Wilma Flintstone in a Jetson's type of world

 We recently moved (hmmm...can you still use the word "recently" when it has been five months ago? ) ... Anyway...  I hate moving!!

Moving is so much work and when you have a child with special needs, some of those "normal", "routine", "easy" things become a whole huge adventure within itself.  Take finding a new Pharmacy, for instance...  when most people move, they find the closest Pharmacy to them that will honor their insurance and it's done.  Not so for us...  we need a Pharmacy that can compound (something I knew nothing about 11 years ago), stocks medicines that not every Pharmacy stocks, and has "durable medical items", besides being able to take our insurance, and be "relatively"  close by. We are still working on this one, but I think we have found "the Pharmacy" for us.

All this to say...  I've been a bit preoccupied the past few months....

In trying to keep up with life, I had to let something go...Although I can use a computer and I'm pretty good at "Angry Birds", I'm not really "techie".   Sometimes I feel like Wilma Flintstone, trying to navigate in a world designed for Jane Jetson.  So, since blogging is so new to me, it was easiest to let the blog sit for a bit while I got everything back in order.

 I'm back and ready to learn more about the blogging world as I write about Grace Ministries, special needs families and the local church.   

Take A.I.M. (part 2)

This is part 2 of a discussion about how the church can take A.I.M. in reaching families that have a child with a disability or special need.

"A" is for Awareness

As a parent of a child who has special needs, there are many things that I would like my church, or any church we happen to visit to be "aware" of, here are just a few:

          #1 - My child is a child of God!  He was made in God's own image 

 So God created humans in his own image. He created them to be like himself. He created them male and female.

 Genesis 1:27 ERV

#2 - My child is not a mistake

You formed the way I think and feel. You put me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because you made me in such a wonderful way. I know how amazing that was! 

Psalms 139:13-14 ERV

#3 - You don't have to have a degree in Special Education to show the love of God to my child.

God doesn't always call the equipped, but he always equips the called.

My child has "differences" and probably will need some extra help doing things that the other kids his age can do, what he needs most of all is to be loved and accepted just the way he is.

Take A.I.M. (part 1)

One of the goals of Grace Ministries is to help churches take A.I.M. in reaching families who have been impacted by a disability or special need.


A.I.M. starts within the local church with AWARENESS of the needs of children, adults and family members who have been impacted by a disability or special need.  


Over the next few posts, we will be looking at how the church can take A.I.M. through AWARENESS, INCLUSION, and being MISSIONAL.

Just got home from the Annual Conference for the Pacific Conference of the Evangelical Church.  Monday we had the opportunity to share Grace Ministries in the afternoon session.  I was so excited I was able to share my heart with over 200 people.  Brochures were given out.  Hopefully we will hear from some of those churches soon wanting us to help them with their A.I.M. in reaching children and adults (and their families) with special needs

Welcome to Grace!

Finally! 


After years of tears, wondering why we didn't "fit in" or "belong" in to any church body after Alex came into our lives.  And then, three years of school to get my Masters in Ministry, we are finally ready to start Grace Ministries.  


My hope and prayer is that through Grace Ministries, we will be able to help churches welcome and then acclimate children and adults affected by disabilities and special needs (and their families) into the "normal" routine of church life.

In this blog, I hope to share my journey as we help churches and families find each other.  It will also be a place to share ideas, dreams, and prayers.  


Here is our vision and missions statement.  It still might undergo some tweaking, but it's looking pretty good.

 Helping to make Ministry with Families Experiencing a disability,                                                            a Natural part of Church life, Not a Special One.

Vision:

The vision of Grace Ministries is to see the Body of Christ made whole through evangelizing and authentically integrating people with differing abilities into the life and mission of the local church body.  

Mission:

Our mission is to engage, educate, equip, and encourage congregations on the “whys and how’s” of effectively ministering to and alongside individuals and families touched by disability.

Engage

By presenting the need for congregations to have an effective plan for ministering to and alongside individuals and families touched by disability

Educate

By providing training in special needs awareness, vision casting, planning and implementation to church congregations

Equip

By assisting in the process of ministering to and alongside those with special needs and their families by providing access to resources, training, consultative services and networking between churches.

            Encourage

By building one another up in love through prayer and encouragement to combat the inevitable attacks of the enemy on those engaged in the Lord’s work.