Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast

Susan Wahlers is on a mission to ensure every caregiver has what they need. She founded  Makers of Care , a nonprofit that provides resources for caregivers in dire need of support during a long-term crisis. The organization also equips churches to proactively serve caregivers. FACTS ABOUT CAREGIVERS (courtesy of Makers of Care) 80% of care, for those unable to care for themselves, is provided by...

When a diving accident left Joni Eareckson Tada with quadriplegia at 17, she felt like her life was over. She couldn’t fathom what good her life could be without legs that walked or hands that worked. She couldn’t imagine that God had good purposes in store for her. She certainly didn’t expect her suffering to sow the seeds of an international disability ministry. Looking back on 55 years in a whe...

Lamar Hardwick (DMin, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary) is the lead pastor at Tri-Cities Church in East Point, Georgia. He and his wife, Isabelle have three daughters.  Dr. Hardwick’s blogs and articles can be found on his  website .  Get your copies Dr. Hardwick’s books: I am Strong: The Life and Journey of an Autistic Pastor Disability in the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion   Ke...

Lamar Hardwick (DMin, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary) is the lead pastor at Tri-Cities Church in East Point, Georgia. He and his wife, Isabella have three daughters.  Dr. Hardwick’s blogs and articles can be found on his  website . Get your copies Dr. Hardwick’s books: I am Strong: The Life and Journey of an Autistic Pastor Disability in the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion   Key...

For more than two decades Leisa Williams has cared for a son with a disability. She knows firsthand the grief, hopelessness, family divisions, and weariness that often plague families living with disability. ( Listen to part 1 of this conversation. ) Leisa joins the podcast again to talk about the power of HOPE: Having Other People Engaged when the challenges of life seem too heavy to bear. She sh...

For more than two decades Leisa Williams has cared for a son with a disability. She knows firsthand the grief, hopelessness, family divisions, and weariness that often plague families living with disability. That’s why she wrote her book,  Hope Wins: Overcoming Feelings of Hopelessness in Special Needs Families . Leisa joins the podcast to talk about the challenges that come with disability and th...

After decades of living with the ups and downs of chronic pain caused by CRPS, author and Nutritionist Darci J. Steiner wants to give a message of hope to people facing disability and chronic suffering. Her book, Beauty Beyond the Thorns , and its companion study guide, include personal stories of suffering and biblical stories to demonstrate how God can turn unexpected curveballs into victorious...

Every person needs to find a place of acceptance and belonging. For people with disabilities, too often, inclusion can be hard to come by, even within the body of Christ.  As a pastor, Scott Sauls knows how important it is for the church to embrace marginalized people, like those with disabilities. He has seen firsthand how a robust ministry to people with disabilities—not only welcoming them but...

Everyone carries regret, hurt, and fear. These burdens can weigh you down and make you feel trapped. In his book,  Beautiful People Don't Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans , Scott Sauls explores how Christ provides hope and healing amid the most trying emotions and circumstances. Pastor Scott hopes to reach people who sin and suffer—people who feel...

Danika Deva knows isolation. Living with multiple chemical sensitivities, which can cause life-threatening allergic reactions to everyday things, she must be intentional about her relationships. Through seasons of severe sickness and physical isolation, she has found strategies for connection and invites others to walk the trails she has blazed. With God’s help, Danika has learned to serve and min...

In 2016, Danika Deva’s life was turned upside-down by the sudden onset of severe environmental illness. Desperate, isolated, hopeless, and hurting, she begged God for healing.  To this day, Danika lives what she calls “a bubble life,” to manage life-threatening allergic reactions to an ever-shifting range of environmental and dietary triggers. She will tell you, “It’s hard to live like this.” But...

Since the onset of POTS almost two decades ago, Dr. Andy Laurie has prayed for his suffering to go away. As his disease and the hardships that come with it have remained, God has led Dr. Andy through a process of clarification, grappling, releasing, and ultimately drawing closer to Jesus and his  promises. Crystal Keating and Dr. Andy explore aspects of suffering that God can use for good: Sufferi...

Dr. Andy Laurie knows what it’s like for life’s skies to go dark. His book,  When Skies Aren’t Blue: A Physician’s Personal Journey , recounts his journey from health to sickness, and to living with joy in the midst of traumatic and overwhelming circumstances. His prescription for hope that endures no matter what? “We need objective, provable truth,” he says. “To know that we can prove God is real...

Katherine Wolf kicked off Season 4 with a conversation about suffering . After surviving a catastrophic stroke at age 26, which left her with profound disabilities, Katherine now works to break down the myth that joy can only be found in a pain-free life. Here, in Episode Two, Katherine digs deeper into the topic of suffering, and particularly, how to flourish within our limitations.  We as believ...

Crystal and Katherine discuss what it means to “suffer strong,” and how community plays a key role in leaning on God through suffering. They explore what it means to heal—not just the body but the soul, and the difference between curing and healing. Katherine also gives tips about how to encourage and support people in suffering—what to do and say, and, just as importantly, what NOT to do and say....

Welcome to Season 4 of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast! We are excited to kick off a new series of encouraging conversations about finding hope through hardship, and share practical ways to include people with disabilities in your church and community.  The past few years have brought unexpected changes and challenges, from the Coronavirus pandemic to global unrest, not to mention personal d...

"This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God." -2 Corinthians 9:12  As we close out season 3 of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, Crystal is reflecting on the many wonderful conversations we’ve had this year and the remarkable people we’ve met along the way. So many of our guests persevered thr...

“It is not the experience of loss that becomes the defining moment of our lives, but how we respond to loss that matters.” Loss came suddenly for Jerry Sittser. In an instant, a tragic car accident claimed three generations of his family: his mother, his wife of 20 years, and his four-year-old daughter. Left as a single father to care for his three surviving children, Jerry was nearly overcome by...

"If anxiety, fear, or trauma is part of your experience, the book you want to become familiar with is the Bible. The Bible is all about how God’s redemptive purposes enter into our suffering through his Son who experiences trauma and suffering on our behalf for the purpose of healing."  Dr. Tim Lane, who recently spoke about how to make changes that last is returning to the podcast to discuss post...

“Your circumstances shape you but they do not define you – what defines you is that you are in a relationship with a God who loves you.” Is there an area in your life that you want to change, but you don’t know how? A behavior you’ve tried to stop, but just can’t seem to? Is there a relationship you want to repair, but nothing seems to make things better?  Do you feel stuck?  Dr. Tim Lane, Founder...

“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 minis...

Where is God in your journey of parenting a child with disabilities?  In celebration of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Stephanie Hubach is sharing the joys and challenges of parenting a child with intellectual disabilities. She's a visiting instructor and research fellow in disability ministries at Covenant Theological Seminary and previously served as the Director of Mission to North America’s Sp...

“God wastes nothing, even disability. He has a purpose for you right where you are.” After receiving her EMT certification, Cady Bell was on the path to becoming a doctor to use her skills in service overseas. But when she began experiencing severe pain, seizures, stomach issues, and fainting, her life's plan dramatically changed. As Cady searched for the cause of her symptoms, her intensifying he...

“Nothing that we go through is wasted… no pain, no hurt, no sorrow. We can rejoice in our suffering because we know who our God is.” Renee Dollenmayer, a college student living with chronic pain and spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, is returning to the podcast to share about her online outreach to other women who live with physical and spiritual challenges. Born prematurely as a triplet alongsi...

Have you ever wondered, what is my place? Where do I fit in the body of Christ? Renee Dollenmayer, a university senior majoring in rehabilitation services, grew up struggling with similar questions about her purpose. Born prematurely with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy as a triplet alongside two typical brothers, Renee wondered if she needed to be healed to be a faithful follower of Jesus. Li...