Shawn at Family Retreat: A Life Changed by Love, Worship, and Disability Ministry

“We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:12 

Do you want to hear some good news? No matter what you face today—maybe a difficult diagnosis or family strain, perhaps the daily struggles of disability, caregiving, or a prolonged season of grief—whatever hardship weighs heavily on your heart, when you put your trust in Jesus, you can find hope through your hardship.  

As a pastor, I have spent decades sharing the Gospel message. And this year, as I have stepped into the role of President and Chief Ministry Officer at Joni and Friends®, I have had the honor of spreading the Good News of Jesus through the life-changing, Christ-centered outreaches of this incredible ministry.  

While my heart is overflowing with stories, I’d like to share one with you today, about my friend Paul, whom I had the joy of meeting at Family Retreat. 

My Friend Paul 

Before coming on staff with Joni and Friends, I visited Family Retreats. But when I officially came on board, I wanted to delve into the deeper levels of connection and transformation that happen throughout the retreat week. So, to learn about the Family Retreat experience from the eyes of a volunteer, I came to the Family Retreat this summer and went through volunteer training preparing to serve as a dedicated buddy for the week. 

Like my fellow volunteers, I found out who my buddy would be: a 32-year-old man named Paul who lives with Down syndrome. At first, I was nervous, wondering if I would be a good buddy for Paul.

As it happened, it was Paul who broke the ice… When I first met him, his family was pulling into the retreat amid cheers of greeting. Paul rolled down the window and I greeted him, and he reached out and touched my arm. He made it very easy for me to connect with him. And I tell you what, I fell in love with him right away because he loves Jesus! 

Here are some fun facts I learned about Paul during our time together: 

• He has a passion for God’s Word—and knows the book of John like the back of his hand! 

• His handwriting is better than mine. 

• He has great hand-eye coordination (which I discovered as he beat me at corn hole and basketball). 

• He doesn’t enjoy heights, though he found the courage to get on a horse and try the climbing wall at Family Retreat! 

Paul also has significant physical challenges, including heart issues and a lack of ear canals. To hear, he wears black magnetic devices behind his ears that utilize bone conduction to convey sound to his inner ear and help him hear. Because of the condition with his ears, his speech is slow.  

But above all the difficulties Paul faces, what stands out most about him is his clear, genuine faith. He doesn’t just mimic what his parents say to him about the Bible. He can explain to you his own walk with Christ and how he finds hope amid his circumstances. He has a heart to love others and a gentle demeanor. His dad says he has “the manners of Jesus”—and he really does. 

“Jesus Loves Me” 

On day one of Family Retreat, the leaders told us volunteers to let our buddies know about a talent show that would be held in the middle of the week. And right away, Paul said:  

“I know what I’m going to do… I’m going to play the piano and sing and ask everybody to sing with me. I want to lead everyone in worship, and I’m going to sing Jesus Loves Me.” 

This is exactly what Paul did. And I wish you could have been in the room at that talent show, enjoying the Spirit-filled worship, with Paul playing and singing “Jesus Loves Me” straight from his heart. The next day, I sent a video of Paul leading worship to Joni Eareckson Tada. So she got on a video call with us and said, “That’s incredible that you play the piano and sing like that, Paul—just wonderful. Tell me more about that.” 

And Paul responded, slowly and determinedly:  

“All of my abilities and gifts I have come from God, and I do it for the glory of Christ.”  

What a testimony! Paul’s faith is so clear, so sincere. And I think of the challenges this young man faces in the world. He’s often misunderstood, and he faces many injustices. But he’s choosing hope through hardship because he sees God’s grace growing him. And he understands that in the current struggle of life, God’s power is shaping him for his glory. And he verbalizes that.  

A Buddy for Life 

For me, Paul was not just a buddy for a week. He’s a buddy for life. We’ve connected on video calls. And when his dad was in town, he came to church with me. Paul leads a Bible study online with other young adults who wrestle with disabilities. And he’s super precious in every way.  

His life snapshot at times is pretty hard—with question marks over his future. But he chooses a perspective of faith that says, “Others might think I’m inadequate. Others may think this is unfair. I could be overwhelmed by all this.” But instead, Paul leans into Jesus, whose strength shines brightest in our weakness. My friend, like the Apostle Paul, can say from his heart: 

“…for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 

Belonging in Jesus—at Family Retreat and all Year Round 

At Family Retreat, God not only gave me a beloved new friend in my buddy Paul; he showed me how powerful Family Retreat, and all our Retreats & Getaways can be for families living with disability. Serving as a volunteer expanded my heart for the needs of this community, to take a breath, get refreshed, and focus on the Lord in their lives. 

Listening to the parents, and especially the first-year parents, talk about how they wish they’d known about Joni and Friends years ago, has really stirred in me this desire to invite as many families as possible to Family Retreat—and all our Christ-centered outreaches. My heart says, “Oh, if we could get to every family and every church, and people who don’t know Jesus, what a difference this would make!”  

Truly, I wish we could have 1,000 Family Retreats in every state every summer; even then, we would just scratch the surface of the needs many special needs families face. That’s why I am so encouraged that in addition to our Retreats & Getaways, Joni and Friends focuses on equipping the church to fully embrace people living with disability year-round, so that people with disabilities can find their place of belonging in the body of Christ—not just one week per year, but always. 

Will you take a moment to pray with me? 

Father, I pray that you will stretch us, grow us, and shape us. Thank you for my buddy Paul, his testimony, and how his life has rocked my world in terms of his love for Jesus in the midst of his challenges. 

And Lord, I pray for every person reading this message today, that they will step into deeds prompted by faith in you, which will bring glory to your name, and the love of Jesus to people with disabilities, at home and around the world. Amen.