How to trust God in the rough places. by Geralyn Anderson Arango, Ed.D. The essay “Welcome to Holland,” by Emily Perl Kingsley, is familiar to many parents of children with disabilities, especially children with Down syndrome. The piece relates the experience of raising a child with a disability to planning a dream-come-true trip to…
Read moreTag: Children
Bittersweet Birthday
Letting go of those we love mostand releasing them to God. by Nancey West I knew this birthday would be special. My daughter, Kristi, lived 1,600 miles away and was coming home for the weekend. My son, Matt, had finished his summer job and was home to start another year of college. They would…
Read moreThrough the Ears of a Child
Learning to trust God — without all the answers. by Rebecca Willman Gernon Organization and perfectionism ruled my life. Even my relationship with God was compartmentalized. He was in charge of my soul; I was in charge of my life — a very busy life, with no room for additional challenges. But God had…
Read moreThrough the Ears of a Child: Recommended resources
If you have a deaf child or deaf family member, visit Gallaudet University Press (http://gupress.gallaudet.edu/). It is the only university for the deaf in the world and has the newest information on deafness. If you are deaf or wish to be in contact with those who are deaf in your area, visit www.deaflinx.com/DeafCommunity/chat.html. This site…
Read moreMore on Autism
Autism was first identified in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner of Johns Hopkins University. More than 1.5 million Americans are affected by autism. One in every 150 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with autism. Ten years ago, it was one in 2,500, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease…
Read moreA Different Path
Learning to see the unique design of the Creator. by Sanet Smit “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life” (John 9:3, NIV). OK, now we’re cooking! I thought as I read this familiar scripture. God made this…
Read moreWhen Our Son Divorced
by Dawn Hamilton* When we met our son, Paul, at the airport, he stepped off the plane with all he had left in the world: his old tool box. He walked slowly with none of his old carefree spirit. My husband and I said little to him as we found the car and headed…
Read moreWhat to Do When the Nest is Empty
Finding fulfillment when the kids are gone. by Sharlene MacLaren For many, the transition from a full nest to an empty one is difficult. After all, you have spent some twenty years in this business of parenting. You have changed diapers, wiped noses, and cooled fevered bodies. You have read children’s books until you…
Read moreThanks to Ryan
Special needs are not all physical and emotional. by Lynne Hudak as told to Wendy Lynn Decker “Ryan has a rare and incurable kidney disease. He’ll need a kidney transplant by the end of the year.” I felt as though I was going to be sick all over the doctor’s desk. The words dialysis,…
Read moreThe Pain After Reunion
The dynamics of the Second Rejection. by Marcy Wineman Axness Your phone call takes too long to be returned. Your letter goes unanswered for an unnerving number of weeks. You concoct exaggerated scenes inside your overtime mind, clamoring to make sense of it all, to somehow feel sense of it all. Ah, reunion. For…
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