In our final episode of season 5, we hear from Joni and Friends team member Wilame Leal Silva. He 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.”

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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 Dowhy

• Learn about the Caregiving Support Network
• More encouragement for caregivers from Joni and Ken

KEY QUESTIONS:

1. Do you or someone you know currently serve as a caregiver?
2. What are the greatest unmet needs among caregivers?
3. 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.”

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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.”

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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 Boat
• Follow Stephanie on Facebook

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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 ministry

Volunteer with Joni and Friends

Support 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.’”

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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

Read J.D.'s memoir From Walking to Wheeling: How God Reconstructed One Man's Dreams

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.”

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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.”

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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 Victims
• Domestic Abuse: Help for the Sufferer
• Domestic 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

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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 Victims
• Domestic Abuse: Help for the Sufferer
• Domestic 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

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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/books

• The Meaning of Illness: A Phenomenological Account of the Different Perspectives of Physician and Patient
• How Then Should We Die: Two Opposing Responses to the Challenges of Suffering and Death
• Living at the Boundary, Healing and Incurable Illness
• The 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.”

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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/books

• The Meaning of Illness: A Phenomenological Account of the Different Perspectives of Physician and Patient
• How Then Should We Die: Two Opposing Responses to the Challenges of Suffering and Death
• Living at the Boundary, Healing and Incurable Illness
• The 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.”

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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.