Rising Above Dads Podcast

RAD Podcast S2E10 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: Our Relationship with Employers, Part Two

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, we continue the conversation with local small business leaders who employ individuals with disabilities. We discuss how both parents and employers can equip and empower our children with disabilities to thrive in the workplace.  

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Three of their children live with special needs. Steve serves as Vice President of Rising Above Ministries, played rugby at Tennessee Tech, studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary, procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old TV Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and they have 4 sons, one of which has congenital central hyperventilation syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at Hope Church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

Grade-A-Catering  

The Exceptional Bean 

Rising Above Community Groups for dads 

The Runner Dudes Podcast 

Contact us:

 [email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/

RAD Podcast S2E9 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: Our Relationship with Employers, Part 1

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, our hosts talk with local small business leaders who employ individuals with disabilities. We discuss how both parents and employers can equip and empower our children with disabilities to thrive in the workplace.  

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Three of their children live with special needs. Steve serves as Vice President of Rising Above Ministries, played rugby at Tennessee Tech, studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary, procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old TV Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and they have 4 sons, one of which has congenital central hyperventilation syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at Hope Church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

Grade-A-Catering  

The Exceptional Bean 

Rising Above Community Groups for dads 

The Runner Dudes Podcast 

Contact us:

 [email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/

RAD Podcast S2E8 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: Our Relationship with School Personnel

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, our hosts discuss the importance of dad’s involvement with our child’s educational experience.  Joining us on this episode are Todd Clinton, Director of Special Education in Jackson County, TN and Becky Davidson, Co-Founder and President of Rising Above Ministries.

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Three of their children live with special needs. Steve serves as Vice President of Rising Above Ministries, played rugby at Tennessee Tech, studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary, procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old TV Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and they have 4 sons, one of which has congenital central hyperventilation syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at Hope Church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

The Rising Above App

Rising Above with Becky Davidson 

How to navigate an IEP videos 

Contact us:

[email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/

RAD Podcast S2E7 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: Our Relationship with Culture, part 2

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, our hosts continue the conversation on stepping out into culture with our children living with disabilities and how we overcome our fears, frustrations, and fatigue and lead both our family and culture.

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Three of their children live with special needs. Steve serves as Vice President of Rising Above Ministries, played rugby at Tennessee Tech, studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary, procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old TV Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and they have 4 sons, one of which has congenital central hyperventilation syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at Hope Church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

Contact us:

 [email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/

RAD Podcast S2E6 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: Our Relationship with Culture, part 1

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, our hosts discuss the challenges of stepping beyond the safety and familiarity of our homes and engaging a culture that often doesn’t know what to do with families like ours.  As dads, how can we help make this a win-win for both our families and our culture? 

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Three of their children live with special needs. Steve serves as Vice President of Rising Above Ministries, played rugby at Tennessee Tech, studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary, procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old TV Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and they have 4 sons, one of which has congenital central hyperventilation syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at his church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

Navigating IEP resources

Disney World

Dollywood Theme Park

Contact us:

[email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/

RAD Podcast S2E5 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: Our Relationship with other Special-Needs Dads, part 2

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, we continue our conversation with guest hosts Chris Riley and Hutch Matteson who join Steve at our annual Base Camp weekend for dads to discuss some practical steps to locate and connect with other dads who are caring for children with disabilities and special needs.  

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Three of their children live with special needs. Steve serves as Vice President of Rising Above Ministries, played rugby at Tennessee Tech, studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary, procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old TV Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and they have 4 sons, one of which has congenital central hyperventilation syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at his church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

Base Camp

Affluent Bridge

Riley & You

The Sanctuary of North Georgia

Parents/Siblings and Caregivers of Adults with Down Syndrome Facebook page

Contact us:

 [email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/

RAD Podcast S2E4 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: Our Relationship with other Special-Needs Dads, part 1

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, guest hosts Chris Riley and Hutch Matteson join Steve at our annual Base Camp weekend for dads to discuss the importance of connecting with other dads who are caring for children with disabilities and special needs. Fun conversation with these two amazing guest hosts!   

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Three of their children live with special needs. Steve serves as Vice President of Rising Above Ministries, played rugby at Tennessee Tech, studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary, procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old TV Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and they have 4 sons, one of which has congenital central hyperventilation syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at his church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

Base Camp: https://www.risingaboveministries.org/base-camp

Affluent Bridge: https://affluentbridge.com/

Riley & You: https://rileyandyou.com/

The Sanctuary of North Georgia: https://sanctuaryofng.org/

Parents/Siblings and Caregivers of Adults with Down Syndrome facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1101537673843271/

Contact us:

 [email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/

RAD Podcast S2E3 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: Our relationship with the church, part 2

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, the hosts continue their very candid conversation with Pastors Bryan Vaughn and Lee Bailey about the relationship between special-needs families and the church. Brandon Jones, a board member of Rising Above Ministries and father of a child with special needs, joins the conversation as a guest and sits in for co-host Dustin Rawls.

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Three of their children live with special needs. Steve serves as Vice President of Rising Above Ministries, played rugby at Tennessee Tech, studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary, procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old TV Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and they have 4 sons, one of which has congenital central hyperventilation syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at his church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

www.risingaboveministries.org

Oaks church website: https://www.oakscookeville.church/  

Pastor Bryan Vaughn email: [email protected]

Stevens Street Baptist Church website: https://www.stevensstreet.org/ 

Executive Pastor Lee Bailey email: [email protected]

Clemson study on church attendance and disability: https://keyministry.org/2018/07/22/2018-7-22-its-the-hidden-disabilities-that-keep-kids-out-of-church/

Contact us:

 [email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/

RAD Podcast S2E2 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: Our relationship with the church, part 1

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, our hosts discuss the relationship between special-needs dads and the local church.  Local pastors Bryan Vaughn and Lee Bailey join our hosts for an open discussion about the fears and uncertainties faced by everyone involved. Brandon Jones, a Rising Above Ministries Board member and special-needs dad, fills in for co-host Dustin Rawls.

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and has 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Two of his adult daughters live with Down Syndrome. Steve is Vice President of Rising Above Ministries. He studied Psychology and played rugby at Tennessee Tech and later studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary.  He procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and has 4 sons, one of which has Congenital Central Hyperventilation Syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at his church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time, he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

www.risingaboveministries.org

Oaks church website

Pastor Bryan Vaughn email: [email protected]

Stevens Street Baptist Church website

Executive Pastor Lee Bailey email: [email protected]

Clemson study on church attendance and disability

Contact us:

 [email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/

RAD Podcast S2E1 Show Notes / Summary 

Episode Title: The many relationships we navigate

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, our hosts discuss the many different “relationship hats” we wear as special-needs dads.  Whether it’s family, friends, co-workers, special-education teachers, therapists, doctors, church leaders or others, we need to navigate these relationships well but often we feel unprepared and overwhelmed!  This episode also gives an overview of season two.

Meet the hosts:

Steve Chatman is married to Lori and has 5 children and 4 grandchildren.  Two of his adult daughters live with Down Syndrome. Steve is Vice President of Rising Above Ministries. He studied Psychology and played rugby at Tennessee Tech and later studied theology and family ministry at Bethel Seminary.  He procrastinates a lot, loves to watch old Gameshows on YouTube, and he owns a banjo and tuxedo but rarely uses either.  

Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and has 4 sons, one of which has Congenital Central Hyperventilation Syndrome.  Daniel is the Online Campus Pastor at his church and enjoys using technology and media to help others connect with God.  He studied music performance at Tennessee Tech. In his spare time, he enjoys hanging with his family and watching his boys pursue their passions.  He also loves to drink coffee and quote Tow Mater from the movie Cars.  

Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, Dylan and Madison who was born with Spina Bifida. Dustin serves as the Men’s Ministry director at his church and has a passion for discipleship. He works for the financial aid arm of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and has never met an audience he didn’t love. Whether it was bowling a perfect 300, becoming the first ever homecoming king at MTSU, or finishing his fourth degree, clearly Dustin has a need to prove something that nobody else cares about. 

Related links:

www.risingaboveministries.org

Contact us:

 [email protected]

About the Show

Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend. 

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios.

https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/