A Powerful Story of God’s Work at Family Retreat

“…My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” John 5:17   

When Annie Labrecque started looking for a summer retreat designed for families living with disabilities, she didn’t know what to expect. Annie and her husband, Jim, have three children. Joshua, their youngest, who is now 21, lives with physical and intellectual disabilities. Adding to the family’s challenges, Annie herself has severe rheumatoid arthritis and a progressive muscle disease that mimics muscular dystrophy.  

“I knew we needed respite,” Annie recalls. “But I also wanted a Christ-centered program. When I found Joni and Friends, I felt compelled to register our family to go to Family Retreat.”   

At their first Family Retreat hosted by our New England office, God began a beautiful work of transformation.    

From the moment they arrived, Annie and Jim marveled at the welcoming, accessible environment at Family Retreat. Joshua, who used a walker at the time, could enjoy every activity—even sports!   

“We were amazed,” says Jim. “And we realized we could leave Joshua with his volunteer and not worry about anything!”   

But even as he watched his son thrive at Family Retreat, Jim initially felt out of his element. “I was overwhelmed by it all that first year,” he said. “I wasn’t attending church. This was an entirely different environment. I remember asking Annie, ‘Are these people for real? What’s the catch?’” But after connecting with the retreat pastor, whose family also lives with disability, Jim relaxed and joined in the fellowship.    

Looking back, Jim sees clearly: “God is always at work.”   

After several years away because of health challenges, the Labrecques eagerly returned to Family Retreat. “We were more than ready to experience God’s love through His people at Family Retreat. Just knowing the warmth and love you feel is sincere is life-changing,” Annie shares.  

At the retreat, Joshua was thrilled to reconnect with friends from an online Bible study and to try new activities. “This year, I got to try things I’ve never done, like riding a bike and throwing paint in a color war,” he said.   

During the week, Jim and Annie met a local pastor who was serving as a volunteer. He warmly invited them to visit his church. For Annie, who had long prayed for a welcoming church, that invitation was an answer to prayer. “I’ve wanted to find a local church for a long, long time,” she said.   

At their new church home, Joshua now serves as part of the worship band! “People say hi to me and there are great snacks after the service,” he says. And his family has found a caring community that loves and supports them through ongoing health struggles.    

To Annie, God’s hand at work in her family stands out clearly, especially through their experiences with Joni and Friends^® and their church, where they have found true belonging in the body of Christ and a place to grow in faith. 

“I truly know that nothing can separate us from God’s love,” Annie says, “And I am so grateful that He is always at work.”