When I was a special education teacher, I spent five days a week, six hours a day for 180 days with my students. I quickly got to know their strengths, their likes and dislikes, and challenges and was able to use all of that information in creating and implementing support plans for each student. When […]
“Hey, call me when you’ve got a minute. We have a kid with Down syndrome who started coming to church. What kind of stuff do we need in our class for them?” “Can I share contact info with our children’s pastor? Our kindergarten class has twins with autism and the pastor is overwhelmed and unsure […]
I have some news to share that may be sobering to ministry leaders: there will never be a perfectly executed Sunday school class. Anywhere. Ever. In fact, every Sunday, imperfect classes are executed across the globe in thousands of communities. But here is the good news. Maybe the BEST news: God, in His ever-perfect nature, […]
Recently, I stayed the night at a lake house with some friends. We ate snacks, hung out by the beach, and slept on our memory foam pillows. At the same time, a few miles away, dozens of athletes were preparing for an ultra marathon, running 100 miles through the mountains and the foothills. Runners ran […]
Dear Church, You might not know this, but I have a disability. I want to be in church; I really do. But some weeks it is very hard to be here. My disability goes everywhere I go: to work, to school, to the grocery store, to the dentis, and to church. Some people might already […]
I think one of the most extraordinary and compelling stories in all of the Bible is the calling of the disciples in Mark 1. In the narrative, Simon Peter and Andrew are fishermen, a career generally void of glamor, riches, or intrigue. They are not only fishermen, but at times (as in the Luke 5 […]
As the year begins anew: Let us see clearly, Let us hear unmistakably, Let us not fear of failure, Let us try the new thing, Let us relinquish control, Let us take divine risks, Let us not be complacent, Let us be innovative, Let us take action, Let us pause and breathe, Let us persist, […]
I live in a town that has an entire festival in the spring dedicated to tie-dyed clothing. Well, it is more than just tie-dyed clothing. It is three days of vegetarian food, drum circles, vendors selling homemade jewelry and homegrown succulents, and lots of shoeless children running around the grass in the warm late spring […]
Occasionally, I have the opportunity to work alongside the staff and students of our inclusive weekday preschool at my church. One of the most frequent and enduring concepts we teach our students is how to be a bucket filler. We can fill others’ buckets by performing acts of kindness, offering help, expressing appreciation, being an […]
Photo courtesy disabilityisbeautiful.com I love summertime. I love the longer days, the weather, and the activities afforded by the combination of endless days and sunshine. I love the promise of opportunities for new experiences and moments of unencumbered freedom. Each summer, I balance the joy found in this promise with the reality of summer […]
Because Jesus' table is accessible for everyone...
We desire to see the Church make room for all people affected by disability. To fully participate. To fully partner. To fully lead.
We exist to equip and empower the 25% of the population with a disability, their families, and their churches to become who God has created them to be.
