Have you ever heard the expression, “That is not a hill worth dying on!” People use this phrase when talking about what is, or is not, truly important. I heard it many times in my 15-year career in the local church ministry. There are other things that determine what hills we seem to be positioned […]
Ability Ministry recently attended a Christian convention. At this conference we had both an exhibit booth and a “breakout session” we were leading. Leading breakout sessions are fun! I get to speak about things that I am passionate about with people who are interested. Hanging at the exhibit booth can be challenging. It consists of […]
One of the biggest buzz words in the disability community over the past several years has been inclusion. Schools are leading the way with the initiative of getting children with disabilities back in main stream classrooms. But what does it look like in the church? Exclusion Exclusion means that people affected by disability are not […]
When the caregiver constantly pours themselves out they find themselves empty. Caregivers carry heavy loads that they feel at times only they can carry. This may or may not be a rational belief, but a belief none the less. Thankfully Jesus is not silent on the topic of being tired and burdened. Matthew Chapter 11 […]
Stop me if you have heard these instructions before. Oxygen and the air pressure are always being monitored. In the event of an emergency, an oxygen mask will automatically appear in front of you. To start the flow of oxygen, pull the mask towards you. Place it firmly over your nose and mouth, secure the elastic band […]
I will never forget the first Respite Night we held at First Christian Church in Canton Ohio for multiple reasons. The highlight for me was at the end of the evening when parents came back after their time away. Many came back excited and refreshed sharing stories of getting to go on a real date […]
What if I said the following… “If you are bald, redheaded, or left handed you are not welcome in the Church.” I imagine there would be an absolute uproar! You cannot single people out based upon what they look like or based upon their attributes. That isn’t fair. That isn’t politically correct. That is a […]
I’ll be the first to admit that I struggled in certain subjects in school. I was horrible at typing. Yes, I am old enough that I actually had to take a course in typing. I distinctly remember getting yelled at by my teacher. I will never forget Mr. Oyster. Partly because he took my keyboard […]
Why did we write My Friends, My Teachers? Why did we feel it was so important that we put it in book format? Why not just blog these stories? Why a book? All good questions! It would have been much easier to churn out six separate blogs and float them out into the digital stratosphere. […]
I recently heard that Faith United Methodist Church in North Canton, OH was holding a “Messy Church” service. I was instantly drawn to it because of the name even though I didn’t know what all was involved. Messiness, or real life, seems to be intentionally programmed out of most church services. Churches want to remove […]
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.