Disability

New Book on Care Ministry

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“I gained a whole new appreciation for what new beginnings meant when my wife and I chose to retire last year. Our lives had radically changed direction the year before when Nancy had survived major cancer surgery; which was followed by six chemotherapy treatments over nine months. Then as summer rolled around while she was getting her strength back, things seemed to come into place for us to move to Florida.

At first we eagerly raced ahead towards what seemed an exciting though uncertain future. Driving away from chilly, rainy Pennsylvania, we both felt like shouting, “Wahoo we’re going to Florida! No more ice! No more snow!

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No more dark colorless months of barren and cold landscapes!!” But somewhere in the middle of making new friends, finding new doctors and settling into a new church we realized that the challenge of beginning again was much bigger than we thought it would be.

For me, one vital part of starting over for me was to begin to volunteer in a nursing home ministry…” (From New Beginnings in Care Ministry)

New Beginings

It’s been quite a while since I released anything new on Nursing Home Ministry. The book “New Beginnings in Care Ministry” is a reflection of my coming to see a wider view of Long Term Care ministry in my own ministry restart. Care ministry looks beyond simply the traditional nursing home setting into the lives and needs of special needs children, residents in special needs assisted living as well as those in memory care. If your life has been touched by long term care, through a family member, your job or as a volunteer this collection of stories and insights with lots of photos are just for you. It is my prayer they will both be a practical as well as a spiritual be a blessing in your own personal journey. This is available in both softcover and E-book formats through Amazon.

New Beginnings in Care Ministry

Three Lessons from Laura

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But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! John 15:7 NLT

My little friend Laura is just 1 1/2 years old. Because Laura is a Down’s Syndrome child some people have few expectations of her abilities but in her special way she has already taught me three of the most important lessons about faith.

As I sat with her at the church picnic she smiled bigger than any of us “normal” folks because she knows that only this moment counts. By her laughter she is pointing the way to the bottomless well of joy just resting in Jesus.

When Laura’s Mom or Dad come to pick her up she wiggles and snuggles deep into their arms. She doesn’t have to work up courage to go because she is confident that she can go anywhere in the world as long as she is with them.

When she waves her arms reaching out for what she needs she is not ashamed. Whether she is asking for her book a kiss or a cookie it is all the same. She is delighted to ask for anything trusting that her parent’s love is the guarantee she will receive.

Thanks Laura for the lessons and thank you Lord for sending her!

Do You Want to be a Disciple?

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He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”                       John 9:27 NKJV

Discipleship is by faith and it is also our own personal choice. In the words of Tim Allen from the film The Santa Clause “What if I choose, not to believe?” God calls, He appeals to us and ultimately Jesus gave His life for us to become His children, but He is not in the kidnapping business!

 

In many ways the blind man in John chapter nine is just like us. Because of his disability his only option was to be dependent on the kindness of strangers. But Jesus knew His story just as He knows ours. When others thought that either he or his parents must have done something terribly wrong Jesus said “No, this is part of God’s plan!”

Jesus didn’t lecture the blind man about his life style or invite him to a prayer meeting. Instead Jesus made mud, put it on his eyes and sent him to wash it off. The man had a choice. He could have refused. He could have said, “Wh

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at good will that do?” But rather than thinking things over or putting it off till to the next day. He just did what Jesus asked. Jesus is asking for us to be a part of His miraculous plan. Do we want to be His disciples? Doing what he asks us today will set in motion our healing and put us one step down the road to following Him!