“Dads really need men to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with them and say, ‘I am here for you. You can be vulnerable with me. It’s ok to not always be strong. I am here to help.’” This week on the podcast, David Smith is joining Crystal to share his story and a powerful word of encouragement to other special needs dads. As a dedicated pastor and husband, David – like many men – saw himself as a ‘fixer.’ When he and his wife Heather decided to start a family, they followed God’s call to adopt three children, not knowing what the next day may bring. But through fatherhood and the unexpected challenges of raising kids with special needs, David discovered an even greater reliance upon the Lord. Today he serves other families impacted by disability through Joni and Friends Missouri and has a gift for encouraging other dads in need of community. With Father’s Day around the corner, don’t miss this powerful conversation – share it with a special needs father in your life!
“Dads really need men to walk shoulder to shoulder with them and say, ‘I am here for you. You can be vulnerable with me. It’s ok to not always be strong. I am here to help.’”
This week on the podcast, David Smith is joining Crystal to share his story and a powerful word of encouragement to other special needs dads. As a dedicated pastor and husband, David – like many men – saw himself as a ‘fixer.’ When he and his wife Heather decided to start a family, they followed God’s call to adopt three children, not knowing what the next day may bring. But through fatherhood and the unexpected challenges of raising kids with special needs, David discovered an even greater reliance upon the Lord. Today he serves other families impacted by disability through Joni and Friends Missouri and has a gift for encouraging other dads in need of community. With Father’s Day around the corner, don’t miss this powerful conversation – share it with a special needs father in your life!
Read more from David on the Joni and Friends Blog.
Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
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*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.