Teaching Kids With Special Needs about Salvation

Teaching Kids With Special Needs about Salvation

by | Nov 20, 2013 | Books and Resources, Different Dream, Spiritual Support

Teaching Kids With Special Needs about Salvation

Welcome back, guest blogger Amy Stout! Amy’s here with another resource-packed post. This time, she has a basketful of resources parents can use to teach their children about salvation.

I was recently asked this question…

“I have a friend who is trying to teach her daughter about faith. She has been in church all her life and has lots of head knowledge, but the heart is not giving so easily. How can I help my friend?” While not a professional counselor, I had just experienced a scenario similar to this in my own home, so I was able to share my own living example.

Here is my reply…

Dear Friend,

The truth that comforts me when working with my daughter is that no matter how hard we try, we cannot “save” someone. God gave us free will and salvation is a gift that we each have the opportunity to accept. This is comforting because I know that God loves children and he is working very hard to draw my daughter to him.

God DOES, however, give us teachable moments.

Many times our special children are visual learners and spiritual truths are very hard for them to understand because many times they are abstract concepts. We need to give them visual pictures of spiritual truths. An example of a teachable moment…

Yesterday, I was brushing my daughter’s hair and she was starting to get grumpy. I started to talk to her. My conversation with her went something like this. “Oh Kylie, Don’t be grumpy. You need to keep your heart clean—do you know why? Because someday, when you give your heart to Jesus, He will come and live in your heart!”

I continued, “Do you know what makes your heart dirty? When we are grumpy, or unkind, or don’t share with our friends. All those things make our hearts dirty, but you know what? When Jesus comes to live in our hearts, he brings a big broom and sweeps all that dirt away and washes us clean!! You want your heart to be clean don’t you?”

broom

Broom

And on it went. I also explained to her that the more we fill our hearts with the things of Jesus (his words, talking and singing to him, obeying God’s rules), the less room there is for that icky dirt and we lose our desire to be yucky. We will WANT to be clean.

I would try to give your young friend visual images of the spiritual truths you are trying to convey. Lay it all out there but make it HER choice whether to pick them up or not. Many times when a child feels pushed into something, their natural tendency is to withdraw. We don’t “need” to push—God will do all the work. This is the beauty of salvation by faith —no effort required, just His grace fully given.

Also, sometimes it is hard to “tell” with a child who learns differently if there is heart knowledge… don’t be so sure she doesn’t have any… just continually disciple her by giving her visual pictures, object lessons and don’t push… bake together, paint together, talk about God’s creation, the attributes of God and the goodness of God, but don’t push.

The objects shown in the pictures embedded in this post would be very helpful to give a visual picture of how we “dirty” our heart and how Jesus will “clean” it. Click on the links to find out how to obtain them. I also love the following pictorial objects to explain to children who God is.

poster_small

Father’s Love Letter to His Child

These next two pictures go together. You can click and drag them to your desktop and then print them out.

Comic 1

Comic 2

Love,
Amy

What Would You Add to Amy’s Letter?

Have you found resources to explain salvation to kids with special needs? If you like, add them to Amy’s letter to her friend by sharing them in the comment box.

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Amy Stout is a wife, mother, and free-lance writer. You can visit her website at His Treasured Princess.

Author Jolene Philo

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Whose Special Needs Battle Is It Anyway?

Whose Special Needs Battle Is It Anyway?

by | Oct 4, 2013 | Different Dream, Encouragement, Spiritual Support

Whose Special Needs Battle Is It Anyway?

Today’s post comes from a new Different Dream blogger, Nickie White. In her first post, she shares some special needs parenting frustrations and hopes we all share.

Whose Special Needs Battle Is It, Anyway?

Tonight I could absolutely lose my mind.

I was cooking two different skillets of grilled cheese, one with margarine, gluten-free bread and rice cheese, and one with two wheat-bread-with-dairy-cheese sandwiches… when I walked away to referee an argument between my children, and the smoke alarm went off. Then the house alarm was triggered…then the sirens on the two-way rescue system turned on. I entered the code and…NOTHING…then four little voices began to all ask questions about why or how or are we going to catch fire?

I called the alarm company, trying to talk over the two way system installed in my house, but I couldn’t hear them over the sirens and children. The dispatcher called my husband (in California this week) to ask him if we need aid…and he’s now blowing up my phone with messages while I am talking to the dispatcher, explaining that I have just burnt a grilled cheese…or by now all three.

Joel couldn’t have gone out of town last week when both my parents spent time in town? I couldn’t have been making only one pan of grilled cheese? No, those are easy options and folks, that just ain’t the path we are on. I glanced over to the 2 inch, three-ring binder with a vinyl label reading LOGAN in cute font, realizing that my priorities can sometimes be jaded. My youngest son has been having unexplained medical issues for months now, and none of the doctor’s we’ve gone to have been able to discover why this is happening. We’ve been spinning in circles…for months.

When Joel is gone for these short trips it never fails that I refuse to unwind, to listen to music and calm my soul I plow: laundry, dishes, whatever is in my path. It must be done. I bark all the way through. In my mind I’m getting the house ready for Joel to come back, but I’m just hiding the fear of weakness or failure.

There are nights I read my Bible angrily, desperate for GOD to just shout at me! My heart is raw almost to default. Certain in my mind that He has taught me quite enough in this last year, my heart still craves more. Not the heartache but the gut-wrenching lessons. We are indeed fighting an uphill battle and I must just keep my sword sharp.

My sword. My priority.

Have you ever done a sword drill? During Wednesday night services as a kid we did, every week. I knew the song. I could go right to a book of the Bible before most around me. IT was part of me. Is it still that way? No, it isn’t. That big green 2 inch binder with Logan written in a cute font seems to consume me some days.

Googling specialists across the country can occupy hours of my time. I can’t solve all the issues all at once. I can battle against deceit and I can hope to make my littlest son as comfortable as I know how, but the truth is I can’t fight these battles with a dull sword.

David used but a stone to conquer a giant, yet his human mistakes cost him God’s blessing and brought sorrow on his family. What was the difference? The giant wasn’t his to fight. When David forgot only the stone was his and the giant was conquered by God, it set the stage for his kingdom to begin crumbling.

I too must remember who conquers the giants. My priorities must be sharpening my sword, so when HE speaks to me in my angry moments I can hear Him. That green binder is important for Logan’s care, but it won’t heal him or bring him comfort. It may be my stone but it can only be used by Him, for the battle is the Lord’s.

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; ‘
stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'”
2 Chronicles 20:17

Who’s Fighting Your Battle?

Does Nickie’s struggle resonate with you? What verses or Bible truths help you give the battle back to the Lord? Leave them in the comment box to encourage others.

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop-up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

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Author Jolene Philo

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Brokenness and Special Needs: All In Seeds in God’s Garden

Brokenness and Special Needs: All In Seeds in God’s Garden

by | Sep 24, 2013 | Different Dream, Grief, Spiritual Support

Brokenness and Special Needs: All In Seeds in God’s Garden

Brokenness is part of parenting a child with special needs. Guest blogger Stephanie Ballard is here with a poem about how God used the seed of brokenness to grow her faith and reveal the beauty of her son’s life.

Stephanie’s Seeds of Brokenness

I was 22 weeks pregnant with my son Braeden when the high risk doctor that I had been referred to gently took my hand in his and sighed. “I have some distressing news,” he said. The ultrasound had revealed that my unborn son would be born with a serious heart defect, and had a very high risk of having other genetic abnormalities. The doctor was quick to point out various areas of concern on the monitor. “His liver looks enlarged,” he said,” and I think he may be missing a kidney as well.”

“What can we do?” I asked him tearfully, and he began speaking about “quality of life” as he handed me a referral to a pediatric cardiologist.

“I’m so sorry dear,” were his parting words…”good luck to you.”

I was distraught as I left that doctor’s office, the words “quality of life” echoing in my mind in the weeks and months to come. I found the peace I had been seeking when my son was born several months later. When I finally held him in my arms for the first time, his fragile little body pressed against mine, I realized something of the utmost importance. God can bring beauty into our lives through brokenness. Braeden is eight years old today, and I am fond of reminding him that God loves to grow miracles in the midst of impossible circumstances.

Broken

The farmer told his wife one day…
“Well, spring is nearly here
Its time to plant some flowers
On that hilltop that lies near.”
And so he went right to the store
To buy the perfect seeds
Flowers of most every kind
To fit all of his needs.
And then they had to till the ground
Under the noonday sun…
They prepared the perfect field
Then marveled at all they had done.
Flowers would soon bloom here
Yellow…purple…blue
A meadow filled with glory
In every single hue.
And so the farmer held his seeds,
Which cost a pretty penny.
He said, just drop one at a time
As we do not have many.
And soon their chore was near complete
Each seed set in the soil
His wife said, “It’s well worth it,”
This day of work and toil.
And then she nudged her husband, asking.
“Is this seed okay?
It’s cracked right down the middle
Should I plant it anyway?”
“A seed like that won’t grow,” he said
Just throw it to the winds.”
And this is where the story of
The broken seed begins…

The days and weeks passed quickly
The garden, it grew grand
With sunshine and the gentle rains
And life from God’s own hand.
The farmer and his wife were proud
Of what they have achieved
Their garden was perfection
Most everyone agreed.

Meanwhile…
The little seed that they forgot,
Tossed by the farmer’s wife,
Decided that it must now fight
To have a chance at life.
God looked kindly on this seed
And said, in retrospect,
“They deemed you small and broken,
I say, ‘You are perfect.'”
And so the seed mustered its strength
And pushed out of its shell.
“I may be just a seed,” it thought.
“But I have a story to tell!”
And every drop of water
And sun that came its way
Made it that much stronger.
It would be a flower someday.

And then one day, it happened,
Much to the wife’s surprise
As she walked past the meadow
She could not believe her eyes.
The loveliest flower that she’d ever seen
Sat just beyond the trees.
She stopped what she was doing
And dropped down to her knees
“Surely, God is in the place,”
She said as tears fell free,
As only God Himself, could make
A thing of such beauty.

“A miracle it must be,”
She said, raising worn eyes above,
“A reminder of all that can grow
With God’s enduring love.”
And others came to see it, too.
This flower, oh so rare,
Red and gold, and violet.
They could not help but stare.
No one had seen it’s equal,
And no one would again.
A perfect testimony
Of what happens when one says, “I can.”

God looked down from heaven
A smile on His face.
This flower a reminder
Of His everlasting grace.
The petals were a rainbow,
Each color seemed to shine.
“Let those who see you marvel
And know that you are mine.”
Life may bring us heartache,
A trial, storm, or weed.
But God can grow a miracle
From just one broken seed.

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise,
and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong.
Colossians 1:27

How Is God Growing You?

What seeds of brokenness is God coaxing into beautiful flower in your life and the life of your child. Leave a comment.

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

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Stephanie Ballard is the mother of two sons, her youngest son, Braeden, was born with Kabuki Syndrome and congenital heart defects. Her oldest son, Colin is in the military. She enjoys writing poetry and life lessons about her journey in life.

Author Jolene Philo

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4 Ways to Share the Gospel with Kids Who Have Special Needs

4 Ways to Share the Gospel with Kids Who Have Special Needs

by | Jun 19, 2013 | Different Dream, How-Tos, Special Needs Ministry, Special Needs Parenting

4 Ways to Share the Gospel with Kids Who Have Special Needs

 

The gospel is meant to be shared by parents with their children, even their children with special needs. Today, guest blogger Becky Hallberg—mom of kids with special needs and trained in special education—offers tips about how to share the gospel with kids who have special needs.

Everyone Can Learn

I have felt challenged lately to share the gospel with kids who have special needs. Opportunities have been coming across my path like never before. It’s such a blessing, but at the same time, such a sacred privilege. But even more than the challenge to share Christ’s love with others has been the burden to share that with our kids—not just the three kids belonging to my husband and me, but our kids—your family’s children, my family’s children—our families who deal with special needs.

I am a teacher by profession, and took courses to be certified in Special Education as well as Elementary Education. There are many who would discount a child’s ability to learn based on their special needs. And I will be the first to tell you that, yes, it can be challenging to explain simple concepts to someone who struggles to learn. But that’s just it—it’s challenging, not impossible. I am a firm believer that any child, regardless of special needs that are present, has the ability to have knowledge of Jesus. Why? Because God made us to know and love Him—all of us, regardless of anything that seems to hinder us.  With the schooling of our children and all that goes along with that, the therapies, the medical issues, and the many other issues we face with our kids, how can we easily sow God’s Word into their lives? How can we make sure we are intentional about sharing God’s love with our children?

4 Ways to Intentionally Share the Gospel with Kids Who Has Special Needs

  1. Music: So many kids learn well by music. The repetition of the tune and the words helps it to sink in. There are great CDs that teach kids. There are ones that are as simple as Sunday school songs (Jesus Loves Me, The B-I-B-L-E), and other CDs that are contemporary worship that kids love as well. Find what works for your family, but play music for them if they like music!
  2. Bible Verses: Teach your child a Bible verse, and no, I don’t mean something complex. Shorten it, paraphrase it, write it on a note card, make it easy for them to see, and repeat it for them (and with them!) often. {Side note:  I know that many families have children who are non-verbal. These suggestions are not meant to discourage you. I’m not suggesting we have our kids memorizing and reciting Scripture if they are not able to do so. What I’m suggesting below are ways that we, as parents and friends, can fill their hearts with Scripture and the knowledge of God’s love!}
  3. Pictures: So many kids learn well if they have an image to go along with what they are learning. Pictures can be worked into many parts of how we teach our children. My kids love the preschool and early elementary Bibles that are full of pictures to go along with each story. Maybe that kind of book would work well in your home. Or maybe you’re good at designing images. Even a simple picture of a heart with the word Jesus on it would help our kids to visually remember that Jesus loves them! This can be as easy and simple as you need it to be, or as intricate and detailed as you would like it to be! I’m not great at art, so I’m always thankful for resources with great pictures, or the opportunity to draw my own simple image.
  4. Time: Spending time with our kids can be the easiest way to plant God’s Word in their hearts. Often, when we’re driving to therapy, I will use that opportunity to play some worship music, or to work on a Bible verse with my son. It’s simply a matter of taking the opportunities that we naturally have, and making the most of them. My husband reads with the kids before bed each night. Some of the stories are more adventure-like, some are more biblical-based. It’s just one of those times when we’re already focused on the kids, and we’re doing just a little more to show the importance of God’s love.

How Are You Being Intentional?

How are you being intentional, and practically sowing God’s Word into your child’s life? The suggestions I’ve made are just a few of the many ways we can do this. And, really, if you’re sharing God’s Word and God’s love with someone, especially your child, there are so many right ways to do that. Let’s make sure we’re being intentional with our children and God’s love!

Leave a Comment if You Like

Please share ideas you use to share the gospel with kids who have special needs.

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for both in the upper right column on this page.

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How To Respond to a Special Needs Calling

How To Respond to a Special Needs Calling

by | Apr 9, 2013 | Different Dream, Encouragement, Spiritual Support

How To Respond to a Special Needs Calling

Do you think of parenting your child with special needs a calling from God? Do you ever struggle about how to respond to his call? It’s sometimes a struggle for guest blogger Rebekah Benimoff as this post shows.

How to Respond to a Special Needs Calling

Today I read a word from God via the heart of a mother: “Life is not an emergency. Life is brief and it is fleeting, but is not an emergency… Emergencies are sudden unexpected events—but is anything under the sun unexpected to God?”

Sigh.

My heart resonates with desire to live every moment fully, to ferret out paths of gratitude which buoy up the soul and sustain, even when life is chaotic and unclear.

What if My Life is Speckled with Emergencies?

The question: But what if life—my life—is speckled with emergencies?

The words on the page answer back, “…life is so urgent it necessitates living slow.”

I nod. There is much in my life that I would call urgent. “In Christ, urgent means slow. In Christ the most urgent necessitates a slow and steady reverence.”

I think back across weeks and months, even years, and understanding lights. The paradox in our many emergencies is this: these sudden unexpected events require me to slow down. To watch carefully. To live fully in the moment. Yes, there is the flurry and the fear and the lightning trip to the hospital, the ER, the children’s medical center. But what follows is always time to wait.

Is it my Calling to Keep My Baby Alive?

When I am so still, anxiety billows up, and I have to pray away fear. I take seriously this caregiving, this challenge to do my part in seeking after ways to help a not-big-enough boy to grow. I watch carefully the peaks and valleys of managing blood sugars and digestive issues and aiming towards balance. But sometimes I grasp more responsibility than is mine to shoulder. I think it is my job to keep my son alive. Oh, Father God! How does a mother’s heart become utterly spent? When this mother tries to claim that which is for the hands of God alone.

It is mine to love and soothe and serve and offer care in the ways that my son’s uniquely designed body and soul need. But it is not my job to keep my baby alive.

I weep with the truth of it. Mothering a child with medical needs is hard and helpless all at once. I’ve spoken the strain and struggle. “I spend my life just trying to keep him alive.” I am consumed, depleted. I pour out all I am and still it is not enough. It has been my pursuit but it is not my calling. As if I could breathe life and breath and wholeness into his body with all my striving. But there is a breath that comes only and always from heaven.

My Calling Is to Let Go

My calling is to let go. When devastating unknowns compel me to run into my prayer closet and cry out to God, his sweet whisper urges, let go. Not of the tenderness in a mother’s heart, not of prayer—for it is a most powerful weapon against the enemy. Not even of the natural desire to protect and to resolve medical struggles. Let go—but not of the desire that a precious little one JUST FEEL BETTER and GROW. The Voice seeking to calm and sustain invites, 

 “Let go of your expectations of yourself.“
And I breathe hard and grasp truth, and pour out words onto a page. But can I live this way? There is risk in release. Yet I know that too often I labor under a load I was never called to carry. The true calling when faced with a season of urgent waiting is this: release the urge to control and linger in the arms of love. He is the gift within the suffering.
 

My Calling Is to Let God Equip Me

Now is the moment to walk free—to throw off fear and expectation and allow God to equip me for what He’s called me to and let go of the rest. I am certain this will be a process, a journey with many needed reminders. But I am also sure that abundant living is not possible without this letting go. So I seek the altar, the place of release. And the Voice resounds with love I need like breath: God does not expect me to be perfect, He simply asks me to be real and allow the blanket of grace to cover that which I cannot… and was never meant to. We tarry here, in this holy place, and I find rest for my soul.

What Has God Called You to Do?

Do you sense God calling you through Rebekah’s words? What is he calling you to do?

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop-up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

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Rebekah Benimoff is the wife of a husband with PTSD and the mother of two young men, both of whom grew up with medical and special needs. She blogs at In the Chaos…. and In the Calm (justmemama.blogspot.com).

Author Jolene Philo

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