Rising Above with Becky Davidson

Today Becky is joined by Rising Above staff members Chris Pierce and Kim Thorpe to discuss why a special needs ministry is so vital as part of a thriving church environment, and how important it is for someone to step up and champion the implementation of that ministry.  Look for more episodes addressing the topic of special needs ministry in the church in the coming weeks and months!

Well, friends, we have reached the end of our Rest series.  We have so enjoyed exploring this topic with you and we hope you have been encouraged and maybe even challenged to find more time for true, soulful rest in your life.  This special-needs journey can be exhausting, wearying, and draining – but because of Jesus and His promises, we really can find rest for our souls.

This week we end the series with a podcast that is simply a conversation between Becky Davidson and Hannah Kistler about some practical things we can do to find rest in the day-to-day rush of our lives.  We hope you’ll give it a listen!

Before we get started, here are some extra resources for you to end this series with some amazing free downloads available on our website.

https://www.risingaboveministries.org/podcast/2019/1/22/word-for-your-weekend-rest-podcast-free-downloads

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Rising Above Ministries Podcast!

In today's episode, Becky spends some time chatting with our Men's Ministry Assistant Waldhys Rodoli and our Dad's Hang Time leader Rick Imel.  This episode covers challenges special-needs dads might face, practical ways to avoid becoming a "vacant dad", and more details about our upcoming SOAR Men's Getaway, on April 20-22.

Rick mentions Jeff's book, No More Peanut Butter Sandwiches, in which Jeff shares his story of becoming a father of a child with special needs, and his journey with God through it all. You can find the book on Amazon here.

Have you wished for a special-needs ministry at your church, but been met with…

Today on the Rising Above Podcast, Becky, Kim and Chris are ready to do some myth-busting and show just how un-true those myths really are.  They offer real encouragement about how it is more than possible for your church to have a thriving ministry to special-needs families. Take a listen!

One of the highlights of By The Brook 2017 was definitely our funny and fabulous hosts, Dawn and Lori!  These ladies are both special-needs moms themselves, and they “get it” in every way.  In today’s episode Becky sits down with the two of them to talk about the upcoming retreat, what they’re looking forward to, as well as chatting about their favorite aspects of By The Brook each year.  It’s an episode you don’t want to miss!

Today on the Rising Above Podcast, Becky is joined by veteran mom and By The Brook host extraordinaire, Lori Chatman.  Together they discuss the sometimes complicated, sometimes humorous, and sometimes wonderful ins-and-outs of back to school season with children with special needs.  Lori shares some practical tips for how to navigate transitions to new grades and teachers, as well as how prayer has been a vital part of their back-to-school survival plan.

Today’s episode is extra-special…today is the official release day for the new book from Jeff and Becky Davidson: Common Man, Extraordinary Call. This was such a labor of love as Becky shepherded the book to completion after Jeff’s unexpected passing in the spring of 2017. Some of Jeff’s dearest friends, Rick Imel and Jason Vaden, joined Becky for a conversation that celebrates the book, as well as the valiant soldier that Jeff Davidson truly was.

Today our friend Dawn Fry - cohost of the annual By The Brook retreat and fellow special-needs mom - joins Becky for a discussion of the dreaded three-letter word: IEP. She tells the humorous story of the first IEP meeting she ever attended for her son, and then she speaks from her experience to offer advice for how to navigate common issues that parents might have when entering IEPs.

In today’s episode Becky is joined by Rising Above’s Men’s Ministry Assistant, Rob Pierce. Becky and Rob shared a conversation about the importance of community in the life of special-needs dads, as well as more details about our upcoming men’s getaway - SOAR 2019. If you are a special-needs dad, this is the weekend for you! Take a listen to learn more about the event, and be encouraged to walk in community with others who “get it”.

In today’s episode Becky chats with special needs parents Terry & Susan Pace and Susan Lomax about their experiences traveling with their children with special needs over the years. They offer encouragement and advice for how to get out of the house and explore the world, no matter the ages or abilities of your family members.