Every Child Belongs

• How a pair of adapted scissors changed Becke's childhood
• Why doing something differently doesn't mean doing it wrong
• Helping children respond to disability with curiosity instead of fear
• Teaching kids how to ask questions
• Why churches may be overcomplicating disability ministry
• The difference between being accommodated and truly belonging
• Why people with disabilities are essential to the Body of Christ
• Creating a culture of love from the parking lot to the sanctuary
• Why every child is worthy of love

"Boundless Hope for Every Child: Help for the Hurting, Compassion for the Misunderstood, Belonging for the Lonely" by Kim Botto https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links) Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more. Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.

What happens when a child with a disability grows up? For many families, support can feel abundant during childhood and then suddenly disappear as their child moves into the teen and adult years. In this episode of Every Child Belongs, Kim Botto talks with Andrea Roseman, who has spent more than a decade building disability ministry at Lynwood Baptist Church and walking alongside teens, adults, parents, and siblings. Andrea shares how a ministry that began with one woman named Shelby grew into a thriving community serving dozens of teens and adults. She and Kim talk about helping young people transition from children's ministry into student ministry, creating genuine friendships instead of simply providing accommodations, giving adults opportunities to serve and work, and supporting parents and siblings along the way. Andrea also introduces what she calls the "second grief period," a season some parents experience when their child with a disability leaves the structure of school and adulthood begins to look different than they once imagined. She explains why employment, friendship, independence, community, and purpose matter for every person, regardless of ability. For churches wondering where to begin, Andrea offers refreshingly simple advice: start with who you already have. Care well for the people God has already entrusted to your community, listen to families, take the next step, and trust God with what comes next. "Boundless Hope for Every Child: Help for the Hurting, Compassion for the Misunderstood, Belonging for the Lonely" by Kim Botto https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links) Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more. Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.

What if the greatest challenge facing people with disabilities isn't disability at all? What if it's isolation? Matt Mooney, co-founder of Ninety-Nine Balloons, believes the Church has a unique opportunity to change that story. After losing their first son, Elliott, who lived just ninety-nine days with Trisomy 18, Matt and his wife, Ginny, found themselves drawn into a community that would forever change the way they understood disability, friendship, and the Kingdom of God. Their journey eventually led them to adopt their daughter, Lena, and to launch a global movement focused on helping people move from isolation to belonging. In this conversation, Matt challenges churches to move beyond simply creating programs and instead build genuine friendships. He explains why disability isn't a problem to solve, why inclusion alone isn't enough, and how every person, regardless of ability, has gifts the Church desperately needs. Through personal stories, practical wisdom, and deep theological insight, this episode invites us to become the kind of community where no one has to experience life alone. "Boundless Hope for Every Child: Help for the Hurting, Compassion for the Misunderstood, Belonging for the Lonely" by Kim Botto https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links) Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more. Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.

When Nadia Ibrahim Mossburg was growing up with cerebral palsy, she rarely saw someone like herself serving in the Church. That absence shaped her life, but it also became the foundation for her calling. As a disability rights advocate, federal policy expert, and author of Divinely Disabled, Nadia has spent decades fighting for accessibility while reminding the Church that policy alone cannot create belonging. Real community begins when hearts change and people with disabilities are recognized not as projects to serve, but as essential, "load-bearing" members of the Body of Christ. In this deeply personal conversation, Nadia shares her journey of living with cerebral palsy, wrestling with difficult questions about suffering and God's sovereignty, and discovering the freedom that comes from knowing she was intentionally created by God. Together, Kim and Nadia explore how churches can move beyond accessibility toward genuine belonging, why vulnerability matters, and what it looks like for every believer to contribute their God-given gifts. Get Nadia's book here: https://amzn.to/4gO37aW "Boundless Hope for Every Child: Help for the Hurting, Compassion for the Misunderstood, Belonging for the Lonely" by Kim Botto https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links) Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more. Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.

When Amy Julia Becker's daughter Penny was born with Down syndrome, everything she imagined about the future suddenly changed. Fear, grief, uncertainty, and love all arrived at once. In this conversation, Amy Julia shares how that unexpected diagnosis reshaped not only her understanding of disability, but also her understanding of God, belonging, friendship, and what it truly means to live a meaningful life. Together, Kim and Amy Julia discuss how churches can become places where people with disabilities are genuinely known, why friendship matters more than inclusion alone, and how every child brings unique gifts to the world. They also explore helping children discover their hopes and dreams, preparing for adulthood, and why curiosity is one of the greatest gifts we can offer. Whether you're a parent, pastor, educator, ministry leader, or simply want to better understand disability and belonging, this conversation offers practical wisdom, deep encouragement, and a fresh vision for seeing every person through the eyes of love. Find Amy Julia Becker here: https://amyjuliabecker.com/ "Boundless Hope for Every Child: Help for the Hurting, Compassion for the Misunderstood, Belonging for the Lonely" by Kim Botto https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links) Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more. Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.

What if one of the largest unreached people groups in your community is hiding in plain sight? In this episode of Every Child Belongs, Kim Botto sits down with disability advocate, ministry leader, and educator Abby Howard. After a rare spinal cord stroke at age 19 left her paralyzed from the chest down, Abby's life changed overnight. What began as a devastating medical crisis eventually became a calling to help churches make the Gospel accessible to people with disabilities and their families. Today, Abby serves as a disability ministry coordinator, special education graduate, and founder of The Accessible Gospel, where she equips churches with practical tools to welcome and disciple people with disabilities. Through personal stories, ministry experience, and a deep passion for the Great Commission, Abby challenges churches to rethink what belonging truly means. Together, Kim and Abby discuss invisible disabilities, common misconceptions about disability ministry, why so many families have left churches, and how simple accommodations can create life-changing opportunities for children and adults to experience the love of Christ. Abby also shares her own journey of learning to be honest about her disability and allowing others to help carry her burdens. Whether you're a parent, pastor, volunteer, educator, or church leader, this conversation will encourage you to see disability ministry not as a specialized program, but as an essential part of making disciples and building a church where every person belongs. "Boundless Hope for Every Child: Help for the Hurting, Compassion for the Misunderstood, Belonging for the Lonely" by Kim Botto https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links) Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more. Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.

https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links)

Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more.

Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.

What does belonging actually look like for families raising neurodivergent children, children with trauma histories, and kids with significant disabilities?

In this episode of Every Child Belongs, Kim Botto sits down with foster and adoptive mom, educator, and trauma-informed parenting advocate Kayla North for a deeply honest conversation about parenting, empathy, church belonging, and helping every child discover their place in the world.

Kayla and her husband Ryan have fostered around 30 children over the years and are raising six children, several of whom are neurodivergent or have significant developmental differences. Through their ministry at One Big Happy Home, Kayla helps parents, churches, educators, and caregivers better understand trauma, attachment, and practical ways to support children who experience the world differently.

Together, Kim and Kayla talk about the assumptions people make about families with disabilities, the hidden realities of parenting children with invisible struggles, how to build empathy in both kids and adults, and why churches must move beyond simply saying "everyone is welcome." This conversation is full of practical wisdom, emotional honesty, and hope for parents who sometimes feel unseen or isolated.

"Boundless Hope for Every Child: Help for the Hurting, Compassion for the Misunderstood, Belonging for the Lonely" by Kim Botto https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links)

Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more.

Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.

What if the problem isn't that churches don't care… but that they don't know where to start? In this episode of Every Child Belongs, Kim Botto sits down with ministry leader Ryan Faulk to talk about what it really means to help neurodivergent and disabled kids belong in church communities. Ryan serves as Director of Children and Disability Ministry at Cornerstone Church in California and has spent years helping churches move beyond good intentions into meaningful discipleship.

Ryan shares how he "accidentally" created a low-sensory youth ministry environment that drew neurodivergent students in, and how that experience completely changed the way he viewed church, inclusion, and discipleship. Together, Kim and Ryan discuss student ministry transitions, sensory environments, disability ministry silos, church fears around feeling "unequipped," and why every church must move from passive welcome to active belonging.

This conversation is deeply practical for pastors, ministry leaders, volunteers, and parents alike. Ryan offers simple but powerful frameworks that help churches think differently about disability ministry, including one unforgettable analogy about goldfish transitions and another about gardening that may completely reshape how you think about supporting kids and families.

"Boundless Hope for Every Child: Help for the Hurting, Compassion for the Misunderstood, Belonging for the Lonely" by Kim Botto https://amzn.to/3Utuw6V (affiliate links)

Every Child Belongs explores how we can create spaces where every child feels heard and valued, whether neurodivergent, differently abled, or they've experienced trauma. We'll hear from educators, parents, professionals, and more.

Kim Botto is an adoptive mom, grandma, an advocate for kids and teens with disabilities, as well as a long-time leader of kids in student ministries.