Full Acceptance and Belonging within the Body of Christ

By Joni and Friends|Published On: March 9, 2023|Categories: Family Retreats|

At times rejection, exhaustion, and stress have prompted the family to withdraw from social settings.

Sarah has often despaired that they would never experience real belonging, even in the church. But when she met a member of our Joni and Friends Northwest team, Sarah knew she’d found a kindred spirit. And at Joni and Friends, her family found exactly what they had been longing for…

At their first Family Retreat, Sarah and her family had a transformative experience: full acceptance and belonging within the body of Christ.

For Sarah and Allan, spending quality time as a couple refreshed their marriage. They attended a group led by the camp pastor where they felt understood and accepted by other couples navigating similar life circumstances.

Ethan, Logan, and Tristan thrived at Family Retreat too. Alongside their “perfectly matched” one-on-one volunteers, they enjoyed program activities and emerging friendships.

One of Sarah and Allen's boys reading a book in a swing at family retreat.

One of Sarah and Allen's boys with orange-rimmed glasses on and a stretchy straw in his mouth as he's drinking chocolate milk.

Watching their children at Family Retreat brought joy and healing to both Sarah and Allan.

As Sarah put it: “I did not realize how much my soul needed to see my boys be loved for who they are… For the first time, my kids were not just tolerated—they were genuinely celebrated!”

Now, through Joni and Friends, Sarah, Allan, and their boys found a church that fully includes and embraces every member of the family.

This experience, as Sarah said, has “helped bring us back to life and restore our hope in the church… You can’t put a price on what that means to us!”

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ.

Our Family Retreats offer a haven for families living with disability. By partnering with Joni and Friends you can help families navigating the joys and challenges of disability experience respite, accessible fun, and Christ-centered encouragement, in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.