Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast

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 KenLearn more about why Joni started Joni and FriendsRead Joni's autobiographyLearn more about Joni Eareckson TadaWorship 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.

Joni and Friends team member Wilame Leal Silva 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 DowhyLearn about the Caregiving Support NetworkMore 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 BoatFollow 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 ministryVolunteer with Joni and FriendsSupport 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 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 VictimsDomestic Abuse: Help for the SuffererDomestic 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 VictimsDomestic Abuse: Help for the SuffererDomestic 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/booksThe Meaning of Illness: A Phenomenological Account of the Different Perspectives of Physician and PatientHow Then Should We Die: Two Opposing Responses to the Challenges of Suffering and DeathLiving at the Boundary, Healing and Incurable IllnessThe 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/booksThe Meaning of Illness: A Phenomenological Account of the Different Perspectives of Physician and PatientHow Then Should We Die: Two Opposing Responses to the Challenges of Suffering and DeathLiving at the Boundary, Healing and Incurable IllnessThe 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 DisordersIdentifying and learning about disability as an adoptive parentPractical ways special needs parents can systematically bring calm to the chaos at homeLearn 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 LossVisit Jerry's WebsiteListen to Carrying Grief with Bekah BowmanListen 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.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.

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 FriendsExplore 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 RESOURCESSongs of SufferingMaking 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 QUESTIONSDo you trust God with your life?How have you seen God's strength shine through your weakness? KEY SCRIPTUREPhilippians 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, Instagram: @sgwilloughby, and Twitter: @sgwilloughby. 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 IllnessHow to Thrive with Invisible Chronic IllnessGod's Grace in Chronic IllnessChronic 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 FriendsGive 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 StepsA Biblical Perspective on CaregivingThe Caregiver's Journey: Surviving to ThrivingFuture 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 FriendsExplore 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 LifeKyle 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 CanvasSee Marcy's artConnect 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. Connect with Hannah on Instagram @Hannah Jane (@hannahjanesstory) • Instagram photos and videos.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 ResourcesVideos and Quick Steps to help you get startedKEY 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 41 Corinthians 15Matthew 13:43Luke 12:372 Timothy 4:8Galatians 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 EttenLearn more about AngelaGet 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 resourcesLearn more about Centers for Independent LivingGet 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 ----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.

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 ResourcesDiscover 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----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.

Jennifer 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 an advisor 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 AnonymousCelebrate 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----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 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)----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 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 FaithRosaria 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----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 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 FaithLearn 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----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 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 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. 

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.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. 

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 MinistriesLearn 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.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. 

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 LoveLearn 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 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. 

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 endedAccess Caregiver Resources & Workshops | Makers of CareKEY 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.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. 

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 CareKEY 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.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. 

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.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. 

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 PastorDisability in the Church: A Vision for Diversity and InclusionKey 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.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. 

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 PastorDisability 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.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. 

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 FamiliesLearn 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.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. 

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.Get your copy of Leisa's book: Hope Wins: Overcoming Feelings of Hopelessness in Special Needs FamiliesLearn more about LeisaKey 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  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. 

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.' That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.” Genesis 16:13–14 Resources:Learn more about DarciGet your copy of Beauty Beyond the ThornsSend 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 ministryRead Beautiful People Don't Just HappenSend 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.