The road to acceptance can be a long one for parents of children with additional/special needs or disability. Some reach it quicker than others, some struggle to get there at all. There are many stops along the way where we can get ‘stuck’… Additional/Special Needs Parenting: Welcome To Holland, Not Italy
How do I include all children & young people with additional needs in my church? As many church children's and youth groups return back after the summer break this week, we explore how everyone can be included and belong.
Over a year ago I wrote a blog post about James’ favourite ‘Treat Trip’, a tour of his favourite places. Little did I know as I wrote those words that it would be almost the last time that James would go on a ‘Treat Trip’, or any kind of trip, for over a year… A year that has just come dramatically to an end!
How do I know if my disabled child can have a faith? It’s a question many parents of children with disabilities ask, but there are clues to find, things Jesus did, ways of understanding how our child responds to God, that give us answers.
A few days later, God turned up in the middle of the night… and then I saw an image very clearly in my mind. I remember feeling quite smug, thinking I’d guessed God’s punchline… I’d guessed wrong!
During his life on earth Jesus challenged the accepted culture of his time, often creating a societal and political storm as he did so. He was not what many expected the Messiah to be, even though there had been plenty of prophesy that provided more than enough detail of what to expect from him. He … Continue reading Jesus Christ: Poor, Child Refugee, Homeless, Disabled?
Going on an overseas mission trip can often be a transforming and life changing experience; offering an opportunity to serve in a very different culture and environment, challenging our worldview and our perceptions of our role in the world. Taking young people on a short-term mission trip experience can equip them and inspire them for … Continue reading Can You Take Young People With Additional Needs On Overseas Mission?
We should never take for granted the things that we can do, as for others these things may be terrifyingly difficult. A seemingly simple thing, like going outside of the house, can be incredibly traumatic for some. James is one of them… Last year several events collided to place James in the eye of a … Continue reading Little Steps, Big Struggles, Bigger Faith!
A question I get asked loads of times is this; “How can I explain additional/special needs to children?” The answer depends on the context, as there are different ways that this can be responded to, determined by who the answer is meant for. Are we responding to a question from a child with additional needs … Continue reading Answering Children’s Questions About Additional Needs – With Help From Winnie-the-Pooh!
I heard an old hymn rearranged in a new way recently, and it deeply touched me. The words so powerful, so amazing, impacted me in a new way. The song had been introduced with the harrowing story of the songwriter, Horatio Spafford, and how against all the odds he was able to write such amazing … Continue reading Parenting A Child With Additional Needs – It Is Well With My Soul
