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Archive for October, 2009

From One Dad to Others: God Is Good in All Circumstances

Posted in Special Events, tagged on October 21, 2009| 2 Comments »

Is it possible to see God as good in the midst of disability?

Bob Horning has parented a wonderful young woman with disabilities for 22 years, and says with confidence that Jesus is good and glorious in the midst of very hard things.

It is a message I have heard him communicate consistently for 10 years; Bob (and his wife, Mary) is the real deal.  And not only has he seen God’s goodness, he encourages others in the faith.  Bob is one of the great blessings God has provided to the church, and I count him as both a friend and a mentor in this journey with my own children.

Hear or watch him for yourself as he opens last weekend’s breakfast for fathers of children with disabilities with his testimony.

Listen here:  Bob Horning at Grace Church 10-17-09

Watch video here:  Bob Horning at Grace Church

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Report from the Mothers of Disabled Kids Gathering

Posted in Special Events on October 20, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Brenda Fischer is Bethlehem’s Coordinator for the Disability Ministry and worked with Caryn Turner to make this gathering for mothers possible.  She provided this report:

The mother’s gathering was a wonderful blessing.  We all arrived at Mary Horning’s home in Savage and were greeted with the smell of apple crisp just coming out of the oven.  About 10 moms came for fellowship and encouragement.  Caryn Turner, our Mother’s Event and Care Coordinator shared a heartfelt testimony and devotion about grumbling in our circumstances juxtaposed with joyfully serving even when life is hard.  She spoke of seasons in life when God gives us more resources to serve than in other times and yet her message was that even when things seem crazy, we must never assume that there is nothing we can do to reach out and bless others.  One mother shared that sometimes just showing up for church or another event can be a ministry to others who know that it is not easy to come.

I don’t have a child with disabilities to care for. I’m sort of on the outside looking in and hoping to understand and learn.  I never ceased to be blessed by the moms living with disability who are growing and strengthened in hardship.  Caryn shared that she wasn’t looking to grow up and become spiritually mature at a young age.  God brought her to growth through a very hard journey which she is still on and will likely be for years.  I don’t want that kind of hardship.  None of us do.  Caryn told the story of a pastor who drug a very long rope onto stage and colored a very small piece of the rope red.  He said that our life on earth can be analogous to this tiny part of red compared to the long rope of living forever.  If our good God chooses a path of suffering so that our hearts are drawn to him, the price is very small when put in the perspective of all of eternity.  What a precious message Caryn shared.  It was not just relevant for parents with a child with disabilities.  We all see grief and pain.   The mother’s gathering was to end at 9:00, but I don’t think anyone left until 10:00.  The devotion was emotional and touched the heart and yet the evening was filled with much joy and laughter.  It was hard to break away.

Since my own bride didn’t return until nearly 11:00 p.m., I know it was very hard for everyone to break away!  Thank you, Caryn, Mary and Brenda for making that gathering possible and being such an encouragement.  God is good to provide what we need in all circumstances!

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Evidence of God’s Grace: Devotion at Mom’s Event Last Week

Posted in Scripture, Special Events, tagged , on October 19, 2009| 3 Comments »

When God blesses, he is often extravagant!  When he called Kempton Turner to Bethlehem, he called Caryn Turner as well.  This brother and sister in Jesus live the command to ‘encourage one another every day’ in how they speak, write, parent and give of themselves to tell the world about Jesus.

Caryn prepared this devotion for the mothers of children with disabilities last week.  God is glorified when he is made much of in all circumstances!

Evidence of God’s Grace in Affliction (presented by Caryn Turner on Tuesday, October 13)

“I can’t do that!”, “What are they thinking?”, “Don’t they know what I go through?”

“My life is hard enough!”, “How can I serve others with a child like this?”

I’ve said all of these statements before.  I’m sure I’m not alone.  Many times parents of children with special needs feel that their circumstances or afflictions give them a valid excuse from doing many things.  Logically speaking, they’re right!  Families affected by disability tend to have less time and energy to do anything extra besides caring for the immediate needs of their family.  However, whether your trials and afflictions are pertaining to disability or not, the Bible says that all believers will be afflicted in some way.  Psalm 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.”  So, as we wait & hope for Christ’s deliverance, how are we to live?  How can we serve others and glorify God in our afflictions? (more…)

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Pastor Kempton at Grace Church Yesterday

Posted in Scripture, Special Events on October 18, 2009| Leave a Comment »

The audio and video are both a little rough.  We’re working on getting it cleaned up and hopefully posted soon.

But for now, be encouraged by finding your strength in the joy of the Lord!

Pastor Kempton Turner at Grace Church 10-17-09 from John Knight on Vimeo.

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Joni and Friends TV – When Disability Hits Home

Posted in commentary on October 17, 2009| Leave a Comment »

This 28 minute video (26 if you skip the fundraising appeal at the end) is worth the time.  Dianne and I were greatly blessed by watching it.

Why?  It is a clear-eyed, God-centered look at disability through the eyes of a couple of grandparents of children with disabilities that you may have heard of:  Chuck Colson and R.C. Sproul.

All of the issues we deal with are here: the break-up of marriages, the loss of control, the feelings of helplessness, the disruption to every area of life.

But it is also full of hope in our good and sovereign God!  There is joy!

When Disability Hits Home

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Dads, join us tomorrow morning!

Posted in Special Events, tagged , on October 16, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Kempton Turner, a pastor and a dad with a multiply disabled little boy, will be speaking at Grace Church on Saturday, in Eden Prairie.  Don’t worry about RSVPs, just show up.

If the Lord wills, we’ll have audio of his talk on this site in a few days.

You can also find other presentations from Kempton at our ‘Disability Radio‘ site.

If you only have three minutes, here is an example of Kempton challenging young people to go hard after God.  Then come back here in a few days to hear what he had to say to us dads:

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30 Years Ago God Called A Professor to be a Pastor

Posted in commentary on October 15, 2009| 1 Comment »

Yes, I’m  a day late and most people have already seen this post from Justin Taylor on Pastor John’s call 30 years ago yesterday.  But if you missed it, you simply must read it.  And if you saw it yesterday, read it again.

The clothes have changed, the huge cross is gone, and the voice has taken on a richer, sweeter quality, (if you wonder what I mean, listen to this Piper Candidacy Sermon Excerpt January 27, 1980) but the passion for God and his word remains.

Because of the giftings that God gave and sustained through Pastor John, many of us understand that dependence on God in the midst of hard things is a wonderful, hope-filled reality.  And we rejoice with Paul:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  Romans 8:18

Thank you, God, for giving us Pastor John and helping him show us who you really are.  And thank you for letting us join him in wanting to spread a passion for your supremacy in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.

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Church of the Disabled – Part 2

Posted in commentary, tagged on October 14, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Last Friday I posted on the World Magazine article that highlighted a church in Anoka specifically for people with developmental disabilities.  It generated more comments than usual, comments that were thought-provoking and passionate.  Rather than let those comments disappear into the past, and knowing there might be others who would like to enter into this discussion or who have other opinions, I’m going to post those comments again, each in their entirety.

Certainly there are areas of disagreement.  Disability and conflict typically go together in this culture.  And hopefully nobody is shocked that those of us dealing with disability directly will also experience disagreement at times, even though we frequently link arms in common cause.

The Bible is full of disagreements which demonstrate God’s sovereignty over all things.   (more…)

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“I want people to know. . .”

Posted in Special Events on October 13, 2009| Leave a Comment »

“I am not suffering…People without Jesus are suffering. May we all be encouraged to share the Gospel,” Dianne Knight remarking on her cancer.

Reminder:  Dianne and other amazing mothers of children with disabilities will be gathering tonight (Tuesday) at 7:00 p.m.  Click here for more details. Even if you did not RSVP, if you are a mother in this situation, you are welcome to attend.

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A Strange Anniversary

Posted in News, Prayer Requests, Scripture, tagged on October 12, 2009| 6 Comments »

Five years ago today, Dianne went to see a surgical oncologist who confirmed that she has breast cancer.  By the end of that week it would be diagnosed as Stage IV cancer, having spread from her breast through her lymph nodes to her bones in her back and ribs.

Stage IV cancer is a strange thing.  As her doctors have said on more than one occasion, “you will die with it; our goal is that you don’t die of it.”  And, praise God, she is able to serve in the roles she loves best today, as mother and wife and member of the church.

To this day, Dianne, good mother that she is, counts the 17 days that Johnny was in the NICU as the hardest days of her life.  My hardest days were those following that cancer diagnosis, through chemotherapy, surgery and then radiation.

Hardest days, but not the worst days. (more…)

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