Julie Papievis was a dynamo before the car accident that changed her life. Now, more than a decade after her brain stem was so badly damaged the EMTs were sure she would die, she’s a dynamo again. In the months and years between her injury and recovery, which was remarkable but not total, she struggled with depression and grief for the woman she used to be. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview...

The best part of marketing  A Different Dream for My Child is meeting new people. Every radio interview is another opportunity to meet someone who’s passionate about passing on news of the book to parents of special needs kids. One of the most passionate of the many people who are passionate about special needs families is Eddie Baiseri. She’s the host of Take Five, a program on KBJS...

Recently, a friend sent me a URL and a very short email. “Check this one out,” it said. “PLEASE WATCH: R. C. Sproul, Chuck Colson, & Joni Eareckson Tada talk about families & disabilities.” What Could R.C. Sproul, Chuck Colson, & Joni Eareckson Tada Have in Common? Since I wondered what those three people have in common, I clicked on the URL and began watching a...

A few days ago, I posted an article about www.SpecialNeedsBridge.com, the informational website developed by Julio and Ruthey Morales. At their website, I noticed the Nathaniel’s Hope/Buddy Break graphics sprinkled here and there. Curious, I dug around and learned about this wonderful organization. Buddy Break Buddy Break is a free respite service for parents of special needs kids. Nathaniel’s...

Since the release of A Different Dream for My Child, I’ve met some of the most interesting people. One of them is Julio Morales. Natalie’s Story Julio and his wife Ruthy are passionate about special needs kids because their second oldest daughter Natalie was born with a Chromosome 18 Deficiency. You can read more about Natalie, who functions at the level of a three-year-old, in this article...

Not long ago Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries, asked me to take a shot at answering this question sent by a struggling mom. Heart-Wrenching Question I am a mom of a 2-year-old who was just diagnosed with autism. I also have had fibromyalgia for 5 years. I don’t know how I am going to get through this. I had assumed that, with my husband’s help, I could be a pretty good mom despite my illness....

Every now and then I update the progress of families profiled in A Different Dream for My Child, to give you an idea of what life is like for them on an ongoing basis. A week or so ago Scott, the father of seven-year-old Evan sent this link to a recent article about his son. Noonan’s Syndrome Evan has Noonan’s syndrome, a heart condition which typically includes a thickening of the heart...

A few weeks ago Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries, a website for chronically ill adults, asked me to participate in her Invisible Illness Week Web Seminar. She wanted me to encourage chronically ill parents who have special needs kids. I felt a little funny addressing those parents since I don’t have a chronic illness. But since my dad was chronically ill, and my son had special needs,...

A few weeks ago Claire Shackelford, one of the women who’s part of www.ChristianMilitaryWives.com, interviewed me about A Different Dream for My Child. While we talked, I thought about the double whammy military wives with special needs children deal with every day. My only desire was to encourage the moms as they care for their kids. But as Claire listened to our son’s story, she recognized...

In the previous post, you met Cec Murphey and learned a little about his new book, When God Turned Off the Lights. Today, you’ll get a sample of the advice he gives in the book. You’ll also learn how to enter the drawing for the gift basket he’s giving away. What to Do When the Lights Go Out by Cec Murphey If you sincerely desire to follow Jesus Christ, life won’t always be...