having walked beside her son through his suffering, and survived the anguish of his death, Kay has experienced firsthand the need for the church, and all believers, to extend compassionate support to people facing mental health struggles. Tune in for this critical call for the body of Christ to support people who battle with depression, suicidal ideation, and despair—providing the love and hope of Jesus in moments of deepest darkness.
Help is here! If you or a loved one is struggling with depression, suicidal ideation, or other mental health challenges, you are not alone…
Explore resources mentioned in this episode, and encouragement from Joni Eareckson Tada who has herself wrestled with deep depression.
Get your copy of Kay Warren’s book, Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough
Hear Joni Eareckson Tada’s shares heart on how to battle depression
Get your copy of Joni’s booklet, Navigating Depression: Hope for Heavy Hearts
Learn more about Kay and her ministry at www.kaywarren.com
For Christ-centered encouragement, practical tools, and comprehensive resources for families and churches around mental health visit https://www.hopeforbrightertomorrows.org
Find additional resources and support through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) | Mental Health Support, Education & Advocacy
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Who in your world needs to hear that they are not alone? Go tell them—be there to listen and pray.
- How can you find joy today even if you feel trapped in a season of hardship?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- Lamentations 3:19-25 (NLT): “The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!’ The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Army Chaplain and special needs dad Matt McCraney joins Stephanie Daniels to talk about how the body of Christ can better embrace people living with disabilities. Bringing personal, biblical, and academic perspectives, Matt identifies barriers that keep disabled people from finding their places of belonging in the church and he offers practical ways Christians can better demonstrate the love of Jesus to those living with disability.
Matt McCraney has served as an Army Chaplain for 17 years and is a devoted father to a child with autism. He holds a PhD from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Married to his wife Sarah for 20 years, Matt is the proud father of four children and the owner of a beloved dog named Appa.
As Matt says: “Sundays are incredibly difficult for families with a disabled child, often because of the attitudes and assumptions of members. To welcome these families, we need to reexamine how we understand disability and bring our thinking in line with the Bible on this critical issue.”
Read Matt’s articles:
“I Hate Sundays”: Why Disabled Families Are Absent from Church and What We Can Do to Start Welcoming them Back
More than Bodies: Examining our Assumptions about Disability
Faith on the Spectrum: Reimagining Discipleship Expectations for Children with Autism
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Who can you encourage this week by simply reaching out to connect?
- What assumptions do you make about people with disabilities in your midst—are there mindsets that need to shift to align with God’s love for all people, regardless of disability?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
- John 9:3: “‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Lars Nelson, a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet, joins Stephanie Daniels to share about his faith journey, career, and passion to see people with disabilities served and included by the church. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he began dance training at the age of 11, studied at the School of American Ballet, then joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011. He is husband to Tanya and also brother to Eric, who lives with cerebral palsy.
Learn more about Lars Nelson and hear why he names Joni Eareckson Tada as his hero!
Find out more about our Wheels for the World® program, which hand-delivers wheelchairs and Bibles to people with disabilities in developing countries, all in the name of Jesus.
Learn more about our Family Retreats.
Discover our free resources to help your church fully embrace people living with disability.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Does your church, neighborhood, and community embrace people living with disabilities?
- How can you welcome people with disabilities into your personal circles?
- Who are your faith heroes?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- 2 Corinthians 5:20: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
- Colossians 3:23–24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Author, speaker, and special needs mom Jess Ronne joins Stephanie Daniels to talk about her family’s story of beauty emerging from the ashes. She also offer insight into tangible ways to support families facing difficult seasons. Jess is the founder of The Lucas Project, named after her son with profound disabilities, which provides recognition and respite for parent caregivers. She and her husband Ryan, both of whom lost spouses to cancer before blending their families, have eight children, an encouraging story of finding hope through hardship, and a heart to serve others coping with deep and complex suffering.
Learn more about The Lucas Project, which provides resources, respite, and recognition for parent caregivers of children with disabilities.
Explore Jess’s books:
Caregiving with Grit and Grace: For caregivers, this book offers solace for your journey and extends a heartfelt invitation to view your role through the lens of eternity.
Sunlight Burning at Midnight: Jess’s memoir offers an inspiring and encouraging story of faith forged through deep suffering, hardship, and unexpected joy.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Who in your circles needs tangible help today? Perhaps a meal (ask them if they want pasta or tacos…and drop it off on their porch).
- Are you willing to ask for help (if not, talk to God about changing your heart)?
- Do you trust God to work in the midst of your deepest challenges?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Luke 22:42: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
- Romans 11:36: “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Meet special needs parents, business partners, and Christ-loving power couple Clifton (Cliff) and Lorraine Marshall. In an inspiring conversation with Stephanie Daniels, Cliff and Lorraine share about meeting on a blind date, forming a blended family, raising a child with a disability, and growing in faith—and love for one another—through life’s seasons and challenges. Tune in to be encouraged in your career, family life, and daily struggles and be equipped with Scriptures to bring you fresh hope and joy.
Families navigating disability often name respite care as their top unmet need. If someone you know needs encouragement, respite, and an experience of true belonging in the body of Christ, invite them to check out our Joni and Friends Retreats & Getaways!
For spouses living with disability in the family, like Cliff and Lorraine, Joni and Friends Marriage Getaway offers rich community with other couples who understand the unique challenges of disability. Learn more about this unique opportunity for encouragement through biblical teaching, worship, dinners, activities, and optional marriage coaching.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can you exercise generosity today?
- Where can you embrace the call of Jesus to servant leadership?
RESOURCES:
- Tune in to our Season 6 episode with author Randy Alcorn on “Why Giving Is the Good Life”
- Explore opportunities to support the kingdom work of Joni and Friends
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
- Matthew 20:26–28: “… whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Larah Roberts, a dedicated mom, wife, and Christ-centered disability advocate, joins Stephanie Daniels to talk about raising children with autism as thriving followers of Jesus. Larah shares from her own family’s experience and her wisdom as the founder of the organization Raising Autistic Disciples. Don’t miss Larah’s heartfelt encouragement for individuals, churches, and communities to fully include, support, and disciple families navigating life with disability.
Explore free Joni and Friends resources that will empower you and your church love and serve individuals and families living with disability.
Learn more about Larah Roberts and Raising Autistic Disciples
Get your copy of Larah’s book, How to Advocate & Stay Christian: For Parents of Special Kids
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can you take comfort today in God’s ever-present, changeless love?
- What spiritual rhythms help you draw near to God and cherish his Word?
- Who can you reach today with a word of encouragement or gesture of inclusion?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
- Deuteronomy 6:6–7: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Discover more about Joni’s heart on the ADA: Did The Americans With Disabilities Act Really Guarantee Change? | Joni and Friends
At a celebratory reception after the signing of the ADA, Joni recalls hearing these words spoken by colleague Paul Hearne:
“[The ADA] will provide greater access to public accommodation. Wheelchair users will no longer have to be carried up the steps of a restaurant. And one day buses across America will be outfitted with mechanical lifts. There’ll be no barriers to public transportation…. But the ADA will not change the heart of the employer. The law will not change the heart of the maître de in the restaurant.”
Key Questions:
- How can you create spaces that are accessible and inclusive for people with disability?
- How is Jesus calling you to love and advocate for people living with disability?
Key Scriptures:
- 1 Samuel 16:7: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
- Luke 14:21, 23 (NIV): “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.… Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
- Learn more about Maggie Bushway and purchase your copy of her book, Pearls, A Memoir on Childhood Brain Cancer and Hope.
- Get your copy of Joni Eareckson Tada’s powerful book (one of Maggie’s favorites!), A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God’s Sovereignty.
- Receive biblical encouragement from Joni as you walk through cancer and other tough trials with her booklet, Facing Trials with Joy: Cancer and Beyond.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What pearls has God made through your suffering?
- Do you see weakness and pain in your life as opportunities to lean into God’s strength?
- Do you know a person or family walking through deep suffering? Do something to encourage them today (deliver pizza, pay a visit, or write a note).
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- 2 Corinthians 12:9–10: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
- Psalm 121:
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Abigail Brown has been living with dystonia since the age of three. You may remember her Season 3 podcast episode where she shares about living joyfully with dystonia. Abigail is the founder of Silent Inspirations, a creative studio that offers stationery and home decor based on her original artwork.
To encourage women who feel alone or stuck, whether because of a disability or other challenges, Abigail wrote her book, Unstuck: Moving from Resentment to Resilience While Living with Dystonia (using only her left thumb).
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Do you feel stuck or isolated in some area of life?
- What blessings can you see in your life today?
- What negative thought patterns give you trouble? Ask God to help you displace them with praise!
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Psalm 139:14: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
- Romans 8:26: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. And you can be part of making this vision a reality!
When you volunteer with Joni and Friends, you will transform lives by delivering hands-on help and the love of Jesus Christ to the people we serve.
Find volunteer opportunities near you!
Join one of our Wheels for the World™ outreach teams!
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What does God say “qualifies” a person to share the Gospel?
- How can you take part in welcoming people with disabilities into your church and community?
- Where might God be calling you to serve?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- John 9:1–3: “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”
- Romans 10:15: “And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Joni and Friends staff member Sarah Fuller returns to the podcast to share how, with three biological children of their own, she and her husband sensed God calling to also serve as foster parents. In conversation with Stephanie Daniels, Sarah tells how her whole family has taken part in loving and sheltering children in foster care, and welcomed a child with disabilities into their family permanently through adoption. Hear how God can use a faithful “yes” to weave his grace and redemption into stories of complexity and brokenness.
Get your copy of Joni Eareckson Tada’s powerful autobiography!
Hear more conversations about adoption and foster care:
- Creating a Peaceful Home: Parenting Wisdom from a Mother of Ten!: Do you know how to create lasting peace in your home? Laura Hernandez shares her story of raising ten children (biological and adopted), some living with hidden disabilities. Hear how Laura transformed from an overwhelmed do-it-all mom to a parent who leans on the Lord to create a peaceful, Christ-centered home.
- The Call to Care for Vulnerable Foster Children: Stacy DeWitt serves as the Executive Director of James Storehouse, a ministry dedicated to caring for foster children. Hear how James Storehouse is making a profound difference in the lives of foster children, and what you and your church can get involved with this critical mission.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Do you trust God to lead you through—and even into—seasons of grief and suffering?
- Is there an area of uncertainty in your life that you can entrust to God today?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
- Psalm 68:6: “God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Joni and Friends staff member Sarah Fuller joins Stephanie Daniels to share her story of God’s faithfulness in calling her into missions, special education, and disability ministry. As a mom, Sarah has invited her children into service opportunities—often volunteering with Joni and Friends—which has shaped their hearts and the trajectories of their lives. Sarah shares how God uses everything from childhood dreams to disappointments to deep experiences of grief to guide and direct the steps of those who love and trust him.
Like Sarah and her family, you can have a life-changing experience volunteering with Joni and Friends!
Explore volunteer opportunities!
Learn more about our Joni’s House programs internationally and in the United States.
And if you are interested in learning more about starting a disability ministry in your church, we invite you to explore the free resources we have available.
Inspiring books mentioned in this episode:
The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party – This beautifully illustrated, biblically faithful storybook by Joni Eareckson Tada excites children with this truth—that when Jesus comes back to this world, he will bring heaven with him!
Heaven: Your Real Home… From a Higher Perspective – Joni Eareckson Tada’s beloved book on heaven sheds light on how an eternal perspective can inspire us to live well on earth. Drawing on Scripture, Joni answers the deepest questions of our hearts about what heaven will be like.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can you step out in faith (and maybe out of your comfort zone) to serve others?
- Do you live daily life with an eternal perspective?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Mark 9:41: “Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.”
- John 14:1–2: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Joni and Friends team member Randy Schwartz joins Stephanie Daniels to share about coming to faith as an adult, being a special needs dad and devoted husband, and learning to trust God with all aspects of life. When his younger son was born with spina bifida, Randy and his wife turned to Jesus, relying on his grace day by day.
Listen to our Season 6 conversation with Dr. Benjamin Warf, a neurosurgeon at Boston Children’s Hospital, who has a passion for training the next generation of surgeons and improving access to quality care. Dr. Warf shares his story and encouragement for families—fathers in particular—who live with disability.
More resources:
Dig into God’s Word with Joni Eareckson Tada’s Bible reading plan!
Discover books to disciple the children in your life
Learn more about Joni and Friends Family Retreat
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can you depend on God’s strength for today instead of your own?
- Where have you seen God at work in your story?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- John 9:1–3: “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”
- John 13:35: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
- Lamentations 3:22–23: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Learn more about Mandy Meehan and her faith journey while seeking to heal from fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, and other chronic conditions.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Do you entrust your physical, emotional, and spiritual weakness to God?
- Are you willing to talk about your struggles with a trusted person/people in your life?
- How can you rest in the Lord today, trusting in his biblical promises?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Second Corinthians 4:7–9: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
- Proverbs 16:9: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Learn more about Mandy Meehan and her faith journey while seeking to heal from fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, and other chronic conditions.
Discover more inspiring stories of God’s faithfulness amid difficult chronic illnesses:
Living with Chronic Illness | Joni and Friends
When Skies Aren’t Blue: A Doctor’s Journey to Hope Amid Chronic Illness | Joni and Friends
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Where have you seen God’s gracious hand at work through hard times in your life?
- How can you serve someone today, even as you face your own limitations?
- Are you willing to ask for help? (Give it a try!)
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Isaiah 40:29–31: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
- Roman 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Struggling with mental health can be part of being human in a broken world. Disciples of Christ have never been promised a trouble-free life. As many faithful believers, including Joni Eareckson Tada, can attest, grappling with depression and other mental health challenges, and even crises, is often part of the Christian walk. Our guest today, Joni and Friends staff member Kali Lilienthal, shares her story of how God has worked through medical and mental health professionals, community, Scripture, and prayer to turn her season of difficulty with depression and anxiety into one of deepening faith in Jesus. Don’t miss this encouraging conversation, which will remind you that you and your loved ones are never alone, even as you walk through dark valleys.
View Joni Eareckson Tada's New Life Painting
When a broken neck upended her plans at age 17, Joni Eareckson Tada thought life was over. She fell into a deep depression. And over decades, Joni’s paralysis and pain often made her feel like giving up. But God’s presence and Word have always held her up when she might otherwise have fallen.
Joni anchors her emotions to the Lord’s powerful promises, like the one found in Lamentations 3:21–23: “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
While depression sometimes lurks nearby for Joni, she invites God to illuminate the shadows, and her heart, with his bright truth. And she prays, “Let my life be a testament that ‘the precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes’ (Psalm 19:8).”
Hear from Joni Eareckson Tada’s heart on the topic of depression
Hear Joni share about how God has redeemed her deep suffering
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Are you or someone close to you struggling with mental health challenges? If so, reach out for support.
- Who in your community or church needs someone to check on them today? Ask God how you can reach out to be an encouragement.
- Whom or what has God used in your life to bring about healing (community, prayer, medical support)?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Colossians 1:27: “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
- John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
- Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
If you are struggling with cancer, grief, or chronic pain, the journey can be arduous and seem unending. During her most difficult seasons, most recently coping with cancer, Roberta has found peace in words from the Lord’s Prayer, “…Give us this day our daily bread.”
Today, as you or those close to you face hardships—especially lasting ones—spend time centering your heart by trusting God to provide the daily bread of his love and presence today. Acknowledge your need for God and remember his promise to work in all things (even pain) for his glory and your good.
As Roberta encourages, hold out your hands, palms open, and pray: “Give me this day my daily bread.”
Find encouragement through Joni’s Daily Devotional
MORE RESOURCES:
- Facing Trials with Joy: Cancer and Beyond
- Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: Life After Shock
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How has God worked in your life during a season of suffering?
- Knowing that God sees you and loves you, what struggle can you bring before him today, trusting him to work in it for your good and his glory?
- Who in your life needs someone to see them through God’s eyes? Take a moment to check on the person or people who come to mind.
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Esther 4:14: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
- Genesis 16:13: “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’”
- Matthew 6:11: “Give us today our daily bread.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Roberta Dunn has been active in the disability community as an advocate and parent leader since the birth of her twins more than 30 years ago. Sharing insights and challenging misperceptions of disability, Roberta has spoken nationally, regionally, locally—and across the coffee table—with thousands of parents, professionals, and individuals experiencing disability.
Learn how to advocate for inclusion in your church and community!
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What’s one thing in your life that you “just can’t handle”? Ask God to meet you in this pain point and show you the way forward.
- Look around your church or neighborhood… who in your midst needs help or encouragement today?
- What is your mission (as a Christ-follower, daughter/son, parent, friend)? Write it down and lift it up in prayer.
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- James 1:2–4: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
- Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Stephanie Daniels, host of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast is kicking off Season 7. Listen in each week to hear from our incredible line up of guests who bring their unique experiences and perspectives to encourage you right where you are.
Whether you're interested in learning practical ways your church can welcome and embrace people living with disability, or you are personally facing a new disability or diagnosis, physical or mental health challenge, or serve as a caregiver, we're sharing encouragement and hope through your hardship!
Join us for a weekly dose of encouragement beginning Thursday, May 8th. We'll see you soon!
Do you have a comment or question? Send Stephanie a message!
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Crystal Keating has been part of Joni and Friends for over ten years helping the ministry answer thousands of calls, letters, and messages about disability, sharing resources, and holding fast to hope in Jesus through life’s greatest hardships. Her prayer for the Ministry Podcast is that each conversation will help listeners and their loved ones “bear much fruit” (John 15:8) in acts of love throughout the disability community.
Tune in to Crystal Keating’s interview with Joni Eareckson Tada from season one
More podcast episodes mentioned:
- Jerry Sittser
- Randy Alcorn
- Rachel LeMaster
- Darby Strickland
- Vicki Zoradi
- Jamie Stark
- Tracey Motoda
- Mutual Friendship When Disability is Involved
- Thriving with Spinal Muscular Atrophy During COVID-19
Explore episodes from the past six seasons
KEY QUESTIONS:
In what new ways can your church and community welcome, include, and love people with disabilities?
Times of transition can be difficult—how can you trust God and put your hope in him as you face a new beginning or a bittersweet ending?
What hope for the future has God placed on your heart?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Philippians 1:3–6: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
John 15:8: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Do you find yourself feeling nostalgic, wistful, or drained going into Christmas? Perhaps frustrated, frantic, or lonely? Joni knows well that Christmas time doesn’t automatically induce joy, especially as you grapple with the challenges of disability, grief, or other hardships. This is why she invites you to think deeply about Christ’s coming, and his death on the cross, meditating on what this salvation message means to you personally. Because gratitude will prepare your heart to find joy and fulfillment in Christ’s coming, bringing light into the darkness, and joy that transcends the deepest of pain.
Learn more at joniandfriends.org/christmas
If you need hope today, Joni and Friends can help:
Sign up to receive encouraging daily devotionals written by Joni
Download Joni and Ken’s Bible-reading plan to journey with them through God’s Word
Tune in to Joni’s radio programs
KEY QUESTIONS:
How do you cultivate the Christmas spirit?
Who in your life could use a word of encouragement this season?
What (or whom) are you most grateful for today? Stop to give God thanks!
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Take time to read and meditate on the promises found in Isaiah 9:6–7:
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Do you ever struggle to feel hopeful about your life? When suffering and pain get overwhelming, whether because of the challenges of disability, chronic pain, loss of a loved one, or even world events, hope can seem fleeting—or even impossible to find.
Today, in every hardship you or your loved ones face, Jesus offers you hope and is faithful to provide what you need.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU FIND HOPE THROUGH HARDSHIP:
· Order Joni’s book, Infinite Hope in the Midst of Struggles, for inspirational stories, hand-picked Scriptures, and breathtaking artwork that will stir hope in your heart. · Get your copy of Joni’s booklet, Hope: The Best of Things · For more Christ-centered encouragement from Joni, sign up to receive her daily devotional.
KEY QUESTIONS:
· Where do you turn for hope when life feels grim?
· How can you lean on Jesus today to find new hope?
· Who in your life needs fresh hope—and how can you connect them to Jesus?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
· Hebrews 6:19: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.”
· Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Carole Reitsma, loving wife to her husband Scott, and devoted mom to her adult son Scotty (who is now an ordained minister), came to faith at a young age, and in the midst of ongoing abuse. Through it all, God has shepherded Carole, leading her to wholeness through grace, and into ministry to others. She has been a pastor alongside her husband in an inner-city church, and for more than twenty-five years has provided Christ-centered counseling as a licensed marriage and family therapist. She is passionate about teaching Christians how to live authentic and emotionally healthy lives, rooted in the everlasting love of Jesus.
Get your copy of Carole’s book, Relationship Road: Authentic, Emotionally Healthy Christianity
Learn more about Carole’s work at Relationship Road, helping people find a fulfilling relationship with Jesus.
KEY QUESTIONS:
Do you ever feel distant or burned out in your relationship with God?
How has your pain prepared you to meet someone else in their suffering?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Lamentations 3:22–23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Jesus tells us our earthly possessions won’t last. We will outlive them, or they will outlive us. You can’t keep your things forever, and you can’t take them with you. However, according to Jesus, you can send your treasure on ahead. And that’s by giving of your treasure and thus setting your heart on the things that matter eternally. So how do you make the kind of investment Jesus recommends? Here are some places to start:
- Help a disabled person by volunteering with Joni and Friends
- Share the Gospel with someone who doesn’t know Jesus
- Offer a meal to someone who is hungry
As Randy puts it, “to open up your hands and freely give to help others is the key to a happy life.” So today, entrust your heart and your treasure to God, the Giver of all good gifts. Cling to Jesus, feasting on his promises and sharing them with others. Because every time you open your hands to give, or go out of your way to serve, you step into the good and happy life God designed you for.
Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries and a bestselling author of more than 60 books, including The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving.
KEY QUESTIONS:
What makes you truly happy and satisfied?
How can you invest in things that matter eternally?
When have you experienced joy as you served or gave to someone else?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 6:19–21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Stephanie Daniels welcomes her good friend and colleague Mary Grace Burkey back to the podcast for a heartfelt conversation about two significant topics: marriage and disability. Mary Grace shares her story of meeting her husband Chad at a Joni and Friends Warrior Getaway, which supports Veterans and their families. Chad sustained a traumatic brain injury while serving overseas, which left him with a disability. When they decided to get married, Mary Grace became not only Chad’s wife, but also his caregiver. In this episode, Mary Grace shares about her marriage, caregiving, and how disability has challenged her and Chad to depend on Jesus in their weakness as they grow closer to one other.
November is National Family Caregivers Month. Across the United States, nearly 53 million people serve as caregivers to family members, friends, and others in need of care. If you or someone you know is a caregiver in need of support, you’re not alone. Here are some resources that will meet you with encouragement and help:
Joni and Ken and Tada share Secrets to Good Caregiving: Spiritual Taproots and Practical Steps and a behind-the-scenes look at their marriage in Joni and Ken: An Untold Love Story.
Listen to “The Caregiver’s Journey: Surviving to Thriving” on the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast.
Read the Care for the Caregiver devotional.
Consider attending a Joni and Friends Marriage Getaway or Warrior Getaway to meet the specific needs of your family.
KEY QUESTIONS:
How can you provide respite and encouragement to a caregiver in your life?
How can your church and community care for military families when a serviceman or woman returns home from duty?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
2 Timothy 1:7: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Stephanie Daniels welcomes her friend and co-worker, Mary Grace Burkey, to the podcast for a deep look at the unique needs of military families—and what you can do to support them. With 25 years of experience serving with Joni and Friends, Mary Grace began as a volunteer and now oversees our Texas-area Retreats & Getaways. Organizing multiple Warrior Getaways every year, she shares valuable insights into their life-changing benefits—respite, spiritual renewal, and healing—not just for Veterans, but for their entire families.
Who in your life has served, or is currently serving, in the U.S. military? Many individuals live with the effects of visible and invisible injuries as a result of their military service. At Joni and Friends, we hold Warrior Getaways to honor and give back to these brave Veterans and their families.
Consider attending a Joni and Friends Warrior Getaway
Sign up to volunteer at a Warrior Getaway
Give to Joni and Friends to welcome more families to Warrior Getaway and our other Christ-centered programs and outreaches!
KEY QUESTIONS:
What obstacles keep Veteran families from feeling known, connected, and at welcomed within the body of Christ?
How can you and your church extend a warm welcome to military families and effectively meet their needs?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Psalm 46:1–3: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
Psalm 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Stephanie Daniels welcomes married couple Cedric and Michelle White to the podcast. Both pastors, authors, and counselors, Cedric and Michelle work together in ministry strengthening families through biblical counseling and coaching. They also understand firsthand the struggles that many Veteran families face—including PTSD and moral injury—through Cedric’s experience serving with the U.S. Navy. This Christ-centered couple shares about the journey that led them to care deeply for Veteran families. They will also give you encouragement and tips to help you and your church come alongside military families who may be struggling to find hope, healing, and belonging within the body of Christ.
Learn more about Cedric and Michelle's ministry work, Healing Thine Hearts.
You can connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
If you or someone in your family is a U.S. Veteran or currently serving in the military, Joni and Friends would love to welcome and honor you at a Warrior Getaway!
Our Warrior Getaways are designed to serve our American servicemen and women who have visible and invisible injuries as a result of military service. Veterans, along with their families, are provided a safe space for respite, spiritual renewal, and healing. Families experience fellowship with others facing similar challenges, and find new hope in Christ. Come enjoy a wide range of accessible family activities, powerful speakers, counseling opportunities, and time in God’s Word.
Learn more about attending Warrior Getaway
Sign up to volunteer at Warrior Getaway
Learn more about Cedric and Michelle White’s ministry, Healing Thine Hearts
KEY QUESTIONS:
What is post-traumatic stress, and how can it lead to post-traumatic growth?
What is moral injury?
How can your church serve and encourage Veteran and military families in your community?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 6:33: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Do you have questions about God’s will for your life? Are you facing circumstances—suffering, disability, uncertainty—that lead you to the end of your rope? For these struggles, and all life’s moments and questions, the Bible is God’s gift to you and all believers.
Joni invites you, right now, to let the Holy Spirit lead you deeper (or maybe for the first time) into the Word of God. Pray that he will meet you as you listen for his voice and seek out his will in and through your life.
Join Joni and Ken on the adventure of reading through the Bible! Sign up to get our free Bible reading plan and monthly reflections from Joni. You can also sign up to receive Joni’s Scripture-rooted daily devotional.
KEY QUESTIONS:
Do you have a daily Bible-reading routine?
How have you experienced God speaking to you through his Word (the Bible)?
What does it mean that the Bible is “the sword of the Spirit” (and how can you faithfully wield its awesome power)?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
2 Timothy 3:16–17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work!”
Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Ron Sandison shares his story of growing up on the autism spectrum and offers encouragement for those navigating life with autism. Leaning on Jesus, and with the support of his family, Ron has built a fulfilling and purposeful life. Now, as an author, professor, husband, and father, Ron provides insight to parents raising children with autism, spreading the important message that all children can flourish and mature through the love of their families and the love of Jesus.
Ron works full time in the medical field and is a professor of theology at Destiny School of Ministry. He also has a Master of Divinity from Oral Roberts University and has memorized over 15,000 scriptures, including 22 complete books from the New Testament.
Purchase one of Ron’s books:
A Parent's Guide to Autism: Practical Advice. Biblical Wisdom.
All children can flourish and mature through love. A Parent’s Guide to Autism offers interviews from experts and teaching on helping children respond to bullying, as well as practical wisdom, biblical knowledge, and life experiences from Ron Sandison.
Views from the Spectrum: A Window into Life and Faith with Your Neurodivergent Child
Views from the Spectrum is a celebration of autism, faith, and the possibilities at their intersection. Providing guidance for parents longing to connect their children with God's love, this book is complete with anecdotes, scientific research, parenting tips, prayers, devotions, and more.
KEY QUESTIONS:
Do you seek to understand others before seeking to be understood by them?
What do children need to grow into faithful, healthy adults?
How can you offer encouragement to an individual or family living with autism?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Genesis 50:19–21: “But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Stacy DeWitt is the Executive Director of James Storehouse, a community-based non-profit established in 2012. She works daily with an outstanding volunteer team to meet emergency needs to help expedite cases and ease transitions for children and families. By offering essential support to foster children—including those with disabilities—James Storehouse helps to break multi-generational cycles of abuse, neglect, and poverty.
Stacy is bilingual and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts/ Spanish. She has done graduate work at California Lutheran University and Fuller Theological Seminary. Stacy has three children ranging in age from fourteen to twenty-four. She is also an adoptive mother and has had the great joy of being a foster mother as well. She considers it the highest honor to fight for justice and to be a strong voice for the voiceless and most vulnerable in her community.
Located in Newbury Park, California, James Storehouse partners with local public and private child welfare agencies. From cribs to college, James Storehouse supports children in foster care, youth aging-out of foster care, children who have been commercially sexually exploited, children “at-risk” of removal, and all their caregiving families. The organization has received commendations from Los Angeles County and Ventura County recognizing its service to the child-welfare community.
Learn more about James Storehouse
KEY QUESTIONS:
What are the most pressing needs facing foster children, especially those with disabilities?
How can we, as Christians, respond to the needs of vulnerable children?
What can the church do to support foster children with disabilities?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Psalm 82:3–4: “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
What is grace and how can it change your life? In this installment of Joni Eareckson Tada’s “Heart of the Founder” series, Joni shares how grace has flowed through her life in a transformational way.
When Joni broke her neck in a diving accident and became paralyzed at age 17, she discovered grace like never before—as light piercing through the darkness of her despair and sin, bringing joy and healing to her life, and illuminating the path ahead. Now, decades later, Joni can personally attest to the mighty power of God’s grace—not only in her own life but in the kingdom work of Joni and Friends, which brings Gospel hope to people around the world.
Joni invites you to lean on God’s grace, no matter what circumstances you face.
Sign up to receive Joni’s daily devotional, which will encourage you to depend on God’s grace and take joy in his presence.
Learn more about Joni and her story of God’s Amazing Grace in action.
Get your copy of Joni’s book, Songs of Suffering, which will guide you through difficult times with the help of Scripture, beautiful hymns, and devotionals filled with grace.
KEY QUESTIONS:
When have you experienced God’s grace at work in your heart and life?
How can you lean on grace today to step into God’s purposes?
Who in your life needs a taste of God’s grace (and how can you give it to them)?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Hebrews 4:16: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Ephesians 2:8–9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Get your copy of Darby’s Children’s book, Something Scary Happened (Comfort for Children in Hard Times)
Get your copy of Darby’s booklet, When Children Experience Trauma: Help for Parents and Caregivers
Learn more about Darby and her work
Darby Strickland is a Christian counselor who works with individuals and families facing a variety of issues. She was trained at Westminster Theological Seminary where she obtained a Masters of Divinity specialized in Counseling.
If you are a parent, grandparent, or caregiver counselor Darby wants you to know that you are just the right person to help the child or children in your life when they experience trauma. After a child endures a distressing event, a parent’s (or grandparent’s or caregiver’s) shepherding can play a vital role in the healing process—providing love and security. You can help the children you love to navigate their fears, guide them through their distress, and assist their recovery. The struggling child in your life does not need you to be an expert in trauma; they need you to engage with them as they suffer, pointing the way toward hope and healing.
KEY QUESTIONS:
What are the signs that a child is coping with past or present trauma?
Do you know how to provide what your child (or a child you love) needs when they’ve gone through a traumatic experience?
How can you lean on God to develop the patience, confidence, and compassion to meet the children you love in their suffering?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Millions of people throughout the world struggle with chronic pain. And in the United States alone, an estimated 20% of adults experience chronic pain. That’s around 51 million people!
So if you’re listening today, there’s a chance that you live with chronic pain, just like Joni. If you are suffering in an ongoing way from physical pain, grief, isolation, or relational strife, it can be overwhelming! It’s why Joni invites you to turn to God in your pain, leaning on Bible promises and drawing on grace. When you do, the Lord can use your pain to draw you closer to him.
Get your copy of Joni’s book, Songs of Suffering, which includes 25 hymns with accompanying devotions and photography designed to spark hope in hardship. Opening with a special message from hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty, this book is a source of comfort for anyone who needs biblical encouragement, prompting readers to seek refuge in the Lord and rejoice in his goodness.
Pain and chronic illness can erode your joy like acid, and can lead you to question God and his power. Join Joni in taking a close look at what the Bible says about pain and the sovereign providence of God in her 14-page pamphlet, Pain and Providence.
You can find more resources for coping with chronic pain and illness on the Joni and Friends ministry website.
KEY QUESTIONS:
How can you invite Jesus into your suffering?
Who around you suffers from chronic pain (and how can you encourage them today)?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
2 Corinthians 4:8: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.”
Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
How do you help someone who is grieving? Or, if you’re experiencing grief yourself, what do wish others knew about what helps—and what just makes things worse? Poet Emily Curtis joins Stephanie Daniels to talk about bringing hope to those who are grieving. inspire you with biblical insight and heartfelt encouragement for facing grief.
Emily is the compiler and author of the bestselling book Hope in the Mourning. Featuring real life testimonies and a foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada, this book offers hope to the hurting heart and will equip you to confidently minister to the grieving. Learn what to say, what not to say, and how to effectively serve those in the deepest, darkest valleys.
Get your copy today!
Emily Curtis lives in North Carolina with her husband, Brent, and their four children, Micah, Avia, Malachi, and Alayah. She has a passion for ministering to hurting people and learning how to love them as Christ would. She serves at Twin City Bible Church in the nursery and music ministries. She enjoys homeschooling, writing poetry, singing, and playing piano.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What encouragement does the Bible offer for when we suffer deep loss?
- What well-intentioned “encouragements” can actually weigh down a grieving heart?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
- Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
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Find all podcast resources and message our team.
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
This episode features the stories two beautiful young women, Vicki and Liz. Though they never met, God wove their lives together through a beloved purple wheelchair and the power of his grace.
Vicki lived with profound disabilities. She also exuded joy and made others happy everywhere she went. When she died unexpectedly the day after Mother’s Day at 27 years old, Vicki’s parents were heartbroken beyond belief. They held on to Vicki’s beloved purple wheelchair, too grieved to let it go. But as God brought healing to their hearts, he also brought Vicki’s parents a beautiful idea: to donate their daughter’s wheelchair.
According to the World Health Organization, the majority of people who need assistive technology—such as a wheelchair—have to do without. Through our Wheels for the World program, Joni and Friends changes the lives of individuals and families living with disability by hand-delivering wheelchairs and Bibles to people in need.
Each year Joni and Friends collects thousands of used wheelchairs, which get restored to like-new condition by incarcerated men and women in prison-based restoration centers. Working on the wheelchairs allows these individuals to make a difference for others and experience redemptive purpose in their own lives. By the time a wheelchair is restored, delivered, and custom-fitted to its new owner, it carries with it more than one story of God’s grace in action.
You can join Joni and Friends in serving people with disabilities at home and around the world.
Join a Wheels for the World outreach team
Volunteer locally with Wheels for the World
Donate a used manual wheelchair
KEY QUESTION:
Where can you take a step of faith by extending generosity or support to someone you know who is suffering?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Michael Hingson, blind since birth, was born in Chicago to sighted parents who believed in raising their son with a can-do attitude. Treated like all other children in his family, Michael rode a bike, did advanced math in his head, and learned to read and write. He later went to college receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degree in physics along with a secondary teaching credential from the University of California at Irvine. Michael then enjoyed a nearly 30-year career working for high tech companies spending most of his time in management roles.
Michael’s life changed dramatically on September 11, 2001, when he and his guide dog, Roselle, escaped from the 78th floor of Tower One in the World Trade Center moments before it collapsed. Soon after, Michael and Roselle were thrust into the international limelight where Michael began to share his unique survival story and 9-11 lessons of trust, courage, heroism, and teamwork. Mike has served as The National Public Affairs Director for one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the nation, Guide Dogs for the Blind. Currently Michael lives in Victorville, California with Alamo, his eighth guide dog and his rescue feline, Stitch.
Get your copy of Michael Hingson’s book, Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust
Check out Michael’s Unstoppable Mindset podcast
Learn more about Michael’s life and work
KEY QUESTIONS:
How can you lean on God today to overcome fear and move forward?
Who in your church, workplace, or neighborhood might need assistance during a crisis or natural disaster? What can you do to be part of their team in these circumstances?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Don’t miss this installment of Joni Eareckson Tada’s “Heart of the Founder” series where Joni digs into the topic of healing. Imagine you’re an athletic, ambitious teenager looking forward to starting college. It’s a hot day at the beach. On a whim, you plunge into the water and your neck snaps as your head hits the sandy bottom. Life will never be the same…
After her diving accident, Joni recalls fervently asking God for healing—to walk again and regain use of her hands; to get out of bed on her own. Poring over stories of Jesus miraculously healing people, Joni waited for her miracle healing. But God had something different in mind for her.
Joni had good reason to believe that God would heal her after her accident. She looked at Scriptures like Matthew 7:9–11 where God promises good gifts to his children. Wasn’t a healed spine a good gift?
Why, more than five decades later, still in a wheelchair living with quadriplegia, can Joni attest to the fact that God has deeply healed her? It’s because, over years of Bible reading and trusting in Jesus, Joni began to see the heart healing and powerful purpose God intended for her—all while living with paralysis. Joni still hasn’t walked again, squeezed her husband’s hand, or gotten up in the morning on her own. But a deep and lasting healing is hers, through the power of the Lord Jesus.
KEY QUESTIONS:
Where in your life do you need healing?
Might God want to heal you in a way you don’t expect, or maybe wouldn’t choose?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Matthew 7:9–11: “‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!’”
Isaiah 55:8–9: “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways.’”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Philip Yancey, a renowned author and avid investigator of the mysteries of the Christian faith, joins Crystal Keating for a deep and honest conversation you won’t want to miss. No stranger to wrestling with doubt and suffering, Philip often writes about encountering God in our pain. In this episode he shares about his latest book and opens up about his own recent hardships, including diagnoses of Parkinson’s disease and cancer. He points to the life-giving truth while God may not remove our suffering, he is always faithful to redeem it.
Philip Yancey is a best-selling author of more than 25 books, which have sold more than 17 million copies and been published in 50 languages. His works share from his personal experiences and exploration of the most basic questions and deepest mysteries of the Christian faith.
Yancey’s recent release, Undone: A Modern Rendering of John Donne's Devotions, tells of John Donne’s confrontations with God, and combines Donne’s timeless reflections with present-day commentary.
In his memoir, Where the Light Fell, Yancey reveals secrets of his turbulent childhood and teen years. Serving as a type of prequel to all his other books, this memoir takes the reader on a journey from that strict fundamentalism of his youth to Yancey’s dedicated search for grace and meaning. In piecing together his fragmented personal history and his search for redemption, Yancey gives testament to the enduring power of our hunger for truth and the possibility of faith rooted in grace instead of fear.
Yancey recently revised his best-loved What’s So Amazing About Grace?, a startling exploration of grace at street level, revealing it to be the healing force we need and the key to transforming a broken world.
Philip Yancey and his wife live in the foothills of Colorado, where they enjoy mountain climbing, skiing, hiking, bicycling, and other pursuits in the Rocky Mountains.
Find more from Philip Yancey at www.philipyancey.com
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Rachel LeMaster lives with both Turner syndrome and a traumatic brain injury. But she doesn’t let her troubles keep her from pursuing God’s call on her life. In the midst of following Christ’s example, encouraging and serving others, she met her husband, Caleb. Now the two live out their Christ-centered mission to love one another and those around them, all for the glory of God. As Rachel says, “to live is to give!”
- Watch Rachel’s 2012 interview
- Resources for welcoming someone with a disability in your church
- Find opportunities to volunteer with Joni and Friends
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can you step out in faith to serve others?
- Where have you seen God turn struggle into celebration in your life?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Genesis 50:20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
- Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
At age 23, Rachel Bailey (now Rachel Bailey LeMaster) was finishing a college certificate in nutrition and personal training. Living with a genetic condition called Turner syndrome, Rachel had weathered experiences of bullying and exclusion, but she found purpose and strength through her faith and community. Seeking ways to share the Gospel through her life, Rachel hoped to serve as a missionary one day. But all her plans got upended in 2011 when a truck smashed into her car on her way to work, causing catastrophic injuries including internal decapitation (the severing of the skull from the spine). Tune in to hear Rachel’s conversation with hosts Crystal Keating and Stephanie Daniels, exploring Rachel’s story of trauma, resilience, and discovering fresh drive to serve others in need of hope and healing.
While the kind of trauma Rachel Bailey LeMaster suffered in her car accident normally results in paralysis or death, she has made a stunning recovery, which she attributes to the grace of God and the quick, skillful action of the first responders and medical professionals. Since the moment Rachel awoke from her month-long coma, she has sensed God’s nearness and trusted him to see her through. Today she shares her powerful testimony of faith, resilience, and hope in Christ with many.
- Learn more about Turner syndrome
- Watch Rachel’s 2012 interview
- Resources for welcoming someone with a disability in your church
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What do you feel you cannot do? Take a moment to look for what you can do instead.
- What purpose(s) beyond your own is God inviting you into today?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
- Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Tune in as host Crystal Keating talks with Stephanie Daniels, who is sharing the mic this season. Stephanie opens up about poignant aspects of her story, including the challenges navigating the disabilities of aging parents, and coping with the onset of an autoimmune disease, all while seeking God’s guidance. Don’t miss this encouraging episode that will inspire you to praise God in all circumstances and tap into the deep, peaceful joy that comes from trusting Jesus.
Crystal Keating has been part of Joni and Friends for over 10 years helping the ministry answer thousands of calls, letters, and messages about disability and holding fast to hope in Jesus through life’s greatest hardships. Crystal and the Response Team offer resources, share encouragement from God’s Word, and connect those in need with Christ-honoring, disability-friendly churches. Her prayer for the Ministry Podcast is that each conversation will help listeners and their loved ones “bear much fruit” (John 15:8) in acts of love throughout the disability community.
Stephanie Daniels serves as Community Engagement Specialist at Joni and Friends and she is always ready to share words of biblical encouragement on the Joni and Friends social media accounts. She has a heart for worship and is passionate about encouraging, equipping, and empowering the body of Christ. Stephanie hopes the podcast will encourage everyone who hears it and inspire each listener to lean even more deeply into Jesus.
Send a message to Crystal and Stephanie!
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What can you praise God for right now? (Go ahead, do it!)
- Where do you get your sense of value?
- What life struggle can you lay before the Lord today, exchanging anxiety for the peace of Christ?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Psalm 96:1–3: “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
- John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Don’t miss this installment of Joni Eareckson Tada’s “Heart of the Founder” series, as she shares about her experience serving on the National Council on Disability, contributing to the drafting and passage of the groundbreaking 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.
Hear Joni’s reflection on the power of the law compared to the power of the Gospel: while the law can change discriminatory structures, the Gospel is the only thing that can change hearts, bringing about culture change that provides true belonging for people living with disability.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can you create spaces that are accessible and inclusive for people with disability?
- How is Jesus calling you to love and advocate for people living with disability?
RESOURCES:
- Resources to help your church welcome and embrace people with disability.
- 5 Steps to Starting a Special Needs Ministry.
- Irresistible Church training series minibooks featuring 12 aspects of serving families living with disability.
EPISODE SOURCES:
- Children with disabilities are up to three times more likely to be bullied than their peers.
- Adults with autism are more likely to report loneliness and social isolation.
- Public schools have developed campaigns against the use of derogatory language against special education students.
- Up to 85% of churches don’t have any level of special needs ministry.
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Joel Vander Molen is a disability awareness speaker, web developer, and substitute preacher living in Iowa. When Joel was involved in a motor vehicle accident as a small child, he received a high-level spinal cord injury and became unable to breathe without assistance, losing feeling and control over anything below his shoulders. With faith in God and steadfast help from loved ones, Joel completed school and went to college, even living independently in his own dorm room. Through his decades as a quadriplegic, life hasn’t been easy, but he has learned to look to God first, trusting him in all circumstances.
Get a copy of Joel’s book, The Quad Life: Unexpected Times Abound, Reliance on God a Must
“God has allowed me to serve him in ways my parents and I never imagined. He has enabled me to show that anyone can be active if they choose to be. I have been given opportunity to speak with many children and adults and help them learn different perspectives, and I was able to write an entire book, just by using a mouth stick.” – Joel Vander Molen
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Think of a hardship you live with or have lived through. How can God use you to encourage others facing similar struggles?
- What can your church and community do to better welcome people living with disabilities?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Matthew 19:26: “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:3–5: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Vicki Zoradi returns to the podcast to share more about her story of growing in faith following a battle with severe sepsis that led to the loss of her hands and legs. In this second conversation, Vicki talks about how her faith in God and her relationships—particularly her marriage—have carried her through grief and struggle.
Through a steadfast dependence on Jesus and with the support of her family and friends, Vicki has not only found comfort to carry her through suffering; she has also discovered a new calling. Today, as an author and speaker, fitted with prosthetic arms and legs, Vicki uses her story to point others to the Gospel amid their own trials.
Speaking a mighty word of Scriptural encouragement, Vicki invites you to bring your deepest griefs to Jesus, trusting him to anchor and restore your soul amid life’s storms.
Learn more about Vicki Zoradi
Purchase Vicki’s inspirational autobiography: Tested by Fire, Fueled by Faith
KEY QUESTIONS:
How have you experienced God’s faithfulness in a time of pain?
Who in your life needs a helping hand or a word of encouragement from Scripture today?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Romans 8:18: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
Hebrews 6:18–20: “God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Listen as Vicki Zoradi shares her striking story of faith tested by fire. On her 60th birthday, shortly after receiving a Teacher of the Year award, Vicki was diagnosed with a seemingly harmless kidney stone. But when the kidney stone became lodged between her bladder and kidney, Vicki’s health took a frightening turn.
After surviving a life-threatening bout with sepsis and the loss of her hands and legs, Vicki leaned on God to navigate through her grief and drastic life change. Since then, through a steadfast dependence on Jesus and with the support of her family and friends, Vicki has not only found comfort to carry her through suffering; she has also discovered a new calling. Today, as an author and speaker, fitted with prosthetic arms and legs, Vicki uses her story to point others to the Gospel amid their own trials.
During part one of Crystal Keating’s conversation with Vicki, you’ll be encouraged to bring your most acute pains and toughest struggles to the One who can provide true, lasting hope and healing through every hardship.
Learn more about Vicki Zoradi
Purchase Vicki’s inspirational autobiography: Tested by Fire, Fueled by Faith
KEY QUESTIONS:
- When have you seen hope or healing occur in a situation where it seemed to be “too late”?
- What weakness in your life can you give to God right now, inviting him to let his strength and glory shine through?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
This episode of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast packs a powerful dose of encouragement! Celeste Sharpe joins Stephanie Daniels to share about her experience living with cerebral palsy and finding deep, Christ-centered strength to become a person who can have gratitude through grief. Even when she needs encouragement herself, Celeste seeks to encourage others. Tune in for Celeste’s inspiring story about how she has been blessed to have guidance from two mothers—her biological mother, and her maternal grandmother, whom she lovingly called ‘Mom’, both of whom have pointed her to Jesus and brought her lasting joy!
Celeste Sharpe serves on staff with Joni and Friends as an administrative assistant in Human Resources. When she is not working, Celeste likes to read, write poetry, and sing. She also loves to encourage others!
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Who has encouraged you most in your faith?
- How can you encourage someone in the same way you would like to be encouraged today?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Genesis 31:49: “May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent one from the other.”
- Deuteronomy 33:25: “The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, and your strength will equal your days.”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Tune in for this powerful installment of Joni’s “Heart of the Founder” series. Addressing the topic of mobility, Joni Eareckson Tada draws on deep personal experience, having lived with quadriplegia for more than five decades. While a phrase like “wheelchair-bound” suggests that a wheelchair is confining, Joni can attest to the freedom that mobility equipment can bring—not only for a disabled individual but also for their family members and community.
More than one billion people in the world live with a disability. And the majority of people who need a wheelchair have to do without. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 80 million people need a wheelchair and only 5–35% have access to one.
That’s why, through Wheels for the World™, Joni and Friends changes lives by hand-delivering wheelchairs and Bibles to people with disabilities around the world.
Each year Joni and Friends collects thousands of used wheelchairs, which—instead of taking up space in landfills—get restored to like-new condition by inmates in prison-based restoration centers. This environmentally sustainable process offers inmates the opportunity to give back to society and the world and experience redemptive purpose in their own lives.
You can get involved!
- Donate a wheelchair
- Volunteer to serve at an international outreach
- Connect with your local Joni and Friends office to help collect wheelchairs
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Meet Dr. Benjamin Warf—a committed Christ-follower, special needs father, and pediatric neurosurgeon. Dr. Warf has followed God’s call on his life since childhood. Shaped by his experiences growing up in Appalachia with a preacher father who had physical disabilities, and his innate love for science, Ben became a doctor. Serving as a medical missionary in sub-Saharan Africa, he has pioneered new ways to treat young children with hydrocephalus and spina bifida.
A neurosurgeon at Boston Children’s Hospital, professor at Harvard Medical School, and Joni and Friends board member, Dr. Warf has a passion for training the next generation of surgeons and improving access to quality care, both in the U.S. and abroad. In all aspects of his work and personal life, he brings the love of Christ to his patients, students, and family. Dr. Warf joins the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast to share his story and encourage families—fathers in particular—who live with disability.
Learn more about Dr. Warf and his work:
“I am motivated personally by my children, one of whom was born with special needs. My experience as both a parent and a provider has deepened my understanding of treating children with disabilities and has particularly enriched my practice in the care of children with hydrocephalus and spina bifida and their families.” – Ben Warf
- Benjamin C. Warf, MD | Boston Children's Hospital (childrenshospital.org)
- Benjamin C Warf | Global Health and Social Medicine (harvard.edu)
- Benjamin Warf - MacArthur Foundation (macfound.org)
- Why NeuroKids? | NeuroKids
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How has parenting a child with a disability enriched your life?
- What would you say to special needs parents—especially fathers—who are struggling with the hardships of disability?
- How have your faith and life experiences shaped your understanding of healing?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- John 9:1–3: “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’
- ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”
- Isaiah 55:8–9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
When Peter Coleman set out to follow God’s call to serve as a missionary in Nicaragua, he couldn’t imagine the journey ahead. But as he faced danger, uncertainty, and life-threatening illness, Peter learned to lean on the Lord in new ways. Tune in for this episode of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast to hear Peter Coleman talk about living out God’s call and trusting Jesus through hardship.
About Peter...
Peter Coleman studied Sustainable International Development at Brandeis University and went on to serve as a missionary deep in the jungles of Nicaragua where he and his team faced danger and hardship every day. After contracting a severe virus similar to Dengue fever in addition to malaria, Peter spent many weeks in the hospital. The illness took a brutal toll on Peter; he lost 40 pounds, 30% of his skin, and most of his memory.
Peter eventually made a full recovery and continued his thriving ministry work in Nicaragua until he sensed a clear call from God to return to the U.S. and began a new season of ministry work. Then in 2021 an unexpected stroke left a legion on Peter’s brain stem and sent him into a frightening medical decline, including the development of multiple large brain and brain stem tumors.
After six months in the hospital, Peter emerged unable to read or write, challenged to swallow food or respond to stimulation. But by God’s grace, Peter has made a slow recovery, surrendering to God every day. Despite the unknown ahead and the benign tumors in his brain, Peter looks to Christ—just as Jesus’s disciple Peter did in Matthew 14 as he stepped out of the boat to walk across the water.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- When have you experienced God’s presence in the midst of a past hardship?
- What life struggle can you entrust to God today?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 14:25–33: “Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’
‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’
‘Come,’ he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’”
RESOURCES:
- Beyond Suffering Bible
- A Place of Healing by Joni Eareckson Tada
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
For more than five decades Joni Eareckson Tada has lived with quadriplegia and chronic pain. With the support of Christian community, she has found contentment in Jesus and trusted him to work in and through her life, reaching millions of suffering people with the hope of the Gospel.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What does the Bible say about disability?
- When have you seen God work through a difficulty in your life?
RESOURCES:
- Pursuing Contentment: Blind since age 3, singer-songwriter Ginny Owens shares how she has learned to live by faith and not by sight.
- Beside Bethesda: This 31-day devotional covers the many questions Joni had about healing when she was first injured.
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Find all podcast resources and message our team.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Tune in to hear Joni and Stephanie interview one another and introduce Joni’s “Heart of the Founder” series that will kick off this season. In our Heart of the Founder episodes, you will hear straight from Joni’s heart as she shares her experience and wisdom on a host of essential topics like disability, depression, suffering, and healing.
Meet Stephanie...
Stephanie serves at Joni and Friends in the role of community engagement. She’s always ready to share a word of biblical encouragement on our Joni and Friends social media channels! Stephanie first came to Joni and Friends as a volunteer at our Texas Family Retreat, and she immediately fell in love with ministering to families living with disability.
She and her husband, Paul, reside in Dallas, Texas, where they serve at Covenant Church through Paul’s love for teaching the Gospel and Stephanie’s heart for worship. The two are passionate about encouraging, equipping, and empowering the body of Christ.
Stephanie hopes the podcast will encourage everyone who hears it and inspire each listener to lean even more deeply into Jesus.
KEY QUESTIONS:
How have you seen God work through your suffering?
How can God use you to encourage someone else today?
RESOURCES:
- Read through the Bible in a year with Joni and Ken
- Learn more about why Joni started Joni and Friends
- Read Joni’s autobiography
- Learn more about Joni Eareckson Tada
Worship along with Joni and Stephanie!
You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.
Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.
In 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 terminate the pregnancy—Wilame and Erica experienced disability in a new way. And while their son—to doctors’ amazement—was born without a disability, Wilame and Erica live with lasting deep empathy for families living with disability. Wilame joins the podcast to tell his family’s story, and share how God led him into disability ministry. Wilame Leal Silva currently serves with Joni and Friends as International Regional Director, Western Hemisphere.
- Explore disability ministry training and resources for you and your church.
- Get involved with Joni and Friends international ministry by serving at an International Family Retreat.
- Hear another family’s experience with trisomy 13: Walking Her Home: Learning to Say “Your Will, Not Mine”
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Do you trust God to use your pain for his purposes?
- When has God asked you to wait?
- How do your life experiences equip you to reach others for Christ?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Psalm 27:14: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
- Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Across 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 help and hope to caregivers, and the communities called to support them.
“God placed the idea of the Caregiving Support Network on my heart when I was still caring for Mom around 2015. I knew other caregivers had to be facing the same hardships and joys, and was compelled to tell them that they were not alone. Through God’s providence and grace, the Caregiving Support Network was founded in 2022.” – Rebekah Dowhy
- Learn about the Caregiving Support Network
- More encouragement for caregivers from Joni and Ken
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Do you or someone you know currently serve as a caregiver?
- What are the greatest unmet needs among caregivers?
- How can churches provide respite and encouragement to caregivers?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Galatians 6:2: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
- Isaiah 40:31: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Cami 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 learn how God can meet you with his peace and strength, even in the most devastating circumstances.
After Grace’s death, Cami went into the healthcare field for several years. She has since returned to her teaching career in Wisconsin, as a Special Education Teacher, hoping to help those who find themselves in situations similar to what she experienced.
Get your copy of Cami’s book: Walking Her Home: Learning to Say, “Your Will, Not Mine”
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How has God shown up for you in painful moments or seasons?
- What do you do when the burdens of life feel too heavy to bear?
- What do you need to entrust to God today?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
“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 ministries program. Previously she served as the director of Mission to North America’s Special Needs Ministries. She is also a speaker and author of a devotional called Parenting and Disabilities: Abiding in God’s Presence.
People of all abilities have spiritual gifts to offer in your church.
Listen as Stephanie talks about how to build a social ramp so that all gifts can be employed in the body of Christ. Because as we’re saturated in the Gospel and develop more of a biblical worldview, we’ll look expectantly for God-given gifts in other people, including those with disabilities. Learn how you can encourage people of all abilities to be full participants in the body and life of your church!
Resources:
- Explore all Church Training Resources available from Joni and Friends
- Read Parenting and Disabilities: Abiding in God’s Presence and Same Lake, Different Boat
- Follow Stephanie on Facebook
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Jeb 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 Joni and Friends vision to life: A world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ.
Explore resources for building disability ministry
Volunteer with Joni and Friends
Support Joni and Friends financially
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Why do churches struggle to become “disability friendly”?
- How can biblical counseling bring people with disabilities into the church?
- How can your church and community become more disability friendly?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Luke 14:21, 23 (NIV): “Go out quickly in the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…. Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.”
- Matthew 9:35–38: “When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
J.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 Director of the Doctor of Ministry KSP at Denver Seminary and as President of J.D. Kim Ministries.
Learn about J.D. Kim Ministries
Read J.D.'s memoir From Walking to Wheeling: How God Reconstructed One Man's Dreams
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How does living with disability impact your sense of identity?
- What makes life purposeful?
- When have you felt God “take your hand”?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
- Philippians 4:19: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Laura 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 children about disability, compassion, and diversity?
- What is the difference between “inclusion” and fostering genuine friendship?
- Do you recognize the image of God in all people, regardless of disability?
Key Scriptures:
- Genesis 1:26–27: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
- Matthew 6:33–34: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Darby 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 others who seek to help those suffering abuse, oppression, and trauma.
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
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What is spiritual abuse?
- What are signs of spiritual abuse?
- How can people with disabilities be especially vulnerable to spiritual abuse?
- What can be done to help and heal people wounded by spiritual abuse?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30
- “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” Jeremiah 31:25
Help your church care for people who have suffered or are suffering trauma and abuse: Church Cares | Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Darby 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 church care for people who have suffered or are suffering trauma and abuse: Church Cares | Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What is trauma?
- What are signs of woundedness caused by trauma and abuse?
- How can churches care well for the abused?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.” Luke 4:18
- “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:15
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Kay 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 of the chronically and terminally ill, the relationship between health care professionals and patients, and the meaning of suffering and healing, both in the context of Western culture and within the context of intentional Christian community.
Explore Books by Kay Toombs:
www.homesteadheritage.com/books; www.amazon.com/books
- The Meaning of Illness: A Phenomenological Account of the Different Perspectives of Physician and Patient
- How Then Should We Die: Two Opposing Responses to the Challenges of Suffering and Death
- Living at the Boundary, Healing and Incurable Illness
- The Human Dimension of Sustainable Culture
Write to Kay Toombs
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What can God show us through disability and serious illness?
- How can Christians turn from radical autonomy to relationship with God and others?
- How can Christian community create a sustainable, caring culture?
- How can faith enrich our experience of caregiving?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Psalm 61:1–2: “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you; I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
- Psalm 133:1: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
- John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Kay 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 of the chronically and terminally ill, the relationship between health care professionals and patients, and the meaning of suffering and healing, both in the context of Western culture and within the context of intentional Christian community.
Living with multiple sclerosis since 1973, Kay has expressed how her life experience with disability and illness has driven her work. In an interview for the Baylor Arts & Sciences publication “Collegium,” she said:
“The whole focus of my work has been to show the difference between the patient’s experience and the physician’s perspective. I began this work when I spoke as a patient to physicians and was puzzled at their responses. We seemed, even though talking about the same thing, in effect to be talking about two different things.”
Explore Books by Kay Toombs:
www.homesteadheritage.com/books; www.amazon.com/books
- The Meaning of Illness: A Phenomenological Account of the Different Perspectives of Physician and Patient
- How Then Should We Die: Two Opposing Responses to the Challenges of Suffering and Death
- Living at the Boundary, Healing and Incurable Illness
- The Human Dimension of Sustainable Culture
Write to Kay Toombs
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What is the difference between healing and curing?
- What is wholeness?
- What meaning can be found in illness and disability?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
- 1 Corinthians 6:19–20: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
- Psalm 61:1–2: “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you; I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Laura 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 disability of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Identifying and learning about disability as an adoptive parent
- Practical ways special needs parents can systematically bring calm to the chaos at home
Learn more from Laura
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can parents create a peaceful home amid challenges?
- What do adoptive parents need to know about identifying signs of disability and caring for children with special needs?
- How can churches support adoptive and special needs parents?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
- “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
“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 catastrophic loss in our lifetime, we will all face some sort of loss. Whether in the form of disability, chronic illness, crushing disappointment, or the death of a loved one, the experience of loss is universal.
Are you wondering if you will ever heal or what God’s plan is for you in the depth of your pain? Be encouraged as Jerry helps put words around sorrow and offers hope for how to grow with grief. Through God’s transforming grace, new life is possible.
Resources:
- Read A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss
- Visit Jerry's Website
- Listen to Carrying Grief with Bekah Bowman
- Listen to Coping with Grief and Loss with Halley Mastrolonardo
*Photo from Whitworth University. Used by permission.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
In 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 asking Cameron to come share his journey of faith and perseverance. Cameron has a unique take on suffering and desires for the church to grow in their understanding of how to relate to the pain that we all experience in life.
Cameron has a heart for helping churches with the topic of disability. He is a resource for churches and other organizations as they minister to the disabled community.
Hear Cameron share about his experience participating in the church as a person with a disability.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How has God worked in and through your suffering?
- How can God use the hard parts of your story to comfort others?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- 1 Peter 4:12–13: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”
- James 1:2–4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
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Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Larry 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 facing hardships, from disability to PTSD. In this episode, Larry talks about how therapy dogs can help people to receive the love of God. He also offers practical advice to improve your prayer life and ways to help you shine the light of Christ in your community.
Learn more about Canines for Christ.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Is prayer a consistent part of your life?
- How can you be God’s light in your community?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” Proverbs 3:5–7
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
When 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 transform your life!
You can follow God’s call to serve people living with disability:
- Apply to volunteer with Joni and Friends
- Explore job opportunities at Joni and Friends
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Where is God calling you to step out of your comfort zone to serve him and others?
- What barriers prevent you from stepping out in faith to serve?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
“Go out quickly in the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…. Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.” Luke 14:21, 23 (NIV)
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Disability. 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 be encouraged that your brokenness can be used to bless others.
After becoming a quadriplegic at seventeen, Joni thought a lot about the topic of suffering. If God is loving, why is there suffering? When bad things happen, who’s behind them—God or the devil? Joni considers these questions and more on our blog, joniandfriends.org/blog. Additionally, her book, Songs of Suffering, includes some of Joni’s favorite Scripture passages and hymns for hard times.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Where can you find courage to endure your suffering?
- How can your courage impact others as you persevere through hardships?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:8–10
RESOURCES
- Songs of Suffering
- Making Sense of Suffering
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Christopher 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 through brightest in our own weakness.
Christopher earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ministry Leadership from Moody Bible Institute and has his Master of Divinity degree from Carolina University. After serving for 10 years as an associate pastor, he founded an online ministry, Wheel Truth Media, to help Christians grow in their faith.
Watch Christopher’s testimony
KEY QUESTIONS
- Do you trust God with your life?
- How have you seen God’s strength shine through your weakness?
KEY SCRIPTURE
- Philippians 1:20–21: “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Connect with Chris on:YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
At 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 is the author of He's Making Diamonds: A Teen's Thoughts on Faith Through Chronic Illness and the host of the Diamonds conference, a free online conference for Christians with chronic illnesses.
Learn more at sgwilloughby.com,
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Do you turn to God in your suffering?
- How can you find hope while dealing with chronic illness or pain?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3–5
MORE PODCAST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CHRONIC ILLNESS:
- When Skies Aren’t Blue: A Doctor’s Journey to Hope Amid Chronic Illness
- How to Thrive with Invisible Chronic Illness
- God’s Grace in Chronic Illness
- Chronic Illness and the Church
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Joni 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 their lives.
Like Larea you can follow God’s call to serve people living with disability:
- Apply to volunteer with Joni and Friends
- Give to Joni and Friends Nashville today
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Do you know God’s call for your life?
- How can your church/community provide inclusion, equity, and equality for people navigating disability and poverty?
- How can you start making a greater difference?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 22:36–40: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Caregiving 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 disorder. Mary quickly found herself overwhelmed as a caregiver, managing endless daily tasks while shouldering burdens of grief and anxiety.
Mary created her study series for others who are exhausted by the responsibilities and emotions of caring for someone with disabilities, chronic illness, or age-related issues and the most recent addition to her series is The Peaceful Caregiver™. She also leads online and in-person small groups for parents and caregivers as well as workshops, webinars, and retreats.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What can help caregivers handle the emotions and tasks they face?
- How can overwhelmed caregivers find peace?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- 2 Corinthians 1:3–5: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”
ADDITIONAL CAREGIVING RESOURCES:
- Secrets to Good Caregiving: Spiritual Taproots and Practical Steps
- A Biblical Perspective on Caregiving
- The Caregiver’s Journey: Surviving to Thriving
- Future Planning: How to Develop a Life Care Plan for a Child with Disabilities
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Joni 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 trustworthy, and that he has a good plan for your life.
Maria’s life changed when she volunteered at Family Retreat. Serving families living with disability, she discovered the presence and hope of Christ like never before. Today Maria serves as the Area Director in New England, overseeing staff, volunteers, and programs that bring hands-on help and the love of Jesus to people with disabilities locally and across the globe.
You can follow God’s call to serve people living with disability:
- Apply to volunteer with Joni and Friends
- Explore job opportunities at Joni and Friends
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Do you recognize God in your life story?
- Have you felt God calling you to step out of your comfort zone to serve?
- How can you entrust your weaknesses and struggles to God?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- 1 Corinthians 12:21–26: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
As 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 to live on purpose with faith, focus, and flexibility.
Get your copy of Kyle’s book: Beyond Belief: How Living with a Brain Stem Tumor Brought Faith and Purpose to Life
Kyle Campbell is a Christian, a preacher, a poet, a philosopher, a professor, and an advocate… but some of his favorite identities are husband and father. He has a BA in Philosophy from Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, and an MA in Rehabilitation Counseling from California State University, Fresno. Kyle currently holds a position serving students in higher education.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Have you ever asked, “Why me?!”?
- How do you define your identity?
- How can you find purpose and hope when suffering seems endless?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” -Ecclesiastes 3:10–11
- “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’” John 9:1–5
Connect with Kyle on his website and LinkedIn.
Watch his new video.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Vaneetha 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. Her newest Bible study, “Desperate for Hope: Questions We Ask God in Suffering, Loss, and Longing,” provides encouragement to find Christ in the midst of pain. Her study answers questions that believers often face when suffering strikes.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- If God loves me, how could he let this happen?
- How can I know God’s presence when he feels so distant?
- What if this never gets better?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
- Matthew 11:28-29: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Connect with Vaneetha on her website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
When 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 Marcy Gregg’s book, Blank Canvas
- See Marcy’s art
- Connect with Marcy on Instagram: @marcygregg.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What defines your identity?
- Where do you turn when life feels impossible?
- Have you even felt angry with God?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- Romans 8:28–30: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Hannah 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.
One in five people in the United States have a disability. Many believers living with disability can’t find a church home. You can help Joni and Friends change that! Joni and Friends exists to glorify God as we communicate the Gospel and mobilize the global church to evangelize, disciple, and serve people living with disability.
Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, CA understands the importance of loving and celebrating people with disabilities. As Hannah can attest, when the church provides respite, love, acceptance, and resources for families with disabilities, God changes lives!
Joni and Friends can help you and your church take next steps to welcome integrate people with disabilities:
- Church Training Resources
- Videos and Quick Steps to help you get started
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Do you believe that God can bring beauty from the ashes of your hardships?
- Do you lean into God and his church when life gets hard?
- What next step can you/your church take to celebrate people living with disabilities?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- Luke 14:21, 23: “Go out quickly in the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame…. Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.” (NIV)
- 2 Corinthians 1:3–5: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Pastor 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 50 books, and more than 30 years of his preaching and writing are available at DesiringGod.org.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What will happen when Christ returns?
- How can anticipation of Christ’s return provide help and hope when you’re suffering?
- How can you cultivate a deeper affection for the Lord while longing for his return?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- 1 Thessalonians 4
- 1 Corinthians 15
- Matthew 13:43
- Luke 12:37
- 2 Timothy 4:8
- Galatians 2:20
Read more in Pastor John Piper's book Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Second Coming of Christ.
As you listen, send the podcast team a message with your comments and questions.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Welcome 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. We will also hear from people living with disability in their own words.
Each episode this season will feature a guest who will provide insight and biblical encouragement for you—no matter what you are facing in your own life.
- Episode One kicks off with renowned pastor, author, and teacher John Piper! Tune in to hear Pastor John’s hopeful vision for the second coming of Christ. And find out how the promise of Jesus returning can help you through today’s hardships and suffering.
Subscribe to the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to share it with a friend!
As you listen, send the podcast team a message with your comments and questions.
We pray that you will find encouragement and inspiration as you listen this season!
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and daily devotional.
Follow Joni and Friends on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training.
Ever 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 joins the podcast to give 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 care, and trauma recovery therapy. Give a gift today to provide complete, Christ-centered care!
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What happens to Ukrainian refugees with disabilities after they cross the border?
- What long-term needs do Ukrainian refugees face?
- How can you help Ukrainians with disabilities?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6–7
- “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:34
Learn more about Joni and Friends efforts in Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
Help support Ukrainian refugees with disabilities.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Ever 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-term support they desperately need: safe housing, food, hygiene products, medical care, and trauma recovery therapy. Give a gift today to provide complete, Christ-centered care!
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Whose needs can you put above your own today?
- How can you help people with disabilities in Ukraine?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.” Psalm 31:1–2
- “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48
Help support Ukrainian refugees with disabilities.
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
"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 Living
- Get resources and confidential assistance through 211
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What are the keys to effective advocacy?
- What is an ally?
- Where can you find help to advocate for yourself or a loved one?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8–9
- “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26
Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
When 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 through suffering and taught her to rely on his strength in her weakness.
Like Dr. Sutherland, Joni often leans on Scripture and hymns during long, difficult nights. She shares some of her favorites in her book Songs of Suffering. If you or a loved one needs encouragement this season, Songs of Suffering will help you find faith, peace, and comfort in the fight.
Listen to Dr. Jean's Spotify Playlist of Hymns
KEY QUESTIONS:
- When unexpected difficulties come do you fall into fear, depression, or discouragement?
- How can you trust God in your weakness today?
- How might God work through you to show himself to others?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.” Psalm 40:1–3
- “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
- “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 5:6–7
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
A 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 Resources
Discover all of the Joni and Friends Church Training Resources
About Jennifer Evans: As disability advocate, author, and speaker, Jennifer’s 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.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What is respite care?
- How can respite care build relationships?
- How can churches provide respite?
- What do respite care volunteers need to know before they serve?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- “Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:12–14
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Jennifer 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 native Arizonan and graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
RECOVERY RESOURCES:
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Celebrate Recovery
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How do you heal from addiction?
- How does community promote recovery?
- How can the church help people who struggle with addiction?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “Then he said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.’” Matthew 18:3–4 (NLT)
- “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:11–13
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
After 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 inspiration that has seen Joni through countless long, difficult nights. Songs of Suffering includes 25 hymns with accompanying devotions and photography designed to spark hope in hardship.
Learn more about Joni’s life and faith in her autobiography, Joni: An Unforgettable Story.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How do you deal with obstacles?
- How do you fight for joy?
- Do you allow troubles to build your faith?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14
- “We are handicapped on all sides, but we are never frustrated; we are puzzled, but never in despair. We are persecuted, but we never have to stand it alone: we may be knocked down but we are never knocked out! Every day we experience something of the death of the Lord Jesus, so that we may also know the power of the life of Jesus in these bodies of ours.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 (Phillips)
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Rosaria 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 points to the power of radically ordinary hospitality in a post-Christian world.
Learn more about Dr. Rosaria Butterfield.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What is the connection between “hospital” and “hospitality”?
- How does God use hospitality to heal people?
- How can I practice hospitality with my disability(ies) or other limitations?
- How can the church practice hospitality?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.” Psalm 68:5–6
- “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
- “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Rosaria 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 Butterfield
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How can ordinary hospitality bring someone to faith?
- How is true Christian hospitality different from entertaining?
- What makes a good “hospitality home”?
- What are the spiritual benefits of sharing life, and being vulnerable with one another?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24–25
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Jodi 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-traumatic stress, people with disabilities, and children and adults dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, and other challenges.
“It’s hard to be lonely, isn’t it? To miss someone who should be here?”
Jodi Stuber wasn't looking for another horse for her struggling therapy ranch—let alone one like Solomon. After losing his herd, he was solitary and sad, spending his days standing near the plastic deer in his yard for company. No stranger herself to loss and heartache, Jodi knew she had to give Solomon a home.
The road to recovery wouldn’t be easy. As Solomon struggled to fit in with his new herd and Jodi continued to navigate her own grief, the two developed a deep bond. But just as Jodi and Solomon were both beginning to heal, an unthinkable tragedy struck the therapy ranch. And Solomon was about to teach Jodi the greatest lesson of all…
- Get your copy of Project Solomon: The True Story of a Lonely Horse Who Found a Home—and Became a Hero by Jodi Stuber and Jennifer Marshall Bleakley. The book tells the heartwarming story of how one horse helped heal brokenness for children, Veterans, and adults alike.
- Learn more about HopeWell Ranch and equine therapy.
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Where in nature do you see God’s design and character?
- How can you connect with God’s creation?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- “God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:25–27
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
An 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 up for someone who otherwise won’t be heard?
- What challenges in your life is God using for your good and the good of others?
- What can you do to care and advocate for vulnerable people in your community?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well… Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13–14, 16
RESOURCES:
- A Father's Encouragement: When David and Heather Smith decided to start a family, they followed God’s call to adopt three children. Through the unexpected challenges of raising kids with disabilities, David discovered an even greater reliance upon the Lord.
- How Jesus Changed My Perspective on Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy: Renee Dollenmayer shares how she discovered purpose in her disability and a unique calling to serve God’s people.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
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Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Sasha 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 world.
Learn more about Ting Ministries
Learn more about Sasha’s family members: Our Family – Ting Ministries
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What makes a person valuable?
- Who in your life needs support or advocacy?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well… Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13–14, 16
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
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Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Bonnie 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 pushing quickly past it. In her book, Chronic Hope: Raising a Child with Chronic Illness with Grace, Courage, and Love, Bonnie offers encouragement for parents and caregivers seeking glimmers of hope amid life’s darkest shadows.
Get your copy of Chronic Hope: Raising a Child with Chronic Illness with Grace, Courage, and Love
Learn more about Bonnie O’Neil
KEY QUESTIONS:
- How severe is type 1 diabetes? How does it affect daily life?
- “Will you surrender—and entrust your child—to God?”
- How can churches help parents cope with a child’s chronic illness?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Susan 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 to thriving in Christ.
The Six Stages of a Caregiver's Journey | Comfort Keepers:
- Stage 1: The Expectant Caregiver—In the near future, I may help an aging relative.
- Stage 2: The Freshman Caregiver—I am starting to help an aging relative.
- Stage 3: The Entrenched Caregiver—I am helping.
- Stage 4: The Pragmatic Caregiver—I am still helping an aging relative.
- Stage 5: The Transitioning Caregiver—My role is changing.
- Stage 6: The Godspeed Caregiver—My caregiving has ended
Access Caregiver Resources & Workshops | Makers of Care
KEY QUESTIONS:
- Where is God in your story?
- Where are you in God’s story?
- How can churches support caregivers?
KEY SCRIPTURE:
- “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Susan 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.
Amidst the chaos of change, caregivers actively invest their lives to meet needs, often without the critical support they need.
Caregiver Resources & Workshops | Makers of Care
KEY QUESTIONS:
- What are the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?
- How do you communicate well with a person living with Alzheimer’s disease?
- Should I tell my church or community about my loved one’s Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis?
- When is it time to call hospice?
- What losses do you need to grieve?
KEY SCRIPTURES:
- “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
- “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
When 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 God through hardship has given her strength to not only persevere but live with hope and joy!
- Joni’s personal mission statement: “I want to be God's best audio-visual aid of how his power is displayed in weakness, so that others can experience his power in their weakness.”
- Joni’s exhortation to you: “Let your weakness and need be the beautiful platform on which God displays his power through you.”
Key Questions:
- What is your personal mission statement? (Try writing one down).
- Where in your life do you need to trust God’s strength?
- How have you experienced God’s power in your weakness?
Key Scriptures:
- “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.” Philippians 1:12
- “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
View Joni's "Face of Anguish" drawing.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Lamar 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 church better include people with disabilities?
- How can churches share the Gospel with kids and teens on the spectrum?
Key Scripture:
- “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:3–9
Become a Church that Embraces People with Disabilities!Joni and Friends provides church training resources to help you welcome and embrace people with disabilities. See how you can start or grow your disability ministry!
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
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Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Lamar 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 with autism as an adult?
- How can churches and communities support people with autism?
- What do people (especially people with disabilities) experience when they encounter the church?
Key Scriptures:
- “Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.” Jonah 1:3–4
- “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
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Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
When Leisa William learned that her son, Justin, had autism, her hopes and dreams got sidelined. At first, the burdens of disability—constant demands, exhaustion, and nagging grief—made Leisa want to withdraw from Christian community. Now, 20 years into living with disability, Leisa shares the importance of HOPE: Having Other People Engaged. She relates her experience of accepting the reality of disability in her family and learning to embrace community, especially when life gets hard.
Show Notes:
For 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 play in life, especially with the difficulties of disability in the picture.
Leisa also casts a vision for the power of faithful community and reliance on God, sharing how Justin, now 20 years old, has found his place in the body of Christ.
Get your copy of Leisa’s book: Hope Wins: Overcoming Feelings of Hopelessness in Special Needs Families
Learn more about Leisa
Key Questions:
- How can I practice “HOPE: Have Other People Engaged”?
- Who can you support and walk with through life’s ups and downs?
Key Scripture:
- “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:3
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
For 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. That’s why she wrote her book, Hope Wins: Overcoming Feelings of Hopelessness in Special Needs Families.
Leisa joins the podcast to talk about the challenges that come with disability and the importance of turning to God and Christian community, even when it’s tempting to withdraw. Her insights shed light on many pain points that can come with disability and offer strategies for families and communities to find connection and hope in the midst of difficulties.
Learn more about Leisa
Get your copy of Leisa’s book: Hope Wins: Overcoming Feelings of Hopelessness in Special Needs Families
Key Questions:
- How can I deal with self-pity?
- Do I need to simplify my life?
- What does it mean to serve from a place of rest?
Key Scripture:
- “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
After decades of living with the ups and downs of chronic pain caused by CRPS, author and Nutritionist Darci J. Steiner wants to give a message of hope to people facing disability and chronic suffering. Her book, Beauty Beyond the Thorns, and its companion study guide, include personal stories of suffering and biblical stories to demonstrate how God can turn unexpected curveballs into victorious home runs.
Key Questions:
- What is it like to live with chronic pain?
- How does God help you when your pain feels like too much to bear?
- Where have you seen God bring good or beauty out of your suffering?
Key Scripture:
- “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” Genesis 16:13
Resources:
- Learn more about Darci
- Get your copy of Beauty Beyond the Thorns
Send Crystal a message.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Every person needs to find a place of acceptance and belonging. For people with disabilities, too often, inclusion can be hard to come by, even within the body of Christ.
As a pastor, Scott Sauls knows how important it is for the church to embrace marginalized people, like those with disabilities. He has seen firsthand how a robust ministry to people with disabilities—not only welcoming them but evoking their gifts—catalyzes the life of a church.
Scott also knows that pastors and ministry leaders can feel overwhelmed by the idea of starting or growing a disability ministry. He exhorts leaders to trust in God’s abundant provision (no matter the size of the budget or congregation) while stepping forward in faith to serve people with disabilities well.
Key Questions:
- How can your church embrace people who are marginalized?
- What barriers do you face when it comes to serving or connecting with people with disabilities?
- How can you trust God’s abundance and step out in faith today?
Key Scripture:
- “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
Resources:
- Find resources to start or grow a disability ministry
- Read Beautiful People Don't Just Happen
Send Crystal a message.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support makes this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Everyone carries regret, hurt, and fear. These burdens can weigh you down and make you feel trapped. In his book, Beautiful People Don't Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans, Scott Sauls explores how Christ provides hope and healing amid the most trying emotions and circumstances.
Pastor Scott hopes to reach people who sin and suffer—people who feel tired or afraid. He shares the message that because of Christ’s love, presence, and promises, the best is always yet to come, even when life feels hopeless.
When it comes to redeeming regret, hurt, and fear, Pastor Scott also explains how God can make people better through difficulties. Using historical examples—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, C.S. Lewis, and Tim Keller—and biblical examples—King David, the Apostle Paul, and even Jesus—Scott points out a hopeful pattern of God’s redemptive work that applies to everyone who trusts in him.
Key Questions:
- Do you ever feel burdened with regret, hurt, or fear?
- Who can you encourage today by sharing an aspect of your story?
- Do you know the secret to being content in every circumstance? (Hint: ask the Apostle Paul)
Key Scripture:
- “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-10
Send Crystal a message with your comments and questions.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support helps make this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Danika Deva knows isolation. Living with multiple chemical sensitivities, which can cause life-threatening allergic reactions to everyday things, she must be intentional about her relationships. Through seasons of severe sickness and physical isolation, she has found strategies for connection and invites others to walk the trails she has blazed.
With God’s help, Danika has learned to serve and minister to others, even from a place of suffering. She urges everyone facing difficulty to seek ways to bless others, pointing to the fact that human beings were not made for isolated, independent lives, but for interdependence and mutual service. She urges Christians to encourage and remind one another of the great hope we have in Christ—whatever our circumstances.
Key Questions:
- Do your health struggles impact your relationships?
- How is God shaping your character through your hardships?
- How can you offer hope to someone today, even if you’re suffering?
Key Scripture:
- “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:4-6
Additional Resources:
- Read more from Danika
- Listen as Kimberli West talks about vulnerability and community when you live with chronic illness
Send Crystal a message with your comments and questions.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast and daily devotional.
Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Your support helps make this podcast possible!
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, and offer disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
In 2016, Danika Deva’s life was turned upside-down by the sudden onset of severe environmental illness. Desperate, isolated, hopeless, and hurting, she begged God for healing.
To this day, Danika lives what she calls “a bubble life,” to manage life-threatening allergic reactions to an ever-shifting range of environmental and dietary triggers. She will tell you, “It’s hard to live like this.” But amid her suffering, she has found hope and closeness to God.
Danika’s God-given Ph.D. in "Hard Knocks" and "God Rocks" has equipped her to inspire others to be intentional, and to choose joy and hope in hardship so they can not only heal, but flourish.
Key Questions:
- Where in your “hard knocks” do you see God working?
- What opportunity do you have to choose joy today?
Key Scripture:
- “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Additional Resources:
- Read more from Danika
Send Crystal a message with your comments and questions.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, as well as disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Since the onset of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), almost two decades ago, Dr. Andy Laurie has prayed for his suffering to go away. As his disease and the hardships that come with it have remained, God has led Dr. Andy through a process of clarification, grappling, releasing, and ultimately drawing closer to Jesus and his eternal promises.
Crystal Keating and Dr. Andy explore aspects of suffering that God can use for good:
- Suffering causes us to focus on things that really matter.
- Suffering can force clarification about our self-image, identity, and priorities.
When incurable or unsolvable problems come, Dr. Andy highlights the need to let go of the “old life” and embrace our new reality (with whatever limitations or struggles it comes with). This process of release and redefinition often includes grief. And without hope in God, self-pity, depression, and despair can take hold.
Dr. Andy shares his own struggle with despair—the temptation to linger and wallow in the dark after his diagnosis. He also shares a turning point that came through prayer. Realizing that God co-suffers with us, as a parent suffers for and with a child, Dr. Andy discovered new depth in his faith journey and his hope-giving trust in God as his Good Father.
Hear how an eternal perspective has ultimately led him to contentment, joy, and peace, even as his illness remains.
Key Questions:
- How have you seen God work in the midst of your hardest experiences?
- Are you content with your life?
- Have you ever considered that God feels your suffering along with you, as a parent suffers with and for a child?
Key Scripture:
- “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16
Additional Resources:
- Read more from Dr. Andy Laurie
- Listen to Claire Walker share how POTS radically altered her life
Send Crystal a message with your comments and questions.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, as well as disability ministry training and higher education through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Dr. Andy Laurie knows what it’s like for life’s skies to go dark. His book, When Skies Aren’t Blue: A Physician’s Personal Journey, recounts his journey from health to sickness, and to living with joy in the midst of traumatic and overwhelming circumstances.
His prescription for hope that endures no matter what? “We need objective, provable truth,” he says. “To know that we can prove God is real, prove God is true. Prove the Bible is real.”
But Dr. Laurie was not always a believer. Even in medical school, he considered himself a “man of science” and saw faith as a crutch some people needed—but not him! Then, his quest for knowledge led him closer to God instead of further; ultimately, he came to faith, and became a pastor-physician.
When he “had it all”: a loving marriage, four small children, and two thriving careers, the skies went dark, seemingly forever. Faced with his devastating diagnosis, he dug deep into his faith, and asked the ultimate questions about identity, self-worth, hope, and love.
Now, Dr. Laurie invites others to join him on a journey, from darkness back to light, even if a cure never comes.
Key Questions:
- How can I cope with chronic, incurable, unsolvable struggles?
- How do I define victory in my life?
- Can I experience joy amid my suffering/sickness/grief?
Additional Resources:
- Read more from Dr. Andy Laurie
- Listen to Claire Walker share how POTS radically altered her life
Send Crystal a message with your comments and questions.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, as well as disability ministry training and higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Katherine Wolf kicked off Season 4 with a conversation about suffering. After surviving a catastrophic stroke at age 26, which left her with profound disabilities, Katherine now works to break down the myth that joy can only be found in a pain-free life. Here, in Episode Two, Katherine digs deeper into the topic of suffering, and particularly, how to flourish within our limitations.
We as believers have all been there: we make a request to God in prayer, then wait for him to give us what we want. When we don’t get the results or answer we hope for, we get frustrated, perplexed, or even angry with God.
Katherine offers insight about how to trust God when he doesn’t answer prayers the way we hope he will. When it comes to suffering well, she highlights the importance of the narratives we believe and tell about our lives—past, present, and future. She shares how to reframe and redefine the hardest parts of life: tragedy, disability, loss, and grief, with God’s goodness and his good story as the ultimate hope-giving reality.
From a wheelchair to social isolation, to illness or disability, Katherine sheds fresh light on the concept of limitations. She shares how her disability has catalyzed a powerful reframe in her life: seeing limitations as opportunities rather than barriers. Because of Jesus, we can do hard things in the good story he is writing through each of our lives.
Key Questions:
- How can we trust God when he doesn’t answer our prayers the way we want him to?
- How can we cope with pain, grief, or disability?
- How can we find hope amid suffering?
Key Scripture:
- “Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame.” Romans 5:3-4
Additional Resources:
- Listen to A Deeper Healing with Joni Eareckson Tada
- Listen toHow God Meets Us in Suffering with Vaneetha Risner
Send Crystal a message with your comments and questions.
Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, as well as disability ministry training and higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Crystal and Katherine discuss what it means to “suffer strong,” and how community plays a key role in leaning on God through suffering. They explore what it means to heal—not just the body but the soul, and the difference between curing and healing.
Katherine also gives tips about how to encourage and support people in suffering—what to do and say, and, just as importantly, what NOT to do and say.
No matter what difficulties we face, Katherine’s wisdom gives refreshment and insight on what it takes to suffer strong, embracing God’s good story that he writes in each of our lives.
Key Questions:
- What does it mean to suffer well?
- How can I reframe my suffering?
- Is it possible to find healing if there is no cure for the condition, disability, or pain that I live with?
Key Scripture:
- “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” Isaiah 45:3
Additional Resources:
- Listen toHow God Meets Us in Suffering with Vaneetha Risner
- Listen to A Deeper Healing with Joni Eareckson Tada
- Find community at Joni and Friends Retreats and Getaways
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Send Crystal a message with your comments and questions.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ.
Founded by international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways, as well as disability ministry training and higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, and follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Welcome to Season 4 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.
The past few years have brought unexpected changes and challenges, from the Coronavirus pandemic to global unrest, not to mention personal difficulties. And trying times bring up big questions:
- What does it mean to suffer well?
- How can we understand and cope with pain, loss, disability, and grief?
Beginning next week, we will learn how to lean on Christ and redefine our experiences with suffering. In each episode, Crystal Keating will talk with a guest who knows what it means to suffer. Each conversation will shed light on some of life’s great challenges and provide deep encouragement.
- Episode One kicks off with Katherine Wolf, a true trailblazer when it comes to disability and suffering. In 2008, at just 26 years old and 6 months after having a new baby boy, Katherine miraculously survived a catastrophic stroke. Now profoundly disabled, Katherine has learned to take joy in doing hard things in the good story God is writing in her life. She and her husband Jay have used their second-chance lives to disrupt the myth that joy can only be found in a pain-free life.
- In other episodes, Crystal will interview remarkable people who have walked with Jesus through disability, illness, and other experiences of great darkness and difficulty. Guests will include Scott Sauls, Danika Deva, and, of course, Joni Eareckson Tada.
Subscribe to the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to share it with a friend!
As you listen, you can send Crystal a message with your comments and questions.
We pray that you will find encouragement and inspiration as you listen this season!
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability.
Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
"This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God." -2 Corinthians 9:12
As we close out season 3 of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, Crystal is reflecting on the many wonderful conversations we’ve had this year and the remarkable people we’ve met along the way. So many of our guests persevered through the hardships of their disabilities and chronic conditions, sacrificing their strength to share about their lives and God’s faithfulness.
Crystal is thinking of friends like Jennifer Ji-Hye Ko who lives with tremendous pain and mental health challenges and brought a powerful reminder about lamenting to our God through seasons of grief. She’s also thinking of Heather Hart who, on the morning we recorded, had been in the ER with one of her daily migraines. She’s reminded of Abigail Brown who used a communication board to share her testimony of God’s unseen purposes for her suffering and Stephanie Magness who shared on the podcast even though her Friedrich’s ataxia would not allow her to talk for more than about 10 minutes. With mental health being a focus this year, she is also so thankful for her conversations with Tara Groff who serves the Lord as a wife and mother through her daily episodes with schizophrenia. We are grateful for these friends and the many more not mentioned, for the kindness you’ve shown by sharing your hearts on this platform.
Living with a disability is not easy, but each guest has reminded us that the hope of heaven, the help of other Christians, and the grace of God is sustaining. So how can we make the gospel accessible in our churches and communities? As she wraps up season 3, Crystal shares how Joni and Friends is making this possible through a modest grant program called the Christian Fund for the Disabled and a giving opportunity called the Perfect Gift. And the best part is, you can get involved! As we give generously and strategically to meet the needs of those God is directing us to care for, the Lord will provide—that is a promise that we can hold fast to! And when we see his provision in a tangible way, it increases our faith, deepens our love for Jesus, and fills our hearts with thanksgiving.
May this season be filled with evidence of God’s hand as you continue to trust in him. Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for listening to the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast!
Resources:
- Learn about the Christian Fund for the Disabled
- Give the Perfect Gift!
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“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 catastrophic loss in our lifetime, we will all face some sort of loss. Whether in the form of disability, chronic illness, crushing disappointment, or the death of a loved one, the experience of loss is universal.
Jerry is joining Crystal to help put words around sorrow and offer hope for growing with grief. If you are wondering if you will ever heal or what God’s plan is in the depth of your pain, be encouraged by this conversation. Through God’s transforming grace, new life is possible.
Resources:
- Read A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss
- Visit Jerry's Website
- Listen to Carrying Grief with Bekah Bowman
- Listen to Coping with Grief and Loss with Halley Mastrolonardo
- Listen to Who Am I? with Jimmy Peña
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
"If anxiety, fear, or trauma is part of your experience, the book you want to become familiar with is the Bible. The Bible is all about how God’s redemptive purposes enter into our suffering through his Son who experiences trauma and suffering on our behalf for the purpose of healing."
Dr. Tim Lane, who recently spoke about how to make changes that last is returning to the podcast to discuss post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD. Often associated with servicemen and women who live with distressing memories from combat experience, PTSD can actually occur in any person at any age.
As an experienced counselor and the Founder of the Institute for Pastoral Care, Dr. Lane explains that many people are affected by trauma, but we all respond to disturbing events and the associated shame in different ways.
Whether you face disabling memories from combat, abuse, health problems, or a traumatic accident, you are not alone. Christ, who himself suffered intensely, is with you. Be encouraged as Dr. Lane compassionately shares some of the keys to beginning the healing process and how that process looks over time. And if you know someone struggling with PTSD, learn how you can help create a safe community and come alongside them in the gradual process of restoration.
If you are a veteran living with visible or invisible disabilities from combat, learn about Joni and Friends Warrior Getaways.
Resources:
- Visit Dr. Tim Lane's website
- Read Dr. Lane’s minibook PTSD: Healing for Bad Memories
- Listen to Darby Strickland’s conversation about Trauma
- Take the course Becoming a Church That Cares for the Abused
- Order Unstuck: A nine-step journey to change that lasts
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Your circumstances shape you but they do not define you – what defines you is that you are in a relationship with a God who loves you.”
Is there an area in your life that you want to change, but you don’t know how? A behavior you’ve tried to stop, but just can’t seem to? Is there a relationship you want to repair, but nothing seems to make things better?
Do you feel stuck?
Dr. Tim Lane, Founder of the Institute for Pastoral Care and author of Unstuck: A Nine-Step Journey to Change That Lasts, discusses key steps toward lasting change. Much more than self-help strategies, Dr. Lane offers truths that are rooted in scripture.
This practical and biblical guidance recognizes that the path to lasting change can only be found by growing in grace as we look to Christ and are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Dr. Lane will help you understand your identity in Christ and recognize common mistakes people make when trying to change. Whatever your struggle, this encouraging conversation will help you to get unstuck as you look to Christ in the day-to-day pressures of life.
Resources:
- Visit Dr. Tim Lane's website
- Order Unstuck: A nine-step journey to change that lasts
- Download the free Unstuck Study Guide
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“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 ministries program. Previously she served as the director of Mission to North America’s Special Needs Ministries. She is also a speaker and author of a new devotional called Parenting and Disabilities: Abiding in God’s Presence.
People of all abilities have spiritual gifts to offer at your church. Listen as Stephanie talks about the importance of building a social ramp so that even gifts that are packaged differently can be employed in the body of Christ. As we're saturated in the gospel and develop more of a biblical worldview, we will look expectantly for God-given gifts in other people, including those with disabilities. Learn how you can encourage people of all abilities to be full participants in the body and life of your church!
Resources:
- Follow Stephanie on Facebook
- Order Parenting and Disabilities: Abiding in God’s Presence and Same Lake, Different Boat
- Explore all of Joni and Friends' Church Training Resources
- Watch Joshua's Story
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Where is God in your journey of parenting a child with disabilities?
In celebration of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Stephanie Hubach is sharing the joys and challenges of parenting a child with intellectual disabilities. She's a visiting instructor and research fellow in disability ministries at Covenant Theological Seminary and previously served as the Director of Mission to North America’s Special Needs Ministries.
Listen as Stephanie offers wisdom from her leadership experience in disability ministry as well as personal insight from raising two sons to adulthood, Freddy and Tim who has Down syndrome. Hear how her role as a mother has changed throughout the years, the steps she's taking to prepare for the future, and how the church can meet the biggest needs for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Follow Stephanie on Facebook to see Tim’s latest recipes
Order Parenting and Disabilities: Abiding in God’s Presence and Same Lake, Different Boat
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“God wastes nothing, even disability. He has a purpose for you right where you are.”
After receiving her EMT certification, Cady Bell was on the path to becoming a doctor to use her skills in service overseas. But when she began experiencing severe pain, seizures, stomach issues, and fainting, her life's plan dramatically changed. As Cady searched for the cause of her symptoms, her intensifying health challenges forced her to drop out of school and quit her job.
On the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, Cady is sharing her journey to finding a diagnosis for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a rare connective tissue disorder that affects mobility and strength. This invisible disability that has no cure has brought physical and emotional ups and downs, but has also beautifully deepened her relationship with God—something she wouldn't trade for perfect health. Hear how EDS helped Cady discover new joy and purpose and how she’s using her struggles to reach other women who might feel hopeless in their hardships.
Follow Cady on Instagram
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Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Nothing that we go through is wasted… no pain, no hurt, no sorrow. We can rejoice in our suffering because we know who our God is.”
Renee Dollenmayer, a college student living with chronic pain and spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, is returning to the podcast to share about her online outreach to other women who live with physical and spiritual challenges. Born prematurely as a triplet alongside two typical brothers, Renee always wondered if she needed to be healed to be a faithful follower of Jesus. But as she discovered the way Jesus suffered, she realized that she has a place in the body of Christ and a calling to encourage others through their hardships!
Do you feel limited by a disability or lack of support? Hear how Christian counseling helped bring Renee through the darkness of her own struggles. Be encouraged that God can use you to bring others to himself—just like he is using Renee and her ministry, Even If!
Follow Renee on Instagram.
Learn about Joni and Friends internships.
Register for the Beyond Suffering course.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Have you ever wondered, what is my place? Where do I fit in the body of Christ?
Renee Dollenmayer, a university senior majoring in rehabilitation services, grew up struggling with similar questions about her purpose. Born prematurely with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy as a triplet alongside two typical brothers, Renee wondered if she needed to be healed to be a faithful follower of Jesus.
Listen as Renee shares how God revealed beauty and purpose in her disability, and how that journey led Renee to a Joni and Friends internship. She recently interned alongside our host Crystal Keating in the Response Department to help minister to people looking for spiritual and practical encouragement, as well as resources related to living with a disability. Don’t miss hearing Renee’s advice for other Christian students living with a disability, and how her Joni and Friends internship helped affirm her calling to serve people and serve Jesus for his kingdom.
Follow Renee on Instagram.
Learn about Joni and Friends internships.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Claire Walker was a varsity basketball player making plans for college when health challenges radically altered her life. After a routine oral surgery, a strep throat virus entered her bloodstream and began wreaking havoc in her nervous system. Claire began to faint almost daily whether standing, sitting, or walking, and suddenly had to exchange her active lifestyle for the safety of a wheelchair.
On the podcast, Claire is sharing about God’s faithfulness through frustrating misdiagnosis and the eventual discovery of a neurological disorder called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (also known as POTS or dysautonomia). Although this syndrome is widespread and growing due to COVID-19, it’s rarely heard about, including among medical experts.
Life hasn’t been the same for Claire since her diagnosis; she is now accompanied by her service dog, Lily, a trained seizure alert dog that helps mitigate POT syndrome. But hear why Claire is grateful to God for what he is doing through her story.
Find Claire on Instagram and Facebook.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“The deepest transformations in our lives actually happen from some of our deepest woundings…good healing happens in community.”
What can the body’s healing process show us about repairing relational wounds? This week on the podcast Crystal is joined by Dr. Cymbeline T. Culiat, a scientist, entrepreneur, and co-author of the new book Designed to Heal: What the Body Shows Us about Healing Wounds, Repairing Relationships, and Restoring Community.
Listen as Dr. Culiat provides a fascinating look at how the restorative processes of our physical bodies provide a model for healing the painful wounds of broken relationships and divided communities, including wounds within the church. Discover practical ways to address the need for reconciliation, wholeness, and function in our relationships with God, with one another, and within our communities.
Download Your Free Chapter of Designed to Heal
When you download chapter 1, you'll be entered to receive a free copy of the book.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
"When everything around me was changing, I knew that God wasn’t going to change. Without that truth, I don’t know where I would be today.”
Jenny Smith was a typical teenager—a gymnast who loved makeup, played in a band, and was active in her church youth group. But at 16 years old, she sustained a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed from the chest down. Now relying on others for her most basic needs, privacy and independence seemed like things of the past. But Jenny refused to give up, and over time she discovered that a wheelchair could take her places she’d never dared to imagine. This week on the podcast, listen as Jenny shares how you can live the impossible, even when life doesn’t go as planned.
Read Jenny’s book or visit her website to see her latest videos and updates.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
On our last episode of the podcast, Vicki Zoradi shared the miraculous story of how God carried her through a life-threatening battle with severe septic shock. Although medical professionals gave her virtually no chance to live, God had a different plan.
But despite beating the odds, inadequate blood supply to her extremities caused Vicki to lose both of her hands and feet. Now, fitted with prosthetic arms and legs, she is returning to share about God’s enduring love through loss and grief.
Visit Vicki's website to watch her story.
Vicki's new book, Tested by Fire...Fueled by Faith is now available!Request your free copy from Joni and Friendswhile supplies last.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
On her 60th birthday, shortly after receiving a Teacher of the Year award, Vicki Zoradi was diagnosed with an innocuous kidney stone. When the kidney stone became lodged between her bladder and kidney, she was rushed back to the hospital 36 hours later in severe septic shock. Medical professionals gave Vicki virtually no chance to live, but God had a different plan.
Despite miraculously beating the odds and surviving 35 days in the Intensive Care Unit, inadequate blood supply to her extremities caused her to lose both of her hands and feet.
Now, fitted with prosthetic arms and legs, Vicki is joining Crystal on the podcast for a two-part conversation about her miraculous story of loss and hope.
Subscribe to hear part 2 on our next episode!
Visit Vicki's website to watch her story.
Vicki's new book, Tested by Fire...Fueled by Faith is now available!Request your free copy from Joni and Friendswhile supplies last.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Songs are our portable theology… There’s something about the way music gets into our hearts and minds that's different than all other mediums of communication."
We all experience darkness. Perhaps darkness has come for you in the form of a painful loss, a chronic illness, deep loneliness, or perpetual anxiety. Because we are all human, we understand what it means to battle with darkness.
This week on the podcast, singer-songwriter and author Ginny Owens who has been blind since the age of three is back to shine light on finding hope through life's dark and challenging circumstances. Listen as she offers practical ways to cultivate rest in a busy world and tells of the spiritual power and perspective she’s found in the songs of scripture.
Hear Ginny Speak with Crystal about Contentment
Learn powerful ways of drawing closer to God through music and prayer in Ginny's new book, Singing in the Dark, and accompanying EP, Sing Hope in the Darkness. Order your copy.
Find Ginny on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“The bigger our vision of Jesus and the more confidence we have in who he is, the more our circumstances pale in comparison.”
Is it possible to be content in any situation? When faced with circumstances outside your control, it can be easy to feel lost and hopeless. But you are part of a bigger story, and you have a purpose.
Blind since age three, singer-songwriter Ginny Owens has a unique approach to music and writing that have a way of helping us see more clearly and find hope in suffering. This week on the podcast, she is sharing about pursuing contentment as you live by faith and not by sight. After facing several harrowing struggles in her own life, Ginny discovered a deep contentment that changed her perspective on her challenges. Because although you don’t always get to choose your circumstances, you do get to choose the story your life tells.
“It is in the darkness that we learn who we are, and most importantly, we learn who God is.”
Learn powerful ways of drawing closer to God through music and prayer in Ginny's new book, Singing in the Dark, and accompanying EP, Sing Hope in the Darkness. Order your copy.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
"What does the church bring to the table? We specialize in love and human kindness, manifested in Christ-like friendships."
Previously on the podcast, Dr. John Swinton shared how stigma affects those struggling with their mental health. During this insightful conversation, he shared practical ways to love our neighbors well.
This week, Dr. Swinton is returning to expand on how the body of Christ can create a community of belonging for those facing mental health challenges. He offers up new ways of seeing one another in which difference and disability are embraced as a valid way of being fully human and fully alive to the possibilities of God. Because when we view each person as a unique individual, rather than defining someone by their diagnosis, we can create an environment of friendship and belonging.
“When Jesus, who is God, sits in the margins with those who are marginalized, the margins change.”
Related Podcasts:
- Mental Health and Loving Our Neighbors Well
- Walking with God through Schizophrenia
- Caring for Someone with Schizophrenia
- A Response to Depression
- Depression and Anxiety When Life is Going Well
- Mental Illness and the Church
Order Finding Jesus in the Storm: The Spiritual Lives of Christians with Mental Health Challenges
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“First recognize the person before you for who they are in Christ, not because of what they are going through… When a diagnosis is all you see, that’s when problems begin.”
How do stigma and the language we use affect those struggling with mental health? This week on the podcast, Dr. John Swinton is joining Crystal to discuss faith, mental health, and how to love our neighbors well.
Listen as he shares the important difference between mental illness and mental health, and how listening to someone’s experience with the goal of understanding can better shape our response and care. Be encouraged by his practical strategies for helping our friends with various mental health challenges reconnect with the Lord and stay oriented to his Word.
Related Podcasts:
- Walking with God through Schizophrenia
- Caring for Someone with Schizophrenia
- A Response to Depression
- Depression and Anxiety When Life is Going Well
- Mental Illness and the Church
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
This week on the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, find encouragement from three couples you'll recognize from previous episodes of the show. Discover the importance of good communication, respect, and gratitude in a marriage, especially when a disability is involved.
Mike and Tracey Motoda: When Tracey met Mike nearly 2 decades ago, she told him, "I use a wheelchair to get around, but I don't let that get me down!" And these words have been true for them as a couple over 13 years of marriage. As they rely on each other for different needs, they are a true team.
Kevin and Jamie Stark: When disability is present in a marriage, effective communication is vital. For Kevin and Jamie, good communication is a beautiful expression of their love for one another. But what happens when it breaks down? Hear how the simplest apology can make a difference in building trust and guarding against bitterness.
Greg and Gina Hubert: When all 3 of their sons were diagnosed with autism, this couple discovered a brand-new way of life. For more than 25 years, they have navigated the ups and downs of disability and have found God's grace every step of the way. Listen as they share 3 relational areas for marriages to focus on in the midst of hardships!
Resources:
Watch Joni and Ken's Marriage Advice for Caregiving: As an inter-abled couple, caregiving has brought Ken and Joni Eareckson closer together. Joni shares that it's not out of duty that Ken takes care of her needs, but out of devotion to Jesus.
When Disability Challenges Your Marriage: Listen Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada share the importance of communication and offer practical advice for other couples in a caregiving marriage.
Love, Marriage, and Disability: Kevin and Jamie Stark share what it really means for any couple to say “for better, for worse…in sickness and in health…till death do us part.”
Find a Joni and Friends Marriage Getaway near you!
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“My pain does overtake me. But even when it does, God is still there.”
In 2017, Heather Hart felt like she was on top of the world. She was leading a women’s Bible study at her church and fulfilling her passion for writing. She was loving Jesus and living life to the fullest! Then one summer day, a migraine changed her life.
Over the past four years, through numerous hospital visits, tests, and medications, Heather has not been able to find a remedy for her daily pain. Last week, Heather joined Crystal to share about her struggle with excruciating chronic migraines.
This week on the podcast, Heather is returning to talk about clinging to Jesus through pain. Hear some of the practical ways she manages her migraines and be encouraged by how God has used Heather’s pain to draw her closer to himself.
Resources:
- Learn more about Heather Hart
- Read Clinging to Jesus: Praying & Meditating on God's Word When You're In Pain
- Find resources for chronic pain and illness
- Read the Beyond Suffering Bible
- Follow Heather on Facebook and Twitter
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“I can’t get through each day without Jesus. If I can’t do anything else because my head hurts too bad, it doesn’t hurt so bad that I can’t cling to him.”
Over the past 4 years, Heather Hart has enjoyed only one day without a migraine. As an active mother of 5, her life turned upside down in 2017 when her head began to hurt, and she was hospitalized with meningitis. But when her meningitis cleared up and she returned home, Heather’s headache continued. To this day, doctors have not discovered what causes Heather’s daily, mind-bending migraines.
Through her excruciating headaches, Heather’s prayer has been that God would use her pain for his glory. Now an internationally best-selling author, Heather is on the podcast to share how debilitating migraines have impacted her faith, family, and friendships, but how she’s experienced God’s care through her chronic pain.
Resources:
- Learn more about Heather Hart
- Find resources for chronic pain and illness
- Read the Beyond Suffering Bible
- Follow Heather on Facebook and Twitter
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." –Revelation 21:4
This week on the podcast, we are wrapping up our 3-episode Q&A series with Jenny Hill. Living with cerebral palsy, Jenny has shared about how to navigate painful situations and where to find hope in the midst of loneliness. Today, Jenny is completing her Q&A series with a powerful conversation about suffering, healing, and heaven.
“Pain and suffering are probably the most universal experiences we have with other people.”
Listen as Jenny shares how suffering has deepened her friendship with Jesus and helped her realize she is part of a bigger story. Don’t miss her powerful imagining of what heaven will be like and how living with a disability has helped frame her thoughts on eternity.
Resources:
- Learn more about Jenny Hill
- Read Jenny's blog post about heaven.
- Hear more about heaven with Randy Alcorn
- Read Heaven: Your Real Home by Joni Eareckson Tada
- Listen to Disability and Belonging
- Listen to How to Transform a Painful Situation: Being Stared At and Falling in Public
- Listen to Loneliness
- Follow Jenny on Facebook and Twitter
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“There is a difference between isolation and loneliness. Isolation is when you are physically separated from everybody else, but loneliness can be most felt sometimes when you are with other people.”
As we continue our Q&A series on the podcast, Jenny Hill who lives with cerebral palsy is returning to answer questions about coping with loneliness and finding your hope in Christ.
We all understand the pain of isolation, especially after this past year, but loneliness is more than being separated from friends. The ache is sometimes most felt when you are surrounded by other people. And the pain of loneliness can cut like grief when you realize you aren’t truly known, and you aren’t enjoying the same experiences as others.
But God promises to be with you. So what if in your loneliness you take the first step to create meaningful relationships? What if you look around and ask, “Who needs to be known? Who is not being included? How can we connect?” Listen as Jenny encourages you to look beyond yourself at who else needs to be known and flip the script on loneliness today.
Resources:
- Learn more about Jenny Hill
- Listen to Disability and Belonging
- Listen to How to Transform a Painful Situation: Being Stared At and Falling in Public
- Read Walking with Tension
- Follow Jenny on Facebook and Twitter
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Looking at another person can be a very hurtful experience or a very welcoming, affirming experience. We have a choice of what role we want to play in that.”
During our third season of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, we’ve invited listeners to send in your questions about disability-related topics and etiquette. Today we are kicking off a special 3-part Q&A series with Jenny Hill who joined us last season to talk about disability and belonging. Jenny is a speaker and author, she holds a doctorate in Education, and lives with mild spastic cerebral palsy.
On this week’s episode, Jenny is answering questions about painful situations—being stared at and falling in public—offering ways to transform these situations into positive learning opportunities. Hear how you can navigate uncomfortable circumstances with compassion as you see each person as whole, for more than their disability. And as you recognize that everyone is multi-dimensional, Jenny is sharing how you can tactfully talk with someone about their disability, especially in the early stages of a friendship.
Resources:
- Learn more about Jenny Hill
- Listen to Disability and Belonging
- Listen to Loneliness
- Read Walking with Tension
- Follow Jenny on Facebook and Twitter
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“It’s about being a light for the next person, realizing that my troubles will bless somebody one day.”
Robert was an active college student when an unknown virus caused a bilateral stroke that left him suddenly paralyzed and unable to speak. Previously on the podcast, Robert and Nelly Kapen shared their powerful story of God’s provision through quadriplegia, recovery, and marriage. But as navigating a life-changing disability is never easy, Robert’s journey to acceptance took time. Following his accident he faced numbness, anger, and depression until a reminder from John 9:3 helped move him to a place of acceptance.
“‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” John 9:3
This week on the podcast, Robert and Nelly are back to share about finding hope and moving forward. Listen as they tell the importance of inviting help from family and their Christian community, and how they’ve been able to pour into others. If you are struggling with questions about your hardship or comparing your situation with others, be encouraged by Robert and Nelly’s story. Through the ups and downs, God is with you. Trust his perfect timing because he'll never allow you to be snatched from his hand.
Resources:
Visit Robert's Website
Find Robert on Instagram and Facebook
Do you feel like your prayers for healing have gone unanswered? Be encouraged by this powerful conversation with Joni Eareckson Tada about finding a deeper healing.
Read Beside Bethesda: 31 Days Toward a Deeper Healing. This devotional digs into the topics of contentment, unanswered prayer, transformation through suffering, and hoping in God.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Robert Kapen was an athletic college student studying Parks and Rec and working part-time at an outdoor Young Life camp when his life turned upside down. In the summer of 2011, a mystery virus caused a bilateral stroke that left him suddenly paralyzed and unable to speak. With his mind fully functioning but no ability to move or communicate verbally, Robert felt trapped in his own body.
Over the next 8 years, Robert diligently engaged in speech, physical, and occupational therapies. When he was moved to a rehab facility located near the workplace of his friend, Nelly, she began visiting him regularly to brighten his day. As Robert’s communication developed from blinking to texting, his friendship with Nelly also blossomed into a relationship and eventually marriage. This week on the podcast, Robert and Nelly are sharing their story of God’s generous provision through seasons of disability, recovery, marriage, and caregiving. And as Robert approaches his 10-year anniversary of paralysis, he is thrilled that in God’s providence, he has found his voice to record his first podcast interview alongside Nelly!
Resources:
Visit Robert's Website
Find Robert on Instagram and Facebook
Watch Joni and Ken's Marriage Advice for Caregiving: As an inter-abled couple, caregiving has brought Ken and Joni Eareckson closer together. Joni shares that it's not out of duty that Ken takes care of her needs, but out of devotion to Jesus.
When Disability Challenges Your Marriage: Listen Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada share the importance of communication and offer practical advice for other couples in a caregiving marriage.
Love, Marriage, and Disability: Kevin and Jamie Stark share what it really means for any couple to say “for better, for worse…in sickness and in health…till death do us part.”
Find a Joni and Friends Marriage Getaway near you!
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
On our previous episode of the podcast, Tara Groff shared candidly about her journey with schizophrenia over the past three decades. As a wife and mother, she has experienced God’s sustaining love even through the devastating and debilitating symptoms of her mental illness.
In addition to the support services Tara receives, God has provided two consistent mercies in her life: biblical counseling and her church. This week on the podcast, Tara is sharing about her church community who have walked with her through challenges, providing fellowship and biblical care that have kept her grounded.
If you are living with a difficult diagnosis, be encouraged that the Lord will sustain you. Even with your limitations, you have a unique calling and God will meet your needs. As the body of Christ listens, learns, and loves one another, the beauty of community is possible.
Resources:
Listen to Crystal's conversations with Dr. Todd Stryd
- Caring for Someone Living with Schizophrenia
- A Response to Depression
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Tara Groff is a wife and homeschooling mother who has experienced God’s sustaining love as she's lived with schizophrenia for more than 30 years. This week on the podcast she is sharing how mental illness has impacted her life and relationships, including her relationships with God and the church. Tara talks candidly about the day-to-day manifestations of schizophrenia and treatments she has pursued to manage her symptoms.
“Schizophrenia is not going away. The list of dreams lost, goals not attained, plans interrupted is not getting shorter. This is ongoing trial that does not have an earthly end.”
Schizophrenia can be a devastating diagnosis that impacts every relationship and interaction. But as Tara shares, there is a path forward: gospel hope. Be encouraged by her joy-filled spirit, even through grief, as she trusts God in the midst of a debilitating affliction.
Resources:
Listen to Crystal's conversations with Dr. Todd Stryd
- Caring for Someone Living with Schizophrenia
- A Response to Depression
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Like most young women, Stephanie Magness wanted to be like everyone else; she wanted to fit in with her classmates and have fun at school. But when she learned in 7th grade that she had scoliosis, she was taken on an unexpected decade-long journey of misdiagnosis. At age 22 genetic testing confirmed that Stephanie’s symptoms were caused by Friedrich’s ataxia (FA), a rare neurodegenerative disease that has no cure.
This week on the podcast, Crystal is talking with Stephanie about her FA diagnosis and the unexpected life transitions she’s made because of this progressive disease. Although losing some of her abilities related to walking and communication has not been easy, Stephanie has faced these challenges with the support of her community who have reminded her of God’s love in the most surprising of ways.
Friedrich's Ataxia Awareness Day is May 15. If you are facing a diagnosis of this rare disease, be encouraged by Stephanie's story. As she continues to adjust to life with a neurodegenerative disease, she takes comfort in the fact that God is in control and he his good. Even through her brokenness and the difficulties of FA, she can be used by him.
Resources:
Read more from Stephanie about the precious gift from her friend that allowed Stephanie to accept her inevitable transition to being a wheelchair user.
Find Stephanie on Instagram.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." – 2 Corinthians 3:17
Today marks the 70th annual National Day of Prayer. As people across the country set aside time to intercede for our nation, Joni and Friends is leading this special time of prayer under the theme “Lord Pour Out Your Love, Life, and Liberty.”
On this episode of the podcast, we invite you to pray along with Joni Eareckson Tada, Pastor Shawn Thornton, Steve Bundy, and other special guests as we lift up our country’s centers of influence, along with those most vulnerable. Download our prayer points to pray along!
Download Prayer Points
Read "Looking to God on National Day of Prayer" by Joni Eareckson Tada
Do you have a prayer request? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
"It might not be physical, but God has healing for you. Press into that healing journey and see what it looks like for you. Then surrender the results to God.”
On our last episode of the podcast, Tera Bradham DeNeui shared about how her swimming trajectory dramatically shifted after she suffered an undiagnosed shoulder injury. Instead of training to reach the Olympics, Tera walked through seven challenging years of chronic pain and spiritual darkness. But God was at work amid her challenges, using the gift of pain to reveal his purposes and give her a deeper healing.
Now with a personal understanding of true freedom and victory in Christ, Tera is on a mission to minister to others dealing with chronic pain. New limitations and physical pain can often bring feelings inadequacy, even within the church. Through Tera’s ministry, Heal, she is building a community of advocates and working alongside the local church to help support people in chronic pain. Because while physical pain and limitations can pull our eyes off Christ and onto our suffering, it can also remind us of our need for him. Be inspired by Tera’s encouragement to move to a place of worship even during unwanted circumstances.
Resources:
Visit Tera’s Website
Learn More About Heal Ministry
Find Tera on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Resources for Coping with Chronic Pain and Illness
Joni's Message: A Deeper Healing
Joni and Friends Internships
Church Training Resources to include people of all abilities.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
"God completely changed my life through pain. I ended up finding true freedom which is not being bound by the world’s circumstances… God doesn’t waste pain, but we have to give it to him."
This week on the podcast Crystal is talking with inspiring speaker and author Tera Bradham DeNeui. As one of the fastest 12-year-old swimmers in the country, Tera had her sights set on competing in the Olympics. But her swimming trajectory dramatically and unexpectedly shifted after she suffered an undiagnosed injury that led her through seven years of chronic pain and spiritual darkness.
Listen as Tera shares how God completely changed her life through pain, shifting her perspective from fighting pain as an enemy to seeing it as a gift. Hear how Tera discovered true freedom as God used chronic pain to refine his purposes in her life. Be encouraged to discover the same victory in Christ and freedom in your own life today!
Resources:
- Visit Tera’s Website or find her on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
- Read Swimming for Freedom
- Resources for Coping with Chronic Pain and Illness
- Joni's Message: A Deeper Healing
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Dystonia is like being imprisoned in a body with a mind of its own… but I wouldn’t trade the hardest times for the deep relationship I have gained with the Lord.”
This week Crystal is talking with Abigail Brown, a young woman who lives with joy in Christ as she faces the challenges and limitations of dystonia. As a 3-year-old, Abigail contracted Rocky Mountain spotted fever which was misdiagnosed by her doctors and caused brain damage. Although her parents were told that she would have a full recovery within a year, their lives were turned upside down when it became apparent that Abigail would never talk with her mouth again.
Listen as Abigail shares her story with the help of her communication device, and encourages anyone who is feeling alone, left behind, or hopeless, that you are not alone. Because even when life doesn't make sense, God has a plan and you have a purpose.
Read Abigail's Blog
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“It’s been my hope and my desire for Max to be a mighty man of God... and that’s exactly what God has done."
How do family dynamics shift when a child with autism becomes an adult? For special needs parents, worry about your child’s future can begin at any age. What will happen when my child ages out of the school system? How will they transition to adult services, college, or work?
This week on the podcast Emily Colson is talking about her son Max’s transition from boyhood to adulthood, and how through each season of life God has supported their family. Because even as Max became an adolescent, Emily began to fear graduation, wondering what would happen without their provided services and routines. But with the support of her church, Emily has learned to celebrate each victory as she’s navigated issues in the adult world and found meaningful activities for her son (including a new ministry of encouragement birthed during the pandemic).
With paying jobs, volunteer work, and a day program, Max’s days have been full. And both Emily and Max have discovered how much he is needed by his employers and the church. Be encouraged by Emily’s conversation and how God answered her prayer that Max would grow to be a mighty man of God.
Resources:
- Order Helping with Life’s Transitions:Engaging Young Adults with Disabilities into the Life of Your Church
- Learn More About Joni and Friends' Church Training Resources
Order Your Heart by Max Cards
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
April is Autism Awareness Month and we’re celebrating with a special podcast conversation featuring author and speaker Emily Colson.
Emily and her 30-year-old son Max who lives with autism are on a heart-filled mission for you! Like many families living with disability, their world shifted in an instant when the pandemic shut down all systems of support. But as they faced a new normal during a challenging quarantine, Emily prayed: “How can we be a blessing to someone else every day?”
With this prayer, she and Max began to paint. As Max painted beautiful joy-filled hearts on yard signs, he and Emily began delivering these encouraging hearts across their community. Now months later, listen as Emily shares God’s creative answer to her prayer and how the blessing of Max’s heart ministry has reached further than she could have imagined.
Resources:
- Order Your Heart by Max Cards
- Learn More About Joni and Friends' Church Training Resources
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
How can the church best walk alongside someone living with a chronic illness?
Jennifer Ji-Hye Ko is a writer and poet who has remained tenacious amid her various physical and mental illnesses. She joined Crystal on season 2 of the podcast to talk about the healing process of lament, and is returning to share about her relationship with the church as she lives with chronic conditions.
The needs of someone living with a long-term illness are unique, and the day-today challenges can often feel isolating. Be encouraged as Jennifer talks through her experience and offers a practical framework for how to step into someone’s suffering. Because within the body of Christ, the complex diversity of people living with disabilities reveals the complex beauty of God.
Resources:
- Download Jennifer's Poem, Clip My Wings
- Follow Jennifer on Instagram
- Learn More About Joni and Friends' Church Training Resources
- Read Disability and the Gospel
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“I don’t understand why all these hard things keep happening, and sometimes I wonder why God doesn’t just fix it. But I have to trust that he is doing something bigger… and one day we’ll see it.”
When Vaneetha Risner’s infant son died due to a doctor’s error, she felt devoid of purpose and feeling. Hadn’t she suffered enough? Multiple childhood hospitalizations due to polio, years of being bullied, the heartache of her husband’s unfaithfulness, and losing three babies to miscarriage—wasn’t there a limit to how much pain one could endure? What happened to the abundant life God promised? And could she survive whatever might come next?
In her new memoir, Walking Through Fire, Vaneetha details her courageous journey toward wholeness amidst a world of brokenness. And to celebrate the release, she hosted a special conversation with friends to talk about their personal experiences with suffering and how God has met them in it. This week on the podcast, Vaneetha is sharing her conversations with Joni Eareckson Tada, Paul David Tripp, Katherine Wolf, and Randy Alcorn, each of whom has walked through fire.
If you are in the midst of unbearable circumstances today, be encouraged by these conversations. God is with you and he is using your suffering for something bigger than you may be able to see right now. It will not be wasted. When all seems lost, God can truly bring you to a place of abundance.
Resources:
- Read Walking Through Fire
- Hear more of Vaneetha’s story on season one of the podcast: The Scars That Have Shaped Me – Part 1 and The Scars That Have Shaped Me – Part 2
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
It’s not that she’s not grieving, it’s that she’s put her hope in someone that won’t disappoint. Something greater is happening in her grief.
On our last episode of the podcast, Bekah Bowman shared about finding beauty and goodness in the middle of unthinkable loss. As a coach's wife and mother to two young boys, Titus and Ely, Bekah served as a children's pastor and teacher until Batten disease came knocking at her door.
This week, she is talking about her journey with grief as she walked through the fatal diagnosis for both of her sons. Hear how she’s learned to hold both pain and joy simultaneously, and how God has used Bekah’s community to minister to her when she’s been unable to support herself.
If you are journeying with grief today, subscribe to the podcast. Be encouraged by Bekah’s conversation about experiencing Jesus in a whole new way in the middle of brokenness and loss.
Resources:
- Read Can’t Steal My Joy: The Journey to a Different Kind of Brave
- Find Bekah on Instagram and Facebook
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
How do you stay grounded when your life path takes an unexpected turn? Is it possible to hold pain in one hand and joy in the other? This week on the podcast, Bekah Bowman is sharing her journey of finding beauty and goodness amid unthinkable loss and grief.
Bekah is a coach's wife and mother to two boys, Titus and Ely. She served as a children's pastor and teacher until Batten disease came knocking at her door. Facing the heartbreak of a fatal diagnosis for both children, Bekah journeyed through dark valleys of death and grief. But it's been in these deeply broken places that she’s experienced Jesus in a whole new way.
If you are in a season of mourning or struggling with the heaviness of life, hear where Bekah has found hope and joy. Be encouraged to see wholeness in cracks, courage in the broken-hearted, and bravery in the act of letting go.
Resources:
- Read Can’t Steal My Joy: The Journey to a Different Kind of Brave
- Find Bekah on Instagram and Facebook
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
More than one billion people live with disability worldwide, and COVID-19 has only aggravated their struggles. Hunger, unemployment, and lack of medical care have left many people in need of hope. This week on the podcast, we’re kicking off season 3 with a special conversation between Crystal Keating and Founder of Joni and Friends, Joni Eareckson Tada. Listen as they discuss the staggering needs of families with special needs and how a brand-new ministry initiative was birthed out of the pandemic.
Joni first gives an update on her recovery from COVID-19 and shares how this personal challenge has made her even more eager to provide complete, Christ-centered care to people living with disability. Learn how Joni and Friends is on the frontlines showing the love of Jesus as we meet vital needs through Joni’s House!
Learn More About Joni’s House
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
We’re so excited to kick off season 3 of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast! Over this past year, we’ve all faced unexpected changes, many leading to uncertainty about health, employment, and caregiving. And throughout the pandemic, Joni and Friends has heard from many struggling with loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Aren’t we all in need of real hope?
This season on the podcast, Crystal Keating is sharing hope through hardship and bringing you real conversations about disability, offering practical ways to include people with special needs in your church and community. And along with her encouraging conversations, Crystal will be inviting some of our special guests to answer your questions related to disability. If you have a question or a topic you’d like hear discussed on the podcast, please send Crystal a message at podcast@joniandfriends.org.
And next week to kick off season 3, Crystal will be joined by our Founder and CEO, Joni Eareckson Tada! Listen in to hear an update on Joni’s health and recovery following a diagnosis of COVID-19, as well as the brand-new Joni and Friends ministry initiative that has been birthed out of the pandemic.
Subscribe today and invite a friend to join us every Thursday for the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast!
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Around the world, one of the biggest challenges people living with disabilities are facing is access to services…they’re being left behind.”
While the global impact of COVID-19 has distressed communities around the world, people living with disability have been hit the hardest. Shutdowns have impacted workforces, transportation systems, and supply chains creating serious consequences, especially in developing countries where families have limited access to basic food and medical care.
Today on the podcast, Jason Holden, VP of Global Operations at Joni and Friends, is sharing about the critical challenges being faced by people impacted by disability worldwide. As families face hunger, lack of medical supplies, and deeper isolation, Joni and Friends has shifted our ministry focus to meet these vital needs. Hear how we’re leveraging international partnerships to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of people living with disability and provide ongoing support and community through the body of Christ.
Worldwide people impacted by disability are facing hunger, medical shortages, and isolation. This Christmas you can send vital support that will transform lives. Your gift of $125 provides basic medical care, food, hygiene supplies, and spiritual care for a family living with disability for one month. Give the Perfect Gift!
“If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” –James 2:16
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“COVID-19 has not stopped us from sharing the love of Jesus.”
During the pandemic, Joni and Friends has been hard at work finding creative ways to serve families living with disability. In Louisiana where multiple hurricanes have pounded the state, our team has been able to support people who have faced critical challenges, even beyond the restrictions of COVID-19.
Today on the podcast, Leslie Dozier, Area Director of Joni and Friends Louisiana, is sharing about the ministry taking place in her region. Hear how she’s been able to engage local churches to offer ongoing care, support, and discipleship during this challenging season. Subscribe to the podcast to be inspired by her heart for building networks of support to share the hope of the Gospel with people impacted by disability across the state of Louisiana!
This Christmas, send the hope of Christ and practical help to individuals and families impacted by disability. Give the Perfect Gift!
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Lament is simply pouring out your anxieties and pain to God…in the expectation that God hears you and He is willing to do something about it.”
2020 has been a year of heightened heartache. Unpredictable circumstances, isolation, and extreme loss have left many people wondering how to process their grief through the lens of Scripture, and in relationship to God’s goodness and sovereignty.
This week on the podcast, Crystal has invited Jennifer Ji-Hye Ko to join her in focusing on the biblical practice of lament. Jennifer, who lives with a number of chronic conditions, is walking through the cleansing and healing process of crying out to God through seasons of deep grief. If you are feeling weighed down today by emptiness or loss, be encouraged by Jennifer’s insight and guidance for the important practice of lament.
Resources:
- Download Jennifer's Poem, Vision Through Blood
- Follow Jennifer on Instagram
- Send the hope of Christ and practical help to individuals and families impacted by disability. Give the Perfect Gift!
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
"What God gives us in suffering is more than he takes away."
Vaneetha Risner contracted polio as an infant, was misdiagnosed, and lived with widespread paralysis. In and out of the hospital for ten years, she faced bullying after each hospital stay. When she became a Christian, Vaneetha thought things would get easier, and for a time they did: carefree college days, a dream job in Boston, and an MBA from Stanford where she met and married a classmate.
But life unraveled again. She had four miscarriages and her son died because of a doctor's mistake. Vaneetha was later diagnosed with post-polio syndrome, meaning she would likely become a quadriplegic. And when her husband betrayed her, he moved out and left her to raise two adolescent daughters alone.
Today on the podcast, Vaneetha is talking with Crystal about the grace God has given her to forgive those whose harmful choices radically altered the course of her life. As a modern-day Job, her story of loss, suffering, questioning, and anger has become a life filled with incomprehensible peace and joy. Sharing from her new book Walking Through Fire: A Memoir of Loss and Redemption, hear how she’s made sense of her ongoing hardships and how they have drawn her closer to Christ. Be encouraged by her courageous journey toward wholeness amidst a world of brokenness!
Order Walking Through Fire
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“God is sovereign and still good. Even when I think we are in some sort of holding pattern, He always makes a way through.”
At just 18 years old, Mireille Blanchard developed a severe blood clotting disorder that was unknowingly triggered by her acne medication. When ER doctors discovered more than 36 blood clots lighting up the scan of her lungs, Mireille wasn’t sure if she would live to see the next morning.
Today on the podcast, she is sharing about her battle with chronic illness and the emotional repercussions she’s faced over the past decade. Hear how Mireille has seen God’s grace in her health, marriage, and community of support, and be inspired by her advice for creatively supporting people on societal margins.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!
Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Troubled times causes great anxiety in our hearts... It reveals our weakness and false hopes. It can lead us to desperation, but it can also turn us toward God and teach us where to find real food for our souls.”
Has the isolation and anxiety of the past few months caused you to become COVID-weary? As we approach winter, many people are battling lethargy, malaise, and depression. During this prolonged season of isolation, it can be difficult to tune our own levels of stress. And as families are challenged by limited support services, stress can lead to burnout – circumstances simply don’t allow for needed rest and recuperation.
This week on the podcast, psychologist Dr. Jay Fine is back to talk about how to manage stress and avoid burnout, especially during this challenging season. Recognizing that we are all impacted physically, emotionally, and spiritually during a prolonged time of strain, he is sharing common stress symptoms, how to identify your stressors, and tools for avoiding burn out.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Help other people find this podcast by leaving us a 5-star review!
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“Be honest with your emotions. Ask for help. A diagnosis is a detour, a change in the map. It’s not the end of the map. It’s a new journey to a different destination.”
How do you cope when you are faced with an unexpected diagnosis or a sudden life-altering disability? What do friends and family members need to understand about how their loved ones might be feeling as they learn to live with a new normal?
This week on the podcast Crystal is talking with Dr. Jay Fine, a Christian counselor and psychologist who specializes in working with families impacted by disability. As an adoptive father to 3 children - two living with disability - God has used Jay’s 38 years of practice and personal experiences to provide the hope of Christ and practical tools to many families facing various hardships.
Be encouraged today by his wisdom and advice for adjusting to a new normal when disability is involved. Be inspired to “do something” as you cope with whatever new challenge you might be facing!
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Help other people find this podcast by leaving us a 5-star review!
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
"When you’re not sure what to offer, your very presence can be a gift."
People of all abilities need community, a place to fully belong and share our gifts with others. But loneliness, especially exaggerated by the isolation of COVID-19, is one of the difficult realities faced by many adults with disabilities.
Today on the podcast, Crystal is talking with author and educator Jenny Hill. Born with mild spastic cerebral palsy, Jenny didn’t experience the healing she prayed for as a girl, but she has learned to walk in the tension of God’s goodness and the challenges of cerebral palsy. In this conversation she shares honestly about her experiences with envy, grief, and loneliness, and where she has discovered healing for her soul. Jenny also offers tangible ways to share friendship with adults living with disability and the importance of sharing your story to create hope and community for others along life’s journey.
Resources:
- Learn more about Jenny Hill
- Order Helping with Life Transitions: Engaging Young Adults with Disabilities into the Life of Your Church
- Listen to How to be More Inclusive
- Serve at Family Retreat
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Help other people find this podcast by leaving us a 5-star review!
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
"Marriage is hard, but it's not too difficult for God to make it work."
Even the best marriages require intentional effort to thrive. So, what happens when a relationship is complicated by dwarfism, discord, and discrimination?
Last week, Angela Muir Van Etten talked with Crystal about her passion for raising awareness and advocating for people with dwarfism and disability. Today, Angela is back on the podcast to share her marriage story: how God took two people with numerous challenges and grew them into a faithful couple who have honored him.
Standing at 3 feet, 4 inches, Angela and Robert’s common height wasn’t enough to hold their marriage together. When workaholism, a failing business, and a breakdown in communication put their relationship on the brink, they needed help! In today’s conversation, hear where Angela and Robert sought help and how they’ve been able to face life’s challenges head-on with love and faith. Their now 35-year marriage is a truly a picture of God’s power being made perfect in weakness!
Learn more about Angela Muir Van Etten
Read more about Angela and Robert’s love story in Angela's new book, Pass Me Your Shoes: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Help other people find this podcast by leaving us a 5-star review!
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
"When something is happening that shouldn't be, you look around and think, 'Who’s going to do something?' It's then you realize, 'God’s given me the skills to do this.'"
Do you feel compelled to take action when you encounter ignorance and inequity? For Angela Muir Van Etten, she has made it her lifelong mission to raise awareness and advocate for people with dwarfism and disability. Standing at three-feet-four-inches, she a gentle, yet firm voice as she advocates for biblical standards of integrity and justice.
As a dual citizen of New Zealand and the United States, Angela qualified as a lawyer and served as national president of Little People organizations in both countries. Today on the podcast, she is sharing her story and how her passion for advocacy has grown.
Be encouraged by Angela’s conversation with Crystal and inspired to speak up for integrity and justice!
Learn more about Angela Muir Van Etten
*October 15th is Joni Eareckson Tada 's 71st birthday! Celebrate with Joni!
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Help other people find this podcast by leaving us a 5-star review!
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Thank you for listening to this special message from Joni Eareckson Tada.
We know this season of isolation has not been easy for families impacted by disability. The pandemic has challenged us to find new ways to serve families like yours. So now, want to hear from you!
We have created a brief survey so that we can better understand how to serve you and other families dealing with the same realities you face each day. We want to expand our programs to meet your needs, and your opinions matter to us.
If you are part of a family living with disability, please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey.
Thank you for sharing your input!
www.surveymonkey.com/r/joniandfriends
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“Suffering can feel like a darkness that blinds us to God’s presence. In the dark, you can stand next to someone and not even know they are there. Suffering can do that to us spiritually. Although God is always close by, we can feel alone.”
What do you do when you beg God to help you and it seems like nothing changes? You ask for relief, but circumstances remain overwhelming. You plead for reasons, and it feels like God is silent.
Is God listening?
Today on the podcast, Crystal is sitting down with Dave Deuel to talk about God’s attentive ear in the midst of unplanned, life-changing situations. Father to Joanna who has Down syndrome and is now in her 30s, Dave and his family have walked through challenging seasons of disability and mental illness. Listen as he shares how suffering has shaped his understanding of God, and he offers practical ways that you can press into Christ in the midst of your hardship.
Read Dave's minibook: Is God Listening?
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Help other people find this podcast by leaving us a 5-star review!
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
It’s amazing how heavy the weight of emptiness can feel, and how much room something that isn’t even there can take up in our souls. Whether due to loneliness, disappointment, loss, or even a search for purpose, emptiness can seem like our greatest problem. But that’s not how God sees it! When God looks into the empty places of our lives, he sees his greatest opportunity.
This week on the podcast, author and teacher Nancy Guthrie is sharing why emptiness has never been, and never will be, a problem to God. With insights from her brand-new book, God Does His Best Work with Empty, she tells how throughout the narrative of Scripture, God is always working to fill up emptiness with his presence. Be encouraged by this hopeful conversation about how your emptiness can be also filled, because God really does do his best work with empty—as he fills it with himself.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“If you want to understand how to be more inclusive, get to know someone with disabilities. Get out of your comfort zone.”
Last week on the podcast, Joshua Fast shared about raising Malakai, his 6-year old son who was born prematurely and diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy and cerebral palsy. But for Joshua and his wife Nicole, it was during Malakai’s 4-month hospital stay that they saw their church community come around them to provide the life-giving support that strengthened the Fasts as they encountered a series of unexpected challenges.
This week, Joshua is back to talk about how his unique journey inspired him to establish a ministry that helps other special needs families find similar support as he teaches church leaders how to better include people living with disability. Through Priceless Youth Ministry, Joshua is demonstrating the value of all people and creating opportunities for everyone to encounter God through fellowship, worship, and the teaching of God’s Word. Listen to learn about the creative ways he is breaking down barriers and helping churches make their existing ministries more accessible, and how you can too!
Learn about Priceless Youth Ministry
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
When Joshua and Nicole Fast became pregnant with their son Malakai, they were thrilled to be growing their family. But when Malakai was born prematurely and diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy and cerebral palsy, they struggled to understand what life would look like for their son and their family.
“What are we going to do?”
Today on the podcast, Crystal is talking with Joshua about the joy that Malakai has brought to their family and how their struggles have taught the Fasts lessons that couldn’t be learned any other way. Hear how their unique journey with disability has deepened their spiritual life, illuminated the need for more special needs support within the church, and inspired them to help other families in similar circumstances.
Learn about Priceless Youth Ministry
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“You may think, ‘I’m ok. I’m going to sit here and watch the news over and over again,” but it’s affecting your entire body… When our spirit dips into God’s Word, it redirects the mind and the body; there is calmness, goodness, peace, and even health.”
Did you know that fear can impact your whole body? What you think and what you speak can actually alter your body physiologically. So, what are the effects of living in a prolonged season of uncertainty, stress, and anxiety as we face COVID-19?
Today on the podcast, Crystal is talking with Dr. Sam Kojoglanian, an award-winning cardiologist who uses his God-given skills to practice medicine with compassion. Nicknamed “Mender of Hearts,” Dr. Sam joyfully inspires his patients to live healthier, stronger, and more peace-filled lives. Listen as he shares about the interconnectivity of your heart, mind, and body, and the havoc that fear can wreak when you place your focus on information rather than the sovereignty of God. Be encouraged by his contagious joy as he shares what it means to have a faith that triumphs over fear!
Learn more about Dr. Sam's ministry, Beacon of Hearts.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“Perseverance is so key. It means staying the course, not deviating, holding fast…and especially remaining patient. Patience over time leads to perseverance. And perseverance leads to character.”
When it comes to character-building, wouldn’t we all love to have a quick fix? But that’s not the way God works. It is a slow process. Through a series of small victories in suffering, our perseverance is strengthened and character is built.
Today on the podcast Crystal is sitting down with Joni Eareckson Tada to talk about patience in suffering that leads to perseverance. As Joni celebrates a ministry milestone – broadcasting 10,000 episodes of the Joni and Friends radio program – she’s sharing about the long, slow road of endurance. Through quadriplegia, two rounds of breast cancer, chronic pain, and now a pandemic, hear where Joni finds the strength to continue rolling up to the microphone decade after decade to share encouragement with others in need of hope in their hardship.
More from Joni:
- Perseverance in Suffering
- Joni: An Unforgettable Story
- Finding God in Hidden Places
- A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God's Sovereignty
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“We have the hope of heaven, something bigger… so we don’t grieve and sit in fear. We refocus our hearts on God and what he has promised us.”
August is Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Awareness Month! Today on the podcast Crystal is talking with her good friend, Tracey Motoda, about SMA and how this rare genetic disease impacts Tracey’s everyday life.
During these past few months of uncertainty, Joni and Friends has heard from many people with disabilities who are experiencing heightened fear and anxiety. With increased vulnerability to the effects of the virus, Tracey is sharing the emotions she has wrestled with while sheltering at home, but also the gratitude she has found as she has refocused on her heart on God’s promises. Listen as Tracey talks through how she has managed stress both physically and spiritually and the blessings she and her husband have found together in isolation.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“You may feel alone, like you shouldn’t talk about what is going on, but the worst thing you can do it isolate yourself… When you’re honest and vulnerable, it’s incredible how many places it will take you.”
Last week on the podcast, Kimberli West talked about her unexpected battle with invisible chronic illness and how she’s seen God’s hand at work in her hardship. As a young woman with an on-the-go lifestyle, Kimberli had ignored her symptoms until she ended up passed out in the emergency room. Diagnosed with several autoimmune diseases, what she thought would be easily controlled by medication led to 20 surgeries, the loss of 9 organs, and the fight of her life.
Crystal has invited Kimberli back to the podcast to talk about the importance of vulnerability and transparency when facing challenges. Chronic conditions can often lead to loneliness and isolation, but vulnerability opens the door for deepening relationships, sharing support, and finding joy in suffering. Listen as Kimberli shares how her transparency has helped her develop a strong community of support and opportunities for Kimberli to minister to others even when she is house-bound.
Read More from Kimberli
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast poshttps://kimskause.wordpress.com/sible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“I used to say to God, ‘Why me? Why did this happen to me?’ as most people do, but now I have changed that to ‘Why did he choose this for my life to live out his purpose? Why am I special?’”
Kimberli West was young and always on the go until unexpected illness completely changed her life. After ignoring her subtle symptoms, Kimberli passed out at the emergency room where she was diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis, inflammatory joint disease, and chronic anemia. But at barely 30 years old, what she thought could be easily controlled by medication led to nearly 20 surgeries and the fight of her life.
Today on the podcast, Crystal is talking with Kimberli about her health battles and life-altering hidden disability. After losing everything in her life that she had valued at the time of her diagnosis, Kimberli is learning to find joy in her suffering. Hear her powerful story and how she’s using her health challenges to bring attention to God’s sustaining power and provision in the midst of challenging chronic illness.
Read More from Kimberli
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“God has taught me that he wants to display his power in my life in far more glorious ways than if I were to jump out of this wheelchair.” -Joni Eareckson Tada
Today marks an extraordinary anniversary for Joni Eareckson Tada: 53 years since she took a dive that redirected the course of her life. Becoming a quadriplegic without the use of her hands at age 17 brought unexpected struggles… a battle with depression, suicidal thoughts, and desperate prayers for healing. Do I not have enough faith?
But as Joni has trusted God over the past 5 decades, he’s been faithful to heal her in another way, a more important way. Because the good of the soul is more important than the good of the body. Today on the podcast, Crystal is sitting down with Joni to have an honest conversation about healing and why God allows hardships and pain to remain in our lives. Even though Joni hasn’t received physical healing, she shares about God’s unmistakable power in the deeper way that she has been healed.
Are you are struggling with a disability or illness? Do you feel like your prayers for healing have gone unanswered? Be encouraged today as you listen to this powerful conversation about finding a deeper healing.
As Joni celebrates this extraordinary anniversary of God’s faithfulness, join her in providing hope and the Gospel to people living with disability around the world! Give $53 in honor of her 53 years in a wheelchair or $150 to provide a wheelchair and the Gospel to someone in desperate need of mobility. Give Today!
Read More From Joni:
- A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God's Sovereignty
- Beside Bethesda: 31 Days Toward Deeper Healing
- Joni: An Unforgettable Story
- Finding God in Hidden Places
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…”
–1 Corinthians 12:22
Do you have a plan for welcoming and including any person that comes through the door of your church?
Today on the podcast, Crystal is joined by Bret Welshymer and Ryan Faulk to talk about how we can each be the heart and hands of Jesus to people who are marginalized because of a disability or chronic health issue. So often, barriers that prevent everyone from feeling welcomed are unknowingly created in our communities.
Listen as Bret and Ryan share examples of these visible and invisible barriers and the simple steps you can take to embrace everyone, regardless of the size of your church. Joni and Friends is committed to providing resources and supporting you as you make changes to become an accessible church that allows everyone to fully participate!
Free resources to help your church become more accessible.
Learn how to start a special needs ministry.
Find answers to common questions.
Learn how to adapt curriculum and manage behavior.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“To open up your hands and freely give to help others is the key to a happy life.”
Is it possible to live a life that pleases God and helps others, but is also the best for us?
Last week on the podcast, Crystal was joined by Randy Alcorn for an insightful time of Q&A about heaven. Today Randy is back on the show to talk about generosity and the contagious gladness of giving. As we face uncertain times, it can be easy to focus on our challenges and overlook God’s provision as the ultimate giver. But what if we’re missing out on the good life by not generously giving of our time, resources, and treasure that will impact God’s kingdom for eternity?
Where you put your treasure, your heart will follow. Listen as Randy shares life-changing biblical principles of generosity and stories of how you can put these radical principles into practice today. Learn how you can cultivate a love for the things that move God’s heart through giving.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
We all have questions and speculations about what heaven will be like, but what does the Bible really have to say about eternity? Does scripture tell us what we will do there, or provide answers to heart-wrenching questions such as what happens to a believer who commits suicide or where do babies go when they die?
Today on the podcast Crystal is joined by Dr. Randy Alcorn, founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries and the author of more than 60 books, for an insightful time of Q & A about heaven. As a leading authority when it comes to a biblical perspective of heaven, Randy is sharing from his extensive research on the topic to provide scripture-based answers about eternity. In this podcast Randy will challenge what you thought you knew—you won’t want to miss this fascinating conversation!
For more information about heaven, read Heaven Your Real Home...From a Higher Perspective by Joni Eareckson Tada
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“Dads really need men to walk shoulder to shoulder with them and say, ‘I am here for you. You can be vulnerable with me. It’s ok to not always be strong. I am here to help.’”
This week on the podcast, David Smith is joining Crystal to share his story and a powerful word of encouragement to other special needs dads. As a dedicated pastor and husband, David – like many men – saw himself as a ‘fixer.’ When he and his wife Heather decided to start a family, they followed God’s call to adopt three children, not knowing what the next day may bring. But through fatherhood and the unexpected challenges of raising kids with special needs, David discovered an even greater reliance upon the Lord. Today he serves other families impacted by disability through Joni and Friends Missouri and has a gift for encouraging other dads in need of community. With Father’s Day around the corner, don’t miss this powerful conversation – share it with a special needs father in your life!
Read more from David on the Joni and Friends Blog.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“A great definition of justice is love in action… Real love takes action. Real love touches hurting people.”
What does the Bible have to say about God’s heart for the oppressed? Is there instruction for how we should respond in the face of injustice?
In Micah 6:8 we read, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Today on the podcast, Crystal has invited Pastor Kempton Turner, minister at City of Joy Fellowship in East St. Louis, Illinois, to join her for a conversation about divine justice. What does it mean to act on behalf of those who are without a voice or a seat at the table? With national and global conversations focused on racial oppression, we must let the Word of God lead us. Listen as Pastor Kempton shares biblical examples of compassion and practical ways you can step outside of your comforts to demonstrate love in action to those who are hurting.
Watch Pastor Kempton's story: From Sin to East St. Louis
Listen to Darby Strickland's podcast: Understanding Trauma
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“Many families of children with disabilities seek support from a faith community more than anything else in their community. Their priority in seeking a church is not always a place where they feel they can grow spiritually, but rather a place that will accept their child.” –Dr. Rebekah Dyer
As regions of the United States begin lifting social distancing restrictions, we all have an opportunity to rethink how we connect with one another. Are we really offering an inclusive environment at our churches and in the classroom?
On the podcast this week, Crystal has invited Dr. Rebekah Dyer back for another conversation about inclusion for families impacted by disability. As a professor at Grand Canyon University with 18 years of experience in special education, Dr. Dyer has seen the barriers that school and church classrooms face when trying to open their doors to children and adults with disabilities. Listen as she shares her passion for integrating kids with disabilities at school and church, and the different models of inclusion that she has observed at various churches. She’s also sharing about the education model that she uses at Grand Canyon University to give her students a vision for inclusion. Hear how she is moving students beyond the classroom and partnering with churches to provide hands-on special needs education.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Would you like to learn more about integrating individuals with disabilities, adapting curriculum, or developing a hybrid model for inclusion? Joni and Friends offers free church training resources that include practical guides and hands-on tools for special needs ministry.
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“Why us? We don’t know what the future holds, but to know that we as a couple have been there and lost a child, and are we’re still functioning… to carry that with us is not just Rachel’s legacy, but it’s a legacy of God’s ministry in our lives.”
Journeying together through ministry, disability and loss, John and Sue Meyer have found themselves in a “new normal” at different points of their marriage. But with each new challenge, they have clung to Christ as their foundation and strength.
After the loss of their daughter Rachel who lived with significant disabilities for 27 years, God is leading John and Sue into a new season of ministry. Working with Joni and Friends, they are using their passions and example to teach and counsel Word of Life missionaries and students. Listen as John and Sue join Crystal on the podcast to share their encouraging story, revealing the spiritual ups and downs of a marriage through the demands of special needs parenting, and their journey through loss and grief.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.
Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“The Lord is teaching me so much. I feel like this is a chance for a reset on so many levels… What really matters is being at peace with my husband, myself, and most importantly my God.”
As we continue in this time of unexpected isolation and social distancing, many people who serve in caregiving roles are feeling a new weight of responsibility. To protect the health of their loved ones, family caregivers who typically rely on help from outside the home have had to quickly move into the role of primary caregiver. With so many new pressures and uncertainties, caregivers are on the brink of exhaustion!
Today on the podcast, Crystal is joined by Sib Charles, who for the first time in her 28 years of marriage to her husband Jess has been thrust into the role of his primary caregiver. Listen as Sib shares candidly about her recent struggles during this time of isolation, and the encouraging lessons that God has taught her over the past two months as a quarantined caregiver.
Read Sib's blog post, The Click of the Lock: www.joniandfriends.org/a-quarantined-caregiver-click-of-the-lock
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends at www.joniandfriends.org/donate
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Today is National Day of Prayer. During this unprecedented time, aren’t we recognizing our dependence on God and how important it is cry out to Him in our time of need? The theme for this year’s observance is taken from Habakkuk 2:14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” With so many people facing fear and isolation, we have an opportunity to join our voices together and call upon the name of the Lord. On this special episode of the podcast, you’re invited to join Joni and Friends leaders and special guests as we pray God’s glory across the earth, covering national topics with a special disability focus.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends at www.joniandfriends.org/donate
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“In order to bear God’s image, we need relationships and community.”
As we continue into this unprecedented time of shelter at home, isolation and loneliness have become a common experience. But the past few weeks have also offered a new understanding of what it means for someone to be homebound and feel disconnected. Now, more than ever, we are recognizing how vital it is to cope in community instead of suffer in silence. So what are some of the barriers that keep us from being transparent with one another and choosing isolation over community? Today on the podcast, Crystal is talking with Daryl McKillian, Co-pastor of Reconcile Church LA and Senior Manager of Theological Engagement at the Joni and Friends Christian Institute on Disability. In this conversation, Daryl is taking a deep dive into Scripture to show why it is so important to cope in the context of community whether you are rejoicing or suffering. Daryl is also offering practical ways that community can be lived out, even in the midst of a pandemic.
Learn More about the Gospel in Hard Time Study: www.joniandfriends.org/the-gospel-in-hard-times
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends at www.joniandfriends.org/donate
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
As the coronavirus outbreak keeps parents and children at home, everyone is facing a disruptive new normal. But for many families impacted by autism, the loneliness of increased isolation and lack of routine presents additional challenges. So how do special needs families cope? Are there creative ways that you can encourage someone while still maintaining physical distance? Today on the podcast, Crystal is speaking with Dr. Rebekah Dyer, an autism expert and professor in the college of education at Grand Canyon University. Dr. Dyer been in the field of special education for 20 years and offers a positive perspective on sheltering in place for families impacted by autism. She also sharing some creative and inspiring ideas for how you can reach out to those families feeling the weight of isolation.
Bonus: Following Dr. Dyer’s interview, we’ve included a brief Q&A with special needs parents who are answering some of your frequently asked questions about autism.
Are you reaching out to someone impacted by disability in a creative way during this time of isolation? Send us your stories – we’d love to hear from you! Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends at www.joniandfriends.org/donate
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“Don’t feel pressured to learn everything about autism. Just get to know the one person God brings into your life. Find out what works for them…just like you would in any other relationship. Become a master in loving one person, one family well.”
Today on the podcast, Crystal has invited Diane Dokko Kim back to share her perspective on caring for a child with autism. As the mother of two sons, one of whom is on the autism spectrum, Diane understands the challenges and joys of being a special needs mom. Listen as she dispells common misconceptions about autism spectrum disorder, shares personal stories of struggle and hope, and offers practical solutions for others who are caring for a child with autism. Though her son, God has repurposed Diane’s passion for comforting other families with the same comfort she has received from Christ and her mission of equipping churches to welcome families like hers so that the body of Christ is complete.
Hear more from Diane Dokko Kim: https://www.joniandfriends.org/spiritual-recovery-for-a-special-needs-mom/
Download a sample intake form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SZB9M9WSWqH-3ft19D2k3xnLwnIFgpYO/view
Find more resources for your church: https://www.joniandfriends.org/ministries/church-training-resources/
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends: www.joniandfriends.org/donate
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
For a number of years, Liz Babbitt had worked in special needs ministry providing training for churches and supporting families impacted by disability. But when Liz’s grandson was diagnosed with autism, she gained a whole new perspective on the challenges that many special needs families can face. Today on the podcast, Liz is sharing her experience as the grandmother to a child with autism and the special role she plays in providing support for her adult children and care for her grandchildren.
Are you looking for ways to be a blessing to your grandchild with special needs, and also support their parents and siblings? Don’t miss this candid conversation. Because a diagnosis is not the final word on your grandchild’s future. All children are unique and precious, and God has a plan for each life.
For more encouragement, order the minibook “My Grandchild Has a Disability” at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends: www.joniandfriends.org/donate
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
During this time of "safer at home," many people are experiencing the loneliness of isolation for the first time. But for special needs families, isolation is not just a seasonal challenge, it is often a daily reality.
This week as we kick off Autism Awareness Month on the podcast, Crystal Keating is talking with Greg and Gina Hubert, a couple who personally understands the impact of autism on a family. Listen as this hope-filled couple shares candidly about family life and embracing their role as parents to Zach, Tyler, and Tate. Hear how parenting their three sons with autism has deepened Greg and Gina's faith in Christ and introduced opportunities to encourage other families out of isolation by helping churches recognize that all members of the body of Christ are indispensable.
Find all resources mentioned on the podcast at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Questions or prayer requests? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends: www.joniandfriends.org/donate
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Do you know someone who has been wounded by the misuse of Scripture? Or excluded from the life of the church because they haven’t been miraculously healed? Crystal Keating is talking again with counselor Darby Strickland who teaches at Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation's online School of Biblical Counseling and trains churches to care well for those affected by abuse.
Darby recently shared about trauma and how to care well for someone carrying wounds from a traumatic experience. This week, she’s sharing about another form of deep wounding: spiritual abuse. Listen as Darby explains some of the markers of spiritual abuse and what someone in the role of a “helper” should be aware of when walking alongside someone wounded by the misuse of scripture.
Would you like to learn more about ministering to someone in the context of abuse? Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused is a free web-based training helps leaders understand and implement the best practices for handling a variety of abuse scenarios at church, school, or ministry.
Find all resources mentioned on the podcast at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Questions or prayer requests? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends: www.joniandfriends.org/donate
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Over the past few weeks and even days, the world has changed rapidly. As we come to grips with the effects of a global pandemic, it can be easy to allow fear or anxiety to creep in. But in times like these, it’s important to remind ourselves of the sovereignty of our God who rules over everything, including the coronavirus. This week on the podcast, Crystal Keating is sitting down with Joni Eareckson Tada (with appropriate social distancing, of course!) to put our focus on our God who remains the same – steadfast and trustworthy – regardless of what is happening in the world around us. Listen as Joni shares where she is directing her thoughts and finding peace, and the practical ways that you can show God’s love and care to people in your community.
Hear more from Joni: www.joniandfriends.org/a-calming-word-during-the-coronavirus
Find all resources mentioned on the podcast at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Questions or prayer requests? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends: www.joniandfriends.org/donate
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
When someone goes through a deeply distressing or disturbing experience, their wounds can last long after the initial encounter. The trauma of a physical, emotional, or even spiritual wound can have a deep impact and often has a messy way of expressing itself. So how can someone carrying a deep wound find hope and healing?
Today Crystal is talking with Christian Counselor Darby Strickland about understanding trauma. Darby, who specializes in counseling abuse in marriage, works with individuals, families, and couples, who face a variety of issues. She teaches at Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation's online School of Biblical Counseling and leads a support group for oppressed women. She also speaks at national conferences and trains counselors and churches to care well for those affected by abuse and trauma. Listen as she talks about the impact of trauma and how you can share hope and healing in Christ with someone who has been wounded.
Would you like to learn more about ministering to someone in the context of abuse? Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused is a free web-based training helps leaders understand and implement the best practices for handling a variety of abuse scenarios at church, school, or ministry.
Find all resources mentioned on the podcast at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
When parents first learn that their child has a disability, their hearts and hopes are often broken. But their faith doesn’t have to be. On this episode of the podcast, Crystal Keating is sitting down with Diane Dokko Kim. Diane is the mother of two sons, one of whom is on the autism spectrum, and author of the book Unbroken Faith: Spiritual Recovery for the Special Needs Parent. She’s sharing her journey as a special mom, the personal and spiritual crises she faced following her son’s diagnosis, and her struggle to reconcile faith with disappointment. Speaking openly about the doubts and fears that many parents may be too afraid to voice, Diane’s biblical encouragement will help any mom or dad understand that you aren’t alone. God gets it and His word is relevant to the messy and hopeful spaces of special needs parenting.
Whether by diagnosis, disillusionment, a death—or the death of a dream—everyone gets “crippled” by something. God’s purpose is your transformation into greater Christlikeness and closeness with Him. You are His masterpiece in progress. Brokenness may steal, kill, and destroy indiscriminately. But Jesus is an equal opportunity Healer and Redeemer.
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Find all resources mentioned on the podcast at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Everyone is indispensable to the body of Christ, regardless of our abilities or giftings. So how can we create an inclusive environment where all people are welcomed and embraced into the fabric of the church, home life, and community? Is there anything that you can do to bridge the gap between the isolation that is often created because of disability and the community of a vibrant, inclusive church? Today, Crystal Keating is sitting down with guests Greg Greer and Jamia Cinelli to discuss some of the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of people impacted by disability and ways we can remove social and physical barriers, especially in the church. Hear how a church’s culture can be transformed when all parts of the body of Christ are included.
Download Pathways to Belonging
Church Training Resources: www.joniandfriends.org/church
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Find all resources mentioned on the podcast at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
When you receive the unexpected news that your loved one has cancer, how do you hold on to hope? On the podcast, Crystal talks with Randy Alcorn, founder of Eternal Perspective Ministries and author of more than 50 books including The Treasure Principle and New York Times Best Seller Heaven. Randy shares candidly as the loving husband to his wife, Nanci, who has been battling significant colon cancer since 2018.
Randy and Nanci have spent years ministering to fund missions, sponsor pro-life causes, and feed the hungry. Now they are holding on to the hope of heaven as they walk through this difficult season together. Listen as Randy shares about how they are sustained in this journey and practical ways you can encourage someone facing similar challenges.
Nanci Alcorn went to be with Jesus on March 28, 2022. We pray for Randy and the Alcorn family as they journey through this great loss, and trust the love and sovereignty of God.
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org.
Find all resources mentioned on the podcast at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
In the midst of challenging circumstances, how can you have a thriving marriage? Are there practical ways to strengthen your love for your spouse? This week on a special Valentine’s episode of the podcast, Crystal is chatting with Greg and Gina Hubert, a couple who’s been married for more than 30 years.
When Greg and Gina first said “I do,” they didn’t expect that their family would be impacted by disability… that all three of their children would be diagnosed with autism. But as they’ve walked through seasons of disability, their marriage has gotten stronger. What is their secret? How have they beaten the odds? Listen as they share their story, how God has used disability to strengthen their love for one another, and practical ways that any couple can strengthen their marriage in the midst of challenging circumstances.
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org.
Find all resources mentioned on the podcast at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
The Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast has returned for a second season, bringing you real conversations about disability and sharing hope through hardship! Today, Crystal Keating is kicking off season two with Ashley Hall, a Joni and Friends ministry partner who serves in Uganda training teachers, church leaders, and other service providers on how to include people with disabilities.
Prior to ministry service, Ashley worked in special education in Southern California. With a heart to serve people with disabilities in Africa and training as a Joni and Friends Cause 4 Life intern, God called Ashley out of the special education classroom to Uganda where she’s been living out her passion for equipping young professionals for disability ministry. Listen as Ashley talks about life in Uganda, her community approach to inclusion, and shares stories of how God is transforming hearts across churches and communities so that all people will have a seat at the Luke 14 banquet table.
Learn more about Cause 4 Life at www.joniandfriends.org/cause-4-life
See all resources mentioned on the podcast at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Every person has important gifts that need to be shared with others and the church, but many families face real challenges with finding acceptance and a place to serve. Today on the podcast, Crystal is sharing a powerful message of hope from Emily Colson, daughter of the late Chuck Colson and mother to Max, her adult son who has a diagnosis of autism.
Emily’s perfect world turned upside down following a painful divorce when Max was just a baby. As Max grew, challenges with autism became increasingly difficult for Emily…she was able to go out less and less and eventually even stopped going to church altogether. Emily never imagined that she’d be so disconnected from the spiritual life of the church because of Max’s diagnosis. But God used the words of Joni Eareckson Tada to encourage Emily’s heart: “Your church would be so blessed to have people with autism running up and down the aisles.” Emily took those words to heart and decided to find a way for her family to cross the threshold of the church. Listen as Emily shares how she ventured out in a creative way and how her church has been blessed through accepting and embracing Max as an indispensable part of the body of Christ.
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Do you know someone who has been disconnected from the body of Christ because of disability? We would love to connect you with a Christ-honoring, disability-friendly church in your area. Email podcast@joniandfriends.org.
Are you a leader who wants to learn more about how you can embrace people with disabilities in your church? Learn how you can grow a special needs ministry or connect to a ministry mentor.
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Other questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
With Christmas around the corner, does it seem like everyone else is oozing holiday cheer? While the rest of the world is wrapped up in red and green, you’re the only one feeling blue? December is presented as a month of celebration and belonging – a time of happiness, when everything goes right. But so often that is just not the case. For many people, the holidays intensify feelings of loneliness, grief, or depression. And instead of feeling happy, we’re reminded of the way things are not, of losses or of the things we’ve hoped for that haven’t happened yet. This week on the podcast, Crystal is talking about depression with Dr. Todd Stryd, a faculty member and counseling coordinator at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation. Listen to their encouraging conversation to hear how depression is approached in Scripture and how we can respond this Christmas season.
Find more resources for dealing with depression at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Last week on the podcast, Crystal talked with Jasmine and Joey Tell, a young couple who is working to transform the lives of people impacted by disability in Thailand. Today, Jasmine and Joey are back on the show to share more about their ministry and the impact that providing a wheelchair has on a person in need of mobility, as well as their family, their community, and their church. Hear how a wheelchair given in Jesus’ name is the perfect gift – how wheelchairs are opening doors for the Gospel in Thailand.
Give the Perfect Gift!
Learn more about the show at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
It’s remarkable to see how God will use our experiences and challenges to reveal His plan and move our hearts toward His purpose. This week on the podcast, Crystal is sitting down with Jasmine and Joey Tell, a young couple with an incredible story of answering God’s call to serve people with disabilities in Thailand. Listen as they share personal stories of God’s restoration, some of the typical challenges for people with disabilities in Thailand, and how God has called them to empower the local church in disability ministry. Don’t miss this great conversation with an inspiring couple!
Learn more about the show at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
After 37 years of marriage, Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada know firsthand the challenges that a married couple can face when disability involved. Today on the podcast, listen as they share stories from their own relationship and how they live out their husband and wife roles in a caregiving marriage. Because caregiving is not a detour for their lives; it is the main road that God has set out for them. Listen as they share the importance of trust and communication, and offer practical advice for other couples in a caregiving marriage.
Find a copy of Ken Tada's new minibook, For Better or for Worse, at joniandfriends.org/podcast.
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Following Crystal’s last podcast episode featuring a conversation with Dr. Todd Stryd about caring for someone with schizophrenia, we’re sharing the personal story of a Christian woman who lives with schizophrenia. Her testimony was originally given at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation Conference in 2018 following Dr. Todd Stryd’s message on Schizophrenia, Psychosis, and Scripture – Finding Certainty in Chaos.
Listen as she shares honestly about the confusion she faced as a young girl, the fears and uncertainties she continued to experience, and the hope she found through God’s Word. With the support of her family, her church, and a Christian counselor, she recognized that the Lord was calling her to more. Although her relationships have been challenged, the Lord has preserved them. By God’s grace, she is able to faithfully care for her two young children and her husband. Even when she is unrecognizable to herself and to others, God recognizes her, knows her intimately, and loves her. Schizophrenia cannot revoke God’s call on her life.
Use the code JONI to download a free copy of Dr. Stryd's article, Caring for Someone with Schizophrenia: www.ccef.org/shop/product/caring-for-someone-with-schizophrenia
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
November is National Family Caregivers Month and this week on the podcast we’re continuing the conversation about caregiving with a focus on how to care for someone with schizophrenia. If you have a loved one afflicted with schizophrenia, you may have wondered about the way forward. Today, Dr. Todd Stryd who serves as a faculty member and counseling coordinator at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation is sharing a road map for how to live with hope and compassion in the midst of schizophrenia. Through his experience as a hospital chaplain, crisis worker, and university counselor, he’s seen how God can empower both you and your loved one to persevere in faith and compassion. Hear how you can advocate for them, encourage their way forward, and connect them to a Christian community.
Find resources for caregivers at www.joniadfriends.org/podcast
Use the code JONI to download a free copy of Dr. Stryd's article, Caring for Someone with Schizophrenia: www.ccef.org/shop/product/caring-for-someone-with-schizophrenia
Questions? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
November is National Family Caregiver’s Month, a time to recognize the dedication of family members who provide around the clock care to their loved ones. Today on the podcast, Crystal is chatting with Peter Rosenberger, a dedicated husband and caregiver for more than 30 years to his wife, Gracie. As he’s cared for Gracie who lives with disability and extreme pain, he’s learned so much about perseverance, love, and relationships. As someone who speaks “fluent caregiver,” he’s offering a lifetime of experience to be a lifeline of help to his fellow caregivers. Listen in for hope, encouragement, and some excellent practical advice.
Find resources for caregivers at www.joniadfriends.org/podcast
Learn more about Peter at www.hopeforthecaregiver.com
Questions? Email us at podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
This week, Crystal is continuing her conversation with Vaneetha Risner, a special guest who has experienced the powerful presence of God through a lifetime of suffering. If you missed last week’s episode with Vaneetha, you can listen to part 1 to hear her share of God’s faithfulness through a debilitating disease, multiple miscarriages, the death of a child, abandonment, and an unwanted divorce. In today’s conversation, Vaneetha shares honestly about the newer challenges she faces of living with a progressive disease, the transition from being the helper to being helped, and her sage advice for those going through unrelenting hardships. Through her many valleys, Vaneetha could have given up. But in the midst of her suffering, she discovered the goodness of God and His divine purposes. Listen now to hear more of her powerful story.
Find your copy of The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in Suffering athttps://store.joniandfriends.org/product/scars-have-shaped-me-how-god-meets-us-suffering.
Learn more about Vaneetha at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
For questions, email podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
This week on the podcast, Crystal is talking with a special guest who understands suffering. With the diagnosis of a debilitating disease that led to 21 surgeries by the time she was 13, years in the hospital, and bullying from classmates, Vaneetha Risner encountered extraordinary pain early in life. She then experienced multiple miscarriages as a young wife, the death of a child, abandonment, and an unwanted divorce. And through it all, Vaneetha discovered the goodness of God and His divine purposes in her suffering. Listen as Crystal talks with Vaneetha about her book The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in Suffering, and God’s sustaining grace she found in the midst of disability, shame, and grief.
Find your copy of The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in Suffering athttps://store.joniandfriends.org/product/scars-have-shaped-me-how-god-meets-us-suffering.
Learn more about Vaneetha at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
And don’t miss part two of Crystal’s conversation with Vaneetha next week on the podcast. Vaneetha will share more about relearning who she is after loss, and her advice for other people facing unrelenting struggles.
For questions, email podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Nicole Pollastrini is back to the podcast! Last episode, Nicole shared how her daughter’s unexpected diagnosis of Down syndrome impacted her family. Today she’s talking about the community she found through her daughter’s special needs. The diagnosis of disability for Sage opened Nicole’s world to new people facing similar challenges. This community of other parents raising children with special needs gave Nicole and her husband the support they needed to parent Sage. Hear how her involvement in Buddy Break and other church outreaches has made all the difference.
If you know a mom whose world has recently been rocked by the diagnosis of Down syndrome for her baby, please share this podcast with her. Nicole’s tender advice would benefit any mom with questions or fears following an unexpected diagnosis for her baby.
See a photo of Sage at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Download the booklet My Baby Has a Disability: Life-Giving Questions and Answers
For questions, email podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Crystal is talking with Nicole Pollastrini, a wonderful mama to three kids. When Nicole and her husband first decided to grow their family, it wasn’t on their radar that their daughter Sage might be born with a disability. Listen as Nicole walks through the thoughts and emotions that she experienced following her daughter’s diagnosis of Down syndrome, and how her outlook has changed over the past three years. Don’t miss this open conversation about the real fears, challenges, and blessings of being a special needs mama.
See a photo of Sage at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Download the booklet My Baby Has a Disability: Life-Giving Questions and Answers
For questions, email podcast@joniandfriends.org
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and according to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer sometime during her lifetime.* Today Crystal is talking with Amy Brands, a young woman for whom this topic hits very close to home. As a busy 34-year-old mother to a school-aged daughter, Amy was stunned to hear her doctor say the words, “You have cancer.” Listen as she shares her personal breast cancer journey and the advice she would offer to other women who are faced with a similar path.
Read more information at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
*www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html
Find cancer-related resources from Joni Eareckson Tada
Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: Life After Shock
Facing Trials with Joy - Cancer and Beyond
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
Kristin Hamer is back on the podcast this week to talk about what it means to incorporate all people in the body of Christ. In a previous conversation, Kristin shared about her disability and her journey of finding contentment and purpose in her visual impairment. Along her journey, one of the influences in her growth was the opportunity to serve as a Joni and Friends Cause 4 Life intern.
Listen as Kristin shares about her life-changing experience serving people with disabilities around the world and how the hands-on training with Cause 4 Life changed her perspective on what it means to include and embrace people with disabilities. Because it’s not just about adding another program, it’s about tearing down the barriers…
Watch a video of Kristin serving kids with disability in Uganda at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
This week, occupational therapist Jeannie Wronski is back on the podcast to continue our conversation about helping individuals with disabilities thrive. Jeannie will tell you that sometimes when children appear to have a behavioral issues, they may actually have a sensory processing challenge. Listen as she talks through how children with sensory processing challenges perceive the world and the strategies that she uses to help them feel safe and welcomed. She’ll also be sharing some of the creative ways that she encourages kids who have a heightened sense of awareness to connect to God.
For more information about practical ways to create an inclusive ministry environment, download your free copy of Pathways to Belonging at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“All people can and should learn the Scriptures. The Bible matters to everybody. We owe it to our friends, no matter what the disability, to open up the Word of God for them and help them be able to receive it.”
–Gina Spivey
This week on the podcast Crystal has invited Carrie Jones, a special education teacher, and Gina Spivey, a special needs pastor, to talk through ways we can make the gospel accessible to everyone. With a passion to help kids of all abilities engage and participate in the body of Christ, they are working to remove any barriers that might hinder a child with special needs from learning the Bible. Listen as Carrie and Gina share ways that you can be proactive in the classroom or at an event so that all kids are loved and successful at learning God’s Word. You won’t want to miss their example of how to encourage children with limited language abilities to memorize Scripture!
For more information about practical ways to create an inclusive ministry environment, download your free copy of Pathways to Belonging at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
On the past few episodes of the podcast, we’ve been discussing ways to help families thrive – not just meeting the physical needs of a child with a disability, but also the emotional needs of the whole family. This week, Crystal is speaking with Jeannie Wronski who has a fascinating career as a pediatric occupational therapist. Although her work is centered on the physical aspects of a child’s development, Jeannie loves building relationships with the families she serves and using her career as an opportunity to meet the needs of the whole family. Listen as talks through her interesting career journey and why she loves being a pediatric occupational therapist.
Joni shares about the first piece of art that she created with her mouth – encouraged by her occupational therapist! www.joniandfriends.org/national-cowboy-day
Download a free chapter of Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“When we speak of children with special needs, we know there is great diversity in the needs and abilities… But nothing is more important than meeting the emotional need for love. Just as the child’s body craves food, so the child’s spirit craves love. When their love tanks are full, children respond more fully to the rest of life.”
On our last episode of the podcast, we heard from Dr. Gary Chapman about how the five love languages can strengthen your marriage and family life… especially when disability is involved. Today, Crystal is continuing the conversation about love languages with Jolene Philo, who co-authored Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities with Dr. Gary Chapman. Drawing on her personal experience of raising a child with a life-threatening medical condition and 25 years of work as an educator collaborating with special education teachers to mainstream children in her elementary classroom, Jolene shares excellent advice for strengthening special needs families. Listen in for practical examples of how to fill the love tanks of your loved ones!
Download a free chapter of Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“The demands of caring for children who have medical conditions, developmental or cognitive delays, disabilities, behavior issues, are on the autism spectrum, or have other special needs can stress marriages to their breaking point. That’s the bad news. The good news is that care giving parents who know about and implement the love languages say they are a simple and effective way of filling a spouse’s love tank and reinforcing the glue that bonds them together.”
- Dr. Gary Chapman
Raising kids is daunting but raising children with special needs often brings a new set of challenges. With days regularly filled with doctor’s appointments, meetings with teachers, handling outside caregivers and therapists, and caring for other children, parents can quickly find themselves depleted and their marriages strained.
But there is hope! Today on the podcast, Crystal is welcoming Dr. Gary Chapman, best-selling author and counselor who developed the 5 Love Languages. Dr. Chapman has counseled numerous parents of children with disabilities, and is sharing how the 5 love languages can help strengthen your family life, whatever your needs. Listen to his warm advice for protecting your marriage, discovering the love language of each of your children, and showing love to every member of your family even when time, money, and energy is limited. Don’t miss this insightful conversation!
Read more from Dr. Gary Chapman in his new book, Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, co-authored with Jolene Philo. Download a free chapter of the book at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast.
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“I went through a time where I lost who I was – a deep depression where everything felt so hard. It was a struggle just to get through the day and I was at a point where I was wishing that I wasn’t here anymore… because of how hard days felt, even though I wasn’t living a hard life. It was the mental health that I was struggling with.”
-Emily Norton
On our last episode of the podcast we talked with Chris and Emily Norton, a couple who is anything but ordinary. Paralyzed in a college football game, Chris trained relentlessly and beat all odds to walk across the stage at his college graduation. Then three years later, he did it again, walking down the aisle to marry his lovely wife, Emily.
But in between those two triumphant walks, the couple journeyed through some real challenges. Today they are back on the show to open up about Emily’s battle with disabling depression and anxiety at a time when her life seemed to be going well. They also share about what it’s like to foster and adopt when disability is involved, and the importance of having the loving support of a good church. We’ve got a great conversation for you today, so listen in!
Listen to the first two chapters of Chris and Emily Norton’s new book, Seven Longest Yards: Our Love Story of Pushing the Limits While Leaning on Each Other.
https://soundcloud.com/harperaudio_us/the-seven-longest-yards-by-chris-and-emily-norton/s-sd07v
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
For Chris and Emily Norton, walking across the stage at his college graduation seemed like an impossible goal. Paralyzed in a football game his freshman year, Chris was given a three percent chance of moving anything below the neck again. But he trained relentlessly. With his then-fiancé Emily by his side, Chris’ triumphant 10 steps were seen by millions around the world!
Little did they know, this was just the beginning of Chris and Emily’s incredible journey. Three years later, Chris joyfully conquered another challenge, this time walking seven yards down the aisle after their wedding ceremony with new wife Emily at his side – seven yards that symbolized the seven-year anniversary of his injury.
But with all of their triumphs, Chris and Emily have also faced many challenges and struggles. Together they’ve fostered 17 children, adopted 5 daughters, and overcome a season of debilitating depression and anxiety that set in for Emily just two weeks after Chris’ graduation walk. Listen now as Chris and Emily share their story and the strength they found in fully relying on God and supporting one another.
Subscribe to hear Chris and Emily talk more about fostering, parenting with a disability, and overcoming depression and anxiety next week on the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast.
Listen to the first two chapters of Chris and Emily Norton’s new book, Seven Longest Yards: Our Love Story of Pushing the Limits While Leaning on Each Other.
https://soundcloud.com/harperaudio_us/the-seven-longest-yards-by-chris-and-emily-norton/s-sd07v
*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org*
“Suffering is intended to make our souls brave.”
It’s a broken world. We all have weaknesses and limitations. Disability. Illness. Loneliness. Heartache. Suffering comes at us in different shapes and sizes.
Living through 52 years of quadriplegia, battling two rounds of breast cancer, and dealing with chronic pain, Joni Eareckson Tada knows a lot about suffering. But she also knows about courage and persevering through hardship! Today on the podcast, listen as Joni shares about perseverance and the power of example. Courage breeds courage, so be encouraged as you hear how you can use your brokenness to bless others.
Find Joni's book, When God Weeps, at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast.
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
God may use unexpected situations or experiences in your life to reveal His purpose for you – sometimes even giving you a new calling. Today on the podcast, Crystal is chatting with Adam Rinehart who serves as Associate Director, Special Needs Ministry at Calvary Community Church in Southern California. Now Adam didn’t expect to have a full-time career in disability ministry, but listen as he shares how God used a few important experiences to open his heart to serving families impacted by disability.
Read more from Adam at www.joniandfriends.org/a-life-changing-experience.
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
When disability strikes, it can be easy for someone to wonder, Why me? What’s the purpose of my disability? At 8 years old, Kristin Hamer received the diagnosis of a genetic eye disease. And as her sight grew progressively worse, she did her best to hide her loss of vision; she didn’t want to accept it. But when her visual impairment reached the point that she was no longer able to be self-sufficient, Kristin had to confront her disability head on. She had to learn how to depend on others and God.
Today on the podcast, Kristin shares how she came to terms with her challenges. Hear how she found contentment with her disability and how that brought her to a place of being able to minister to others with disabilities all over the world.
Watch Kristin travel to Uganda to serve kids with disabilities with Joni and Friends Cause 4 Life: www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
“Pain is disorienting. It changes you in ways that you never saw coming. Chronic pain, the kind that you think about all the time, becomes a part of who you are… There’s not always a smile behind the smile, but there’s a reason for my smile.”
Dealing with a chronic condition such as pain or illness is a battle faced by many people – a battle often fought alone. Struggling with daily pain can be disorienting; it can be debilitating, but it can also drive you to Jesus.
At the height of his career in the health and fitness industry, Jimmy Peña encountered sudden health challenges which he never would have predicted for his life. As he unexpectedly lost his abilities, he also suffered the loss of identity. However, through his struggles he found wholeness in Christ. But now, as a result of his previous health challenges, Jimmy faces a new battle with chronic pain and insomnia. Listen as he shares how he manages his pain, where he finds hope, and his encouragement for others facing similar struggles.
Read more from Jimmy and find resources for dealing with chronic pain at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
“It was kind of a shock… I had been training 4-5 days a week since I was 18. Fitness, lifting, activity… that was it for me. My identity was all wrapped up in physicality, training, and ability.”
When someone is talented and works hard, it can be pretty easy for them to begin finding identity in their abilities or success. But what happens when all of that is stripped away? Where do you find your identity when everything you thought you could control like your health, your strength, and goals is gone?
At the height of his successful career in the health and fitness industry, Jimmy Peña encountered sudden health challenges that he never would have predicted for his life. He quickly transitioned from being steeped in the world of strength and fitness to a world of weakness, smallness, and total dependence on God. Listen as Jimmy shares his journey of suffering his loss of identity, but finding wholeness in Christ.
Read more from Jimmy at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
How do you communicate the love of Christ to students who have special needs? Don’t miss this week’s episode of the podcast as Crystal chats with Tobias Haglund about his ministry with teens and young adults living with disability through Young Life Capernaum. Through this Young Life program dedicated to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, young adults are given the chance to see Christ’s love while they experience adventure, develop fulfilling friendships, and challenge their limits through club, camp, and other fun activities. Because communicating the love of Jesus goes far beyond what we say, listen to Tobias’ excellent advice for moving through fears and barriers to welcome and minister with teenagers and young adults who have special needs.
www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
Typical Siblings: Joys and Challenges
We know that disability impacts the entire family, but sometimes we can miss the impact that it has on the typical siblings of a brother or sister with special needs. Today Crystal talks with Dennis Spivey and Jessica Johnson about the joys and challenges that have shaped them as siblings and what they think you should know about siblings. If you are a typical sibling, know that your challenges are shaping you and your life will be blessed and positively impacted because of your sibling with a disability.
Download a free chapter about siblings from Real Families, Real Needs at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Hear from a teenage sibling at www.joniandfriends.org/i-want-her-to-know
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
No father is ever prepared to hear that his child will be born with a disability. This unexpected reality can lead to confusion or even anger, but it can also change the direction of a father’s life and his family. This week on a special Father’s Day episode of the podcast, Crystal is sitting down with Doug Mazza who served as President and COO of Joni and Friends for 20 years. Doug had been a driven and very successful businessman in the automotive industry prior to the birth of his third son; learning that Ryan was born with profound physical and intellectual disabilities brought Doug into a season of confusion and loss of identity. But God has a lot to say about people with disabilities, and the direction of Doug’s life changed when he recognized that God had a better identity for him than what he had chosen for himself. Today, hear where Doug found the courage to step up and be the dad that he was called to be.
Find Doug's book, Another Kind of Courage, at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
Whether it’s the result of an unexpected diagnosis, a life-changing disability, the end of a marriage, or the loss of a loved one, grief can arrive suddenly… and it can take up residence without an invitation. Although we will all encounter loss and grief at some point, we aren’t meant to walk through it alone. God is near in the midst of pain and sadness, and as a friend to someone who is grieving, your prayers and presence can help provide comfort. Today, Crystal is talking with her friend Halley Mastrolonardo about her journey through unexpected and devastating tragedies. Listen in to hear where Halley has found real support and healing on her journey through grief.
Learn more at joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
Did you know that Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month is May 15 - June 15? Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary tics and vocalizations… and it’s a disability that’s not always discussed. This week, Crystal has invited Chris Pearson back to the podcast to talk about the daily impact of Tourette syndrome on his life. Chris shares about the challenges he faced as a child, how he manages his symptoms today, and his advice for anyone who is struggling with Tourette syndrome or a tic disorder.
For information and resources, please visit joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
In Luke 14, we are called to go out quickly into the streets and alleys to bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Sometimes that can mean stepping far outside of your comfort zone to reach people with disabilities living in extreme isolation. This year, our Wheels for the World team traveled to Haiti where on a shortened outreach due to civil unrest, we were able to provide a record number of wheelchairs and Bibles to people in desperate need! This week, Mike Gaura and Chris Pearson share how God worked through many chaotic situations and unexpected changes to show meet the physical and spiritual needs of many people impacted by disability.
See photos and stories at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
Many weeks of the year, families impacted by disability can struggle with isolation and acceptance, they can feel worn down by routine appointments and the daily needs of life with a disability. But each summer, there is a place for families with special needs to be rejuvenated and refreshed in God’s Word… in an accessible space that fits the needs of the entire family. Joni and Friends Family Retreats are not just a week of fun, they are a week for all families, regardless of ability, to be celebrated, loved, and cared for in a camp environment. Families find acceptance, community with others who face similar challenges, and the love of Christ.
But Family Retreats aren’t just for families impacted disability; there is an opportunity for any member of the body of Christ to get involved. Retreats are only possible because of the volunteers who step out of their comfort zone to befriend and serve families impacted by disability for a week. Today, Crystal is chatting with two volunteers, Arielle Mitchell and Jase Magarifuji, who share their initial fears about volunteering, and also the life-changing experiences they had during one of the hardest and best week of their lives! Hear how a week of fun, community, and worship with the whole body of Christ literally felt like a slice of heaven.
Learn more about Family Retreats at www.joniandfriends.org/family-retreats
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
No one is an island. We all need community. And for a family impacted by disability, having a community of support to share encouragement and help meet real needs can change everything. On today’s Mother’s Day episode of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, Crystal talks with Cynthia Berry, a woman who has faced a series of challenges: she’s a single mom, an African American woman, and mother to a child with special needs. Through each challenge, Cynthia has found her lifeline of help and support through the community of her church. Listen as she shares what her community taught her about her son how each new challenge has deepened her faith in Jesus.
If you feel overwhelmed by your challenges today, please don’t self-isolate. Find a community of support and press in, even if it is uncomfortable. God has given us the local church to provide real community… and you have a story of hope that needs to be shared.
For practical tools to help build a community of support for families impacted by disability, download our free book Doing Life Together at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.
www.joniandfriends.org
When disability strikes unexpectedly and the plans you’ve made for your life are suddenly interrupted, how do you hold on to hope? Where do you find courage to face your new reality? Three years ago, while musician David Francisco was riding his bike, he was hit by a distracted driver and suffered a spinal cord injury. When it seemed he might be facing permanent paralysis, David thought he had lost everything: mobility, a career in music, even the opportunity to have a relationship. But he chose to trust God and make the most of his new reality. Now, three years following his accident, David has regained strength, found love, and just released a new song called Lionheart. Listen today as David and his wife Kristi share their incredible story of redemption and hope!
Watch a powerful interview between David Francisco and Joni Eareckson Tada at www.joniandfriends.org/lionheart
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
If you are looking for how to welcome families impacted by disability in your church, creating a buddy ministry is one of the best ways to begin! A buddy ministry is more than a program, it’s about building relationships. And serving as a buddy to an individual with disability provides friendship, discipleship, and Kingdom-belonging for the whole family. Listen as Crystal chats with disability ministry leaders Candy Nixon and Sib Charles about the impact that a buddy ministry has on special needs families and the entire church body. Together they share practical ways you can build a successful buddy ministry at your church.
For simple steps to help start a buddy ministry at your church, download the free book Call Me Friend at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
“People are people and everybody has a place in the church family. When you get to know somebody, you can help them to be a part of the family. If you never take the time to get to know them, that’s not going to happen.”
-Bret Welshymer
Everyone who comes through the church doors should feel welcomed and be included. But when a new family at your church includes children or adults with disabilities, how do you gather and train volunteers to meet their unique needs? Today on the podcast, Crystal is talking with ministry experts Bret Welshymer and Lauren Garner about what it takes to serve people with disabilities in your church. Listen as they share practical ways to recruit, train, and encourage volunteers to get to know families impacted by disability. Bret and Lauren offer ways to dispel fears and also share structures for helping volunteers find their place. Everybody needs to be loved and unconditionally accepted – serving families impacted by disability gives you that opportunity!
Download 8 Steps to Starting a Disability Ministry a www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
“For a lot of people who deal with chronic pain it’s like constantly walking in a state of storm… and for someone who only sees sunshine and clear skies, they can’t even comprehend that it’s storming.”
Not all disabilities are visible. While on the outside someone may look as if everything is fine, a disability can sometimes be hiding. And for someone living with an invisible disability such as chronic pain or illness, this challenge may leave them feeling misunderstood or unseen.
Today, Crystal talks with her good friend Hallie Sheaffer about invisible disabilities. Hallie has fibromyalgia, a disorder that wracks her body with widespread pain, fatigue, and at times even cognitive challenges. Listen as Hallie shares how this hidden disability can affect her daily activities, people’s perceptions of her, and what she has found helpful in her community of support.
If you have more questions about healing, suffering, pain, and hope, order a copy of Joni Eareckson Tada's book, A Place of Healing, at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
Like most parents, Steve Bundy was not expecting his child to be born with a disability. Following Caleb’s diagnosis of partial chromosome deletion, Steve felt so alone – he didn’t know where to turn or who would understand. On this week’s episode, he shares a father’s perspective on a road that few parents would choose to travel. But, as Steve eventually discovered, it's a road that has a destination. He talks with Crystal about the hardest, most painful, and most joyful years he could have imagined, and the courage and healing he found through his son’s disability. If you’re a parent, especially a father wrestling with fears and doubts about your child, know that you are not alone. Listen to Steve’s encouragement and advice for any father, then download a free chapter of his book, Another Kind of Courage, co-authored by Doug Mazza.
Find Another Kind of Courage at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
“Respite is for the parents and for the kids. It’s for the whole family to really have an opportunity to just come to a church and know that the church genuinely wants them to be there.”
-Gina Spivey, Disability Ministry Leader
Families or caregivers who have children with disabilities are often isolated, exhausted, and grieving. It's so invaluable when there is a place for kids to just be themselves, for caregivers to have a break, and for the church to serve well. Listen as Crystal Keating talks with ministry leaders Gina Spivey and Bret Welshymer about how they use respite events as an opportunity to minister to families impacted by disability in their church. They share the importance of respite and practical encouragement and advice for how you can put on a respite event. No matter how large or small, your church can provide this time of refreshment as a way to welcome and embrace families impacted by disability.
For more practical advice and tools to execute a successful respite event, download the free eBook, We’ve Got This! at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
When Shauna arrived at the doctor’s office for her four-month ultrasound, the question on her mind was what color to paint the nursery. But after an unexpected diagnosis of Down syndrome, she and her husband left with more questions than answers.
“I pinched myself. I literally pinched myself. The one and only time I’ve done that in my life. Because it was so surreal. This is not supposed to be happening to me. This is not supposed to be happening to my baby.”
Where do we turn when it seems that God has given us more than we can handle? Today on the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, Crystal is celebrating World Down Syndrome Day with Shauna Amick, the mother of a now teenage daughter with Down Syndrome. Listen as Shauna shares her heartaches, joys, and why today she can genuinely celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.
Download the free booklet From Fear to Hope at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
One of the places where families impacted by disability should feel most welcomed is at church. But when it comes to building an inclusive environment, people and churches often struggle with where to begin. Today on the podcast, Crystal talks with two ministry experts, Liz Babbitt and Lauren Garner, who discuss what it means to really welcome someone with a disability. Listen as they talk through some of the barriers and challenges you may be facing at your church, and the first steps you can take to bridge the gap and include all people. When it comes to disability ministry, you don’t need to be an expert, you just need a willing heart.
Download the free eBook Start with Hello at www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
More than 70 million people around the world are in need of a wheelchair, but only 10% have access to one.* During March, Joni and Friends is celebrating Wheelchair Collection Month to bring awareness to this need and help solve the global mobility crisis. Today, Crystal Keating talks with Elizabeth Kelly who oversees wheelchair collection for the Joni and Friends Wheels for the World program. Elizabeth shares how God redeems thousands of broken and discarded wheelchairs every year, turning them into a beautiful gift for people in desperate need around the world. And you can get involved – hear how you can help recycle and redeem wheelchairs right in your community. Whether you help by spreading the word, donating a wheelchair, or collecting used wheelchairs in your community, you can make a global impact!
*Statistic from the World Health Organization
www.who.int/phi/implementation/assistive_technology/wheelchair-publications/en/
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
There’s a difference between ministering to someone who has a disability and really doing life with them. While barriers like staircases and narrow doorways may keep someone with a physical disability from entering a space, there are other barriers that keep them from genuine, deep friendship. How can we take steps to tear down walls that isolate someone from community when they have a disability? How can we build true mutual friendships? Today on the podcast, Crystal Keating is talking about friendship with Tracey Motoda, her good friend who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and is a wheelchair user. We all want to be known and have relationships with other people, so listen as Crystal and Tracey share ways that you can really do life with a friend impacted by disability – what it means to have a deep, mutual friendship.
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
You don’t really know a person until you’ve heard their story. For so many families impacted by disability, that story includes unique challenges and demands that can be exhausting and relentless. Responsibilities are often 24/7 in order to meet the needs of a child, spouse, or grandparent with a disability. Today on the podcast, Crystal talks with Sib Charles and Candy Nixon, two people who understand first-hand the need for support. How can you come alongside a family impacted by disability? How can you advocate? How can the church embrace families in need of support beyond Sunday morning programs? Sib and Candy use their personal experiences and years of serving in disability ministry through Joni and Friends to offer practical, even simple ways that anyone can welcome and embrace a family impacted by disability.
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
In the middle of his successful career in the biotech industry, Kevin Stark unexpectedly became a quadriplegic. A few years later, he met his lovely wife, Jamie, and they fell in love. On this special Valentine’s Day episode of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, Kevin and Jamie Stark give honest insight about marriage and the role that disability plays in their relationship. They share what it really means for any couple to say “for better, for worse…in sickness and in health…till death do us part.”
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
Walking a mile in someone’s shoes is a great way to understand their personal struggles and perspectives. While Tracey Motoda and Scott Bankhead don’t put that much wear on their actual shoes (they are both wheelchair users), we can certainly gain a lot of perspective from their own personal experiences of living and working in a wheelchair. In part 2 of their conversation with Crystal, Tracey and Scott reflect on some of the challenges they have faced because of their physical disabilities. And it’s not just battling staircases, they share ways to break down the visible and invisible barriers that may be keeping anyone from fully experiencing friendship with people impacted by disability.
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
Do you have questions about disability etiquette? You may have heard the “do’s and don’ts” of communication and interaction, but what is someone with a disability really looking for? In part 1 of our Crystal’s conversation about disability etiquette, she talks with her friends Tracey Motoda and Scott Bankhead, both wheelchair users with physical disabilities. They share personal experiences – what has been helpful and what has been hurtful – as well as ways to identify and remove the barriers and misunderstandings about having a relationship with someone who has a disability. Learn how you can build genuine friendships with people impacted by disability in your community.
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
How do you respond to those who believe some lives are just not worth living? In this bonus episode, Joni Eareckson Tada, Founder of Joni and Friends and a 51-year veteran of life in a wheelchair joins Nick Vujicic, Founder of Life Without Limbs, and Katherine Wolf, former model, young mother, and stroke survivor, to talk about the intrinsic value of every life. As sanctity of life is questioned for the elderly, those with catastrophic disabilities, people with psychiatric disorders, and more, these 3 ministry leaders, each with different abilities and disabilities, share that all life is valuable. Whether life is found in a womb or in a wheelchair, it has value because we are all made in the image of God!
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
For our first episode, host Crystal Keating sits down with Joni Eareckson Tada, Founder and CEO of Joni and Friends, to talk about insights Joni's gained from 51 years as a quadriplegic in a wheelchair and 40 years of leading a growing ministry for people with disabilities. Joni also shares how she’s holding on to hope following a second cancer diagnosis and practical ways that encourage her – tangible tips you and your church can also use to encourage someone going through a health or disability-related challenge.
Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. Over the past 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered 150,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability.
www.joniandfriends.org
On the new Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, we’re answering real questions about disability. Each week, host Crystal Keating is sitting down with a special guest or ministry expert to explore creative and practical ways to embrace and include people with disabilities in our churches and communities.
Find resources mentioned on the podcast: www.joniandfriends.org/podcast
Crystal Keating has been part of Joni and Friends for 5 years helping Joni Eareckson Tada answer thousands of calls, letters, and messages about disability, chronic illness, and holding fast to the hope we have in Christ through life’s greatest hardships. She is also a graduate student studying marriage and family counseling.