To help us prepare for the Question and Answer session at the Disability Conference in two weeks, I asked for questions on this blog. Registered participants were emailed asking for their questions.
We received more than 100 responses!
Not one of them is ‘simple’ in terms of how to respond. Some were heart-breaking – sometimes because I have struggled with exactly the same thing about culture, or church, or my own feelings, or finances, or how other people talk about disability, or not clearly understanding God’s word.
And some were hopeful – how to help a church that is awakening to this issue of disability and God’s word, how to encourage other families experiencing similar things, how a pastor can be more proactive for his people with disabilities.
Every question made me pause to ask God for help. Frankly, it was overwhelming to see them all in one place, this range of hurt and disappointment and desire and expectation and pain. Is it even possible to do this in ways that will help people? God brought this scripture to me:
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 ESV)
Yes, let us boast in the Lord! He will help.
Please pray for us as we prepare, particularly for Pastor Kempton in his facilitation role. May God make it an unusually fruitful time for discussion about God, disability and the church.
Reminder: This event will be live-streamed at http://www.desiringGod.org/live on November 8, including the questions and answer session. The times on the conference schedule are all central standard time. There is also still time to register to attend in person!
The Works of God 
John, this site is such an encouragement. My wife, Leyna, and I have a son, Braeden, who is 3 1/2. He has Mitochondrial Disease – which you may or may not be familiar with. I won’t go into the specifics of the disease, but as all parents of kids with disabilities, we do ask ‘why?’. I’m thankful that you have created a this blog that 1.) gives God the glory, 2.) reinforces that we should be thankful that we serve a Sovereign God and 3.) that other people are going through many of the same heartaches, joys, blessings, you name it – as we are…
Our church is fairly small, people wise, but we are still praying about what God may have in store for us as far as a disability ministry ‘down the road’. I know it’s been on my heart since reading this blog.
We have baby #2 due in right at a month. God is so gracious.