Shining Light in the Darkness: A Story of Hope for Families with Special Needs

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:5

The God-man came alongside us and entered our story, bringing His glorious light into our darkness. As a man, Jesus took on our flesh, faced our challenges, and experienced our struggles. But, as the Son of God, He brought love, hope, and healing to us in our desperation.

We at Joni and Friends^® see this story lived out every day in the lives of those we serve. Here’s just one example from this summer.

“Let it go…Let it go…” The song lyrics rang out across the auditorium during the talent show at a Family Retreat. Eleven-year-old Teddy, who has Down syndrome, was belting out the popular song with all his heart. It’s hard to say who was enjoying the passionate solo more, Teddy or the audience listening.

The joy Teddy brought to the room this summer wasn’t just a momentary experience. In fact, his journey to the stage of our Family Retreat talent show began ten years ago…

When Teddy was born, his parents, Julia and Matt, and six-year-old brother, Gabe, entered a whole new world called life with disability. And the challenges hit right away. Seeking support, Julia started attending a Bible study for families living with disabilities at Constance Church in Andover, Minnesota. The leader, Scott, encouraged her to attend a Joni and Friends Family Retreat. But Julia declined—the prospect was simply too overwhelming.

Unfortunately, the struggles of the next several years steadily pulled Julia downward. With his difficult behaviors and emotional outbursts, Teddy needed around-the-clock supervision and management. And the constant stress of their family’s complex needs slowly ate away at Julia until she spiraled into a deep state of grief, discouragement, and depression.

At her low point, the Holy Spirit brought Joni and Friends to Julia’s mind—and Scott’s encouragement from ten years earlier: “You have to go to Joni and Friends Family Retreat. It will change your life.” So, Julia and Matt began saving money and took a leap of faith, bringing their family to Family Retreat.

From the moment they drove onto the retreat site, the Lord began to heal Julia and pour encouragement into her whole family. In a loving, supportive environment, Julia, Matt and their children found rest, peace, and joy. The times of worship and learning from God’s Word unlocked Julia’s soul and gave her a powerful sense of restoration. Teddy felt it, too. His face radiated joy all week long. And Gabe, now 17, found his own place of belonging.

Julia described her family’s experience as undergoing “God’s grace upon grace upon grace.”

Julia bonded instantly with the other mothers in the women’s group. They spoke into her life, and the Lord used them to nourish her soul. These conversations became a thread of hope, which God used to strengthen her all week long.

At the end of the week, Julia described Family Retreat as “a piece of heaven on earth.”

“You have no idea the impact you’re making with what you do for families like mine,” she said. In fact, her advice to others who are struggling under the weight of stress and loneliness while living with a child with disability is: “Don’t wait ten years until you’re in a pit of depression.”

Julia

Friend, today you can help families struggling with disability, shining the light of Christ into their places of pain!

Will you partner with Joni and Friends^® Minnesota to make a powerful, life-changing impact on more families in need?

God will use your generosity to help us meet our goal, every dollar of which will make a difference—shining the light of Christ into the lives of people with disabilities, here in Minnesota and around the world!

Thank you for giving your best gift today, allowing God to use you to create a world where every person—like Teddy, Julia, Matt, and Gabe—find hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ.

May God bless you always!