Reframing Ministries

Like fuel is for our cars and vitamins are for our bodies, hope is for the soul. Without hope, life continues to swirl around us, but we grind to a sluggish stop. Despair, disillusionment, and discontentment can set in. Few understand hopelessness like Nancy Guthrie. After losing one child to a rare genetic disorder, Nancy and her husband were surprised to find she was pregnant again—only to have another child grow in her womb, be welcomed into loving arms, then pass into eternity within a few months. Where do you find hope after the loss of two children? How do you get unstuck? The answer resides in the lens we look through. If your fuel tank is low, Nancy’s words will help fill you with hope to move forward. We all endure times when it seems like nothing good will come from a situation or circumstance that is awful, painful, unexpected, and appears hopeless. We may know what Scripture says, but it doesn’t always fill the gaping wound with a wonderfully comforting balm. The truth is, the good comes after we have endured the bad for a while, after we’ve been comforted by the comfort of others, and after we’ve chosen to put our hope and trust in the One who endured the cross: Jesus Christ. Have you run out of fuel? Is your spiritual or emotional tank on empty? Choose hope . . . choose to believe, to hope in Christ, and watch what unfolds. SHOW NOTES: Discover Nancy Guthrie’s books, contact information, retreat information, and additional media today! You can also order Nancy’s books Even Better Than Eden, The One Year Book of Hope Devotional, Hearing Jesus Speak Into Your Sorrow from Amazon!

You may be shocked by what you are about to read: After cancer and heart disease, suicide accounts for more years of life lost than any other cause of death. Suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of over 48,000 people in 2018.Even more shocking is the church’s inaccurate beliefs about mental health issues, as identified in the most recent mental health study conducted by LifeWay Research. We cannot continue to neglect this enormous area of need. After personal tragedy and with professional insight, Kay Warren offers practical tools and hands-on direction for supporting individuals and families struggling with mental health challenges. Likely, you or someone you know suffers with a mental health issue. Can this person come to you for help? Does your church have a proven system for helping people with mental health needs? With love and grace, are you willing to reach into the lives of those who are marginalized? How quickly do most Christians respond to broken families, broken lives, and broken bodies, but run from those who may have broken or fractured minds? I challenge you to connect with someone who is hurting. As you do, let me know what happens. I bet you will be amazed! Listen in as we revisit this conversation between Colleen and Kay! ADDITIONAL SUGGESTED RESOURCES Hope for Mental HealthNational Suicide Prevention Hotline American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Mental Health Grace Alliance NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) NAMI FAITHNET National Catholic Partnership on Disability National Institute on Mental Health PTSD Perspectives SHOW NOTES: You can contact Kay, as well as see information on her books, articles, initiatives, devotionals, and more on her website. ------------------- Notes: ↑1 ”Suicide,” National Institue of Mental Health, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml, accessed January 19, 2021. ↑2 “Study of Acute Mental Illness and Christian Faith: Research Report,” LifeWay Research, http://lifewayresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Acute-Mental-Illness-and-Christian-Faith-Research-Report-1.pdf, accessed Sept. 11, 2015.

Thank you for joining us for this revisited conversation between Lawrence (Larry) and Colleen. Since the original recording date, Larry has passed away. We are deeply grateful for the impact he made and left during his years on earth with us. With this being said, we honor his life and hope you are able to learn and grow from the recording he and Colleen had the blessing to share. Disclaimer: Statistics provided are data from 2015. The statistics are shocking . . . -Every ten seconds, a child sexual assault is reported. -Four children die from abuse every day. -20 percent of students in grades 9–12 have reported being in a fight or bullied at school in the past 12 months. -95 percent of abused children are abused by someone they know: parent, relative, babysitter, friend, and caregiver. -50 percent of children who make an outcry to a parent about being abused are not believed. -1.3 million nonfatal crimes occurred against the disabled in 2012. -One in four girls and one in six boys are sexually assaulted before age 16. -Seven of ten sexual addicts were sexually assaulted before age 12. (visit https://reframingministries.com/podcast/interview-lawrence-daly-2021/ for sources) That being said, there is no standard in the world for reporting child abuse, and there is no standard for convicting child abuse criminals. Lawrence Daly was an international leader, speaker, and skilled professional striving to make this world a safer place for our kids. It’s time to become part of the solution. It’s time to listen to the voices of those crying out for help. It’s time to be a transforming agent of change. No adult is free from God’s command to “take care of one of the least of these” (Matthew 25:45); that role is inescapable. Are you playing a part in creating a safer place for our children? Are you aware that you have a legal responsibility to listen and act if you know a child is being abused or neglected in any way? There is not a lack of information; there is a lack of attentive action. I have to ask, what part are you going to play in the lives of those you love and care for? The following resources are here for your use. For further help, please reach out to Colleen and/or connect further with Reframing Ministries.

We’ve all said a time or two, “Adulting is hard!” Daily traffic, kids crying, constant negative news, bills to pay, laundry to fold, food to cook . . . we’re all driven to distraction. Sadly, such distractions also limit our focus on what’s vitally important. In fact, have you stopped recently to ask yourself what IS important? Where is my focus? Have I become too narrow—so focused on today that my perspective on life has lost its meaning? Where is my vision? Gordon Mote speaks into these questions because he has chosen to focus on life’s bigger picture. Gordon and his younger brother were both born blind, yet both clung to God’s direction for their lives. Their inspiring and energizing vision is embedded in their hearts. Gordon shares how God has used his blindness to see life through the eyes of his soul—eyes that remain focused on reaching the lost and restoring the discouraged. We hope you enjoy this revisited interview between Colleen and Gordon! Recorded on Jul. 30, 2014

The Olympic Games are infused with anticipation and excitement. Incredibly conditioned athletes from around the world come together to compete, captivating our attention and appealing to our longings for global friendship. But what makes an Olympic athlete? Is it agility? A developed skill? The competence of a competitive coach? Or is there more behind those monumental moments of success? As the games unfold, so do some of the most incredible stories of determined, tested, and tried individuals who made the choice to stay the course and to discipline their bodies and minds year after year. That is the making of an Olympic athlete. Like an athlete, Joni rises to each challenge, choosing to endure tests, trials, and painful setbacks. She remains focused on the prize, the crown of glory awaiting her in heaven. Joni and her husband Ken are spiritual athletes, determined to stay the course and finish well. Listen in on this conversation between Colleen and Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada.

Life’s challenges can rob us of our joy—especially when circumstances appear hopeless. If words such as fear, pain, illness, sorrow, loss, or doubt describe your life, you need to know you are not alone. Emily Colson, daughter of the late Chuck Colson, speaks with honest compassion about life as a single parent and the surprising gifts from God she has encountered while raising Max. You will laugh with her, and come to love her, as she shares about how to live abundantly—one day at a time. Listen in as we revisit this conversation between Colleen and Emily. You are invited to share your input on how this podcast relates to your story in the comments section below!

David Glover’s life and ministry changed when his grandson, Zachariah, was born with hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy, and a myriad of other disorders. David poured his life and love into Zach by caring for his grandson and the needs of their family until Zach passed away unexpectedly at age four. With refreshing honesty and humility, David reveals how God uses suffering and pain in our lives to humble us, change us, and use us in ways we never imagined. The impact of Zach’s life was so profound that David realized there was a sizeable hole in Christian special-needs ministry. Through the suffering and grief, David says: "God is using people with special needs to refine us by making us become genuine, transparent, and authentic . . . they don’t wear masks but live on the truest level of sincerity, honesty, and purity." Though David’s grandson never said a word, never took a step, endured 15 surgeries, was diagnosed with multiple disabilities, and died unexpectedly at age four, his life’s purpose has had a profound impact on numerous lives. Listen in as we revisit this conversation between Colleen and David!

Anyone who has experienced it knows: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) provides huge challenges. Jolene Philo understands. In this interview, Jolene offers a wealth of wisdom as she talks about the many special needs in her family as well as the diagnosis of PTSD. She models an example of a person who has learned to trust Christ as Lord over all things. She encourages us to do the same. Listen in on this revisited dialogue between Colleen and Jolene as they tackle the heavy topic of special needs and PTSD.

It was an enviable life.Jennifer Shaw had strong Christian parents, an excellent education, a loving husband, and two adorable girls.But it changed almost overnight.A miscarriage that almost took her life, her beloved father’s diagnosis of a terminal disease, and the birth of her atypical son turned Jennifer’s life into one of suffering, sorrow, and searching. But her story also includes a surprising turn as she discovered God’s faithfulness and goodness through her suffering.Listen in as we revisit this conversation with Jennifer, who offers a depth of understanding for caregivers and those with disabilities, empathy for those who have lost a loved one, and compassion for all who encounter life-changing circumstances.

Marriages often struggle with the significant challenges that come with raising a special needs child.Joe and Cindi Ferrini have been there—and are making it work.This will encourage you in your marriage as Joe and Cindi balance serious topics with much-needed humor. We discuss commitment, good choices, adaptation and acceptance, divorce, dependence on biblical truth, and the importance of a Spirit-filled life.Your special needs family doesn’t have to erode your marriage. Joe and Cindi are proof that you can make it stronger.Listen in as we revisit this conversation between Colleen and Cindi and Joe Ferrini.