What does true belonging look like for families living with disability? In this conversation, Carrie Mastenbrook shares her journey as a mom to Andrew, who had a stroke at birth and lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. From overwhelming early medical challenges to unexpected moments of joy, Carrie reflects on how God has been present through it all. He has given her a passion for helping churches move beyond simply accommodating families with disabilities to truly embracing them!
What does true belonging look like for families living with disability?
In this conversation, Carrie Mastenbrook shares her journey as a mom to Andrew, who had a stroke at birth and lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. From overwhelming early medical challenges to unexpected moments of joy (like Andrew becoming a Special Olympics champion), Carrie reflects on how God has been present through it all.
Now serving with Joni and Friends, Carrie is passionate about helping churches move beyond simply accommodating families with disabilities to truly embracing them. She offers practical wisdom, personal stories, and encouragement for both families and church leaders seeking to build a community where everyone is seen, known, and valued.
This episode is a beautiful reminder that even in life’s hard moments, God is near. He is always working to bring purpose, connection, and belonging through Jesus.
KEY QUESTIONS:
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Stephanie Daniels:
Well, welcome back to the podcast. Today is a celebration of the beautiful ministry of Joni and Friends. We're talking about the journey many families walk when raising a child with a disability. The joys, the challenges, and the ways God meets us in the middle of it all. There's no better way to learn about it than from someone who lives it firsthand.
Carrie Mastenbrook is not only a mom of a child with a disability, but she also serves as the ministry relations manager for our Minnesota office. Carrie is passionate about encouraging families and helping churches provide better support. In this conversation, we'll talk about her personal journey what families living with disability truly need from the church and how we can create communities where everyone belongs.
Welcome to the podcast, Carrie.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Oh, thank you so much. It's such a pleasure and such an honor to be here. Stephanie, thank you for having me on.
Stephanie Daniels:
We love having Joni and Friends staff join us on the podcast, so I'm so glad that it's you.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yes. Thank you.
Stephanie Daniels:
Carrie, will you tell us about yourself and your family and your connection with disability?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yes, I'd love to. My husband Jim, and I have three boys.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Our oldest JT is 28, Andrew is 23, and our youngest Joey is 14. I'm an Army wife. Boy, mom and a passionate disability ministry leader. We live in Minnesota. and just really, really grateful to be here and grateful to share our story and grateful for where we're being led at the moment.
Stephanie Daniels:
I love that. Tell us about Andrew.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah. So I mentioned I have three boys. My first son is my stepson , he's 28. My firstborn Andrew is 23. Andrew had a stroke at birth, so either right before he was born or right after he was born, but in that birth window. He is affected by cerebral palsy. And epilepsy. So physical and cognitive delays, But he is the reason I do what I do now and have gotten into this spot. He's a joy, absolute light of my life.
Stephanie Daniels:
I love that. He's a good, reason to be doing what you're doing I love how the Lord. Through ways that we wouldn't always choose, leads us to purpose. What were those early days like when you first realized your child would live with disability?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah, great question. I think overwhelming, exhausting, it felt very foreign in a lot of ways. I think back to those early days, and for me, having medical insurance, I knew that my coverage covered me going to the doctor once a year, maybe a second time if I'd gotten sick or something. So I was even thrust into. kind of that medical world and not sure what insurance, covered or didn't cover, or getting that very first bill, after he was born. And just being surprised by all the things I knew I had that one visit and the copay. Um, and just that things look so different lots of doctors, lots of specialists.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah, so just overwhelming, exhausting, foreign in a lot of ways. Yet, so beautiful. I think that was definitely a time with such an intimate, close, near relationship to the Lord. It was beautiful.
Stephanie Daniels:
Hmm. I love that you said that that's one of the things you don't really think about happening. But I feel like, when you are faced with the unexpected, you have to lean into the Lord and draw in close for, encouragement and, your daily bread, right?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yes.
Stephanie Daniels:
So how has Andrew helped you see the heart of God in ways you may never have understood otherwise?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah. I think again, to that intimacy, in so many different ways, crying out to the Lord. Having a seizure diagnosis, genuinely there were times that we weren't sure that he was going to make it through the night. I'd be laying on the floor in his room, just crying out to the Lord for his protection and his provision. And then also in celebration too. There were a lot of beautiful wins. One of the things that I say as a family impacted by disabilities: the highs are incredibly high, the lows can be very difficult. And those things in between of, again, not sure sometimes if he would make it through the night or walking through a new surgery or a different doctor's appointment. Yeah, just. Asking him to be with me, and I know he is. He's beside us. He goes before us.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
He's behind us and it was...
Stephanie Daniels:
Amen.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
It was just beautiful.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
Well, it sounds like the Lord has brought you a mighty long way. Speaking of high highs, I heard that Andrew is also a Special Olympics champion. Can you tell us about that?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
He is absolutely. He got the opportunity to participate in Special Olympics his last year of high school. In the bowling team. It's something that he's never done before. He's not been in an organized team in a sport in that way. and just loved the community and fellowship with other athletes. And then the icing on the cake, he, got first place he was the champion for the bowling eague, which is beautiful. Not an expectation in any capacity, but yeah, it was so fun. It's just to watch the pride and the joy on his face.
Stephanie Daniels:
I love that.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah, was beautiful.
Stephanie Daniels:
I am not a great bowler. Are you good at bowling? Did he get that athletic prowess from you?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
I wish. Not at all. Not at all. I have rolled a gutter ball a time or two in my life.
Stephanie Daniels:
So does he get a lot of strikes?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah, which is, is really incredible. I think when I look back, having had a stroke he does not have use of his right arm.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
So he is also bowling one-handed and just, he amazes me the things that he's able to do and accomplish it's beautiful.
Stephanie Daniels:
That is awesome. You are no stranger to disability ministry you are the ministry relations manager for our Minnesota office, and you're, passionate about helping people feel safe and cared for. You desire for them to experience a sense of belonging. Where does that come from?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
I think that's just how God has gifted me. I've always been a connector, a listener, highly empathetic, like just wanting to draw out the best in people. So I think when I look back at younger days, just always having an empathy for people and wanting to draw out their gifts and strengths.
Meeting people where they're at and seeing them as individuals. I think all of those have been such beautiful assets as I'm connecting with churches and helping them see the value in disability ministry. I think also personally having walked through the journey with Andrew, I know that things are necessary, but I think back to those early days of hearing the things that he can't do or won't do or shouldn't do. I wanted to reframe that to be seen as how God sees him...
Stephanie Daniels:
Mmm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
And the gifts and strengths that God has wired in him.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
So yeah, I think all of those things have been beautiful assets.
Stephanie Daniels:
What a gift to be able to help a other families. See the God-given potential and abilities in their own children that's so cool that you can bring that, to the table and help the families that you're serving and working with. Can you explain for us your role with Joni and Friends and tell us a little bit about how your innate desires have been helpful in your role.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah. So I'm the Ministry relations manager. Helping churches see, if they have not identified a family living with a disability in their congregation, how to help them with surveys or questionnaires or information to find and identify families in their congregation and to come alongside them. That first step of evaluating what the needs might be, and then linking arms with a family, coming alongside them, finding out what they may need, where they're at in their church and meeting them right where they are and watching that happen organically. That's my favorite part.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Taking maybe some uncertainty or unknown, and leaning in and just linking arms with them and watching them come alongside a family and watching that family grow and, and thrive and, and flourish in their congregation. And then move to offering that support for other families.
I think there's often a misnomer that. You have to start with this big ministry, with a big budget, with big staff. and that's not the case. We just need to meet the needs of a family right where they are and watch God bless that and he will. He goes before us so He knows exactly what he is desiring for that church and that congregation and for that family impacted by disability. I just love watching the growth.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
It's, such a thrill. It's such a joy.
Stephanie Daniels:
I wanna read something that somebody sent to our ministry.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
A few days ago. It says: "A Church can be fully accessible and still feel impossible to enter because welcome isn't the same as with-ness. You can meet needs and never move close enough to know a story. You can be kind, helpful, accommodating, and still leave someone carrying it alone. But Jesus doesn't love like that. He stays, he returns, he moves toward us again and again."
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
I think that is so true of what. Our ministry relations managers do with, making these connections with churches, but helping the churches. Provide the, accessibility, the open door, the welcome and the with-ness with families...
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Mmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
Like walking them through, being a part of the body of Christ. And I love that, that...
Carrie Mastenbrook:
That's beautiful.
Stephanie Daniels:
So part of our. mission, here at Joni and Friends.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
So why is it so important for you to connect with people you love doing that?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
I do, I have always been someone that loves stories. I love learning about people, like what is their story? How did they get to where they are, what have they been through, what have they experienced? So connecting is just it's a beautiful, one-on-one relationship, right? With people and learning, leaning in, learning their stories and and then connecting them to other people. So in my role, often I'm the middle person connecting a church with a family or connecting a church with a like-minded organization. Just lifting up where they're doing really great works and where they're providing supports that would be beneficial for the church would be beneficial for a family living with disability.
That's my favorite part is just seeing the great works that are being done out there and how do we connect people together so that we're not recreating the wheel or reinventing things all the time. There's people doing really great things and I would just continue to lift up those great works that they're doing and get them plugged in with different people. Whether that's a family that's looking for a new doctor, or they're looking for a therapist there's so many different aspects, and I just get that opportunity to connect with so many great people.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
And find out what they're doing, and then share that with other people.
Stephanie Daniels:
That's so important because sometimes people don't know where to look. They don't know where to go.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
And so it's nice that they can come to you, or come to their church because you're helping their church find local resources. Or you know, about other, organizations, that can support or provide, for them. I love how you are so suited for your role...
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
And the passion that you bring to it.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Thank you. I appreciate that.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Things don't need to live in secret I think there's so many things that are available but yet it's not often talked about...
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
In supports for families living with disability.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Everyone's has different needs. So we just continue to lift up those things and, and make them available. Make them known to people so they can utilize the supports, to just provide the best. Best encouragement. The best supports, the best growth...
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
For families living with disability.
Stephanie Daniels:
I love that. You know, we have people that write in and they're asking for...
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
Resources and it's so great that we have area ministries around the country. You oversee like four or five surrounding states. It's just nice to know that you guys kind of have a finger on the pulse, of what's going on in your region so that you can direct people to resources.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Absolutely.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
And if we don't know it right offhand, we're really good researchers. We're really good at finding the information that's needed.
Stephanie Daniels:
That's right. That's right. Well, there's a verse that you stand on. Philippians 4:13. Why is that verse so important to you?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah, So I'd had a Bible before but thought, I'm entering a new season in my life. I want to purchase a mom's bible. So I had this and I had it on the nightstand next to me. Now after laboring for a couple of days, I was in the room, warm blankets on me, kind of staring up at the ceiling, and Andrew, was brought in. I saw him for just a few minutes before he was airlifted. And right after they took him out of the room, I just really wasn't sure what was happening or what, would be next. And I grabbed my Bible and I opened it. I wasn't looking for anything in particular. but immediately the Bible opened to Philippians and I know that text is really small. But Philippians 4:13 jumped off the page. And I just remember reading that, meditating on that, reading it over and over again, and then just closing my Bible and setting it back on the nightstand. I felt such peace.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
And such comfort. I didn't know what was ahead for us. I didn't know what was happening in those moments. I didn't feel anxious, but I think a lot of that was, having been through labor for a few days. But that verse has just brought so much comfort to us again, both in celebration and in despair.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
I can do all things through Christ's who strengthens me as I'm laying on the floor next to him, wondering if he's going to make it through the night. I can do all things through him Praise you Lord, for getting us through this. Or he's walking when we were told he may never walk, those kinds of things. It's just been such a comfort verse. It is Andrew's life verse.
Stephanie Daniels:
Oh wow. And he exemplifies it so. Well, I mean, he is a Special Olympics champion. He is
definitely allowing the Lord to work through him.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
In some seasons, we were told initially he would never walk, he'd never talk, he'd never function normally. So through a lot of hard work and perseverance It's been beautiful.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah. That's so wonderful. Well, through Joni and Friends, you know the beauty of Family retreat I'm wondering if you can just tell us about what your first family retreat was like and how did it minister to Andrew?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
We attended for the first time this past summer. Andrew attended as a camper. Andrew and I are together all the time. I'm really the person that he leans on for so many things. and I think it was just beautiful watching the relationship with his buddy. getting to a point and be like, mom. Okay. You can go do what you're supposed to be doing. And I've got Andrew.
Stephanie Daniels:
So sweet.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
How did it minister to you, as a parent of a child with disability?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
I will always share with Andrew what we're doing and what's happening next. So it's super helpful for him to know in timing. And we walked into the chapel and we're gonna use the restroom. And I said, all right, Andrew. We're gonna use the restroom. When you're done, come right here and I'll be right here to meet you. And so I do that and it's always, I come back to that spot where I told him we were gonna be, and he's right there. And Stephanie, I came back to that spot and he was not there. That does not happen. That was a first, and so I kind of panicked for a second.
I was like, where would he be? I looked across chapel to the front row and there he stood with our leadership team, with our staff and our volunteer leaders, and he was practicing the dance moves for the opening dance number when our families come.
Instantly, I just cried. Oh. Because for me it was a place of true belonging for him. Like he felt so comfortable and so known and such a belonging, that he just went without me. And he was up in the front row doing exactly what everyone else was doing and it was really impactful for both of us.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
He needs that community. And...
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
It was just great to see such a place of belonging. It was special.
Stephanie Daniels:
That really blesses me, because it does, it feels like it is such a safe space for...
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yes.
Stephanie Daniels:
The families those who attend. You see people when they pull onto the campus, it's like they let their hair down and, their child with a disability comes on campus and is like. I know I'm at home. I know this is my space. These are my people, and it's just so sweet to see them walk in freedom. We've heard some people say that it's like Heaven on earth. Can you share a story that stood out to you at the Minnesota Family Retreat?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah, like I just shared about Andrew, my younger son Joey also attended Family Retreat. He and Andrew for our second retreat, we're going to be in our kitchen. And as we're welcoming Families for Family Retreat, Joey just continuously says, I want to be a buddy. I was like, that's fantastic.
Like I love that so much and you just never really know when he lives with a brother who is impacted by disability every day, what that will look like for him. And I said, that's great. Let's point to that Next year, this year you're in the kitchen. He just continuously kept saying, I really wanna be a buddy.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
This is so cool watching, the camper and the buddy get paired up. Fast forward little bit in the afternoon. We did have to make a, pairing switch and we needed a second volunteer to be with a camper. And so I leaned in and asked him after talking to our leadership team, and he got the opportunity to be a buddy volunteer, with a young man with Down Syndrome.
Stephanie Daniels:
Wow.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
And it was beautiful to watch him lean in in that way. and the relationship to develop. So. just watching him serve another camper, Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
It was really special.
Stephanie Daniels:
I love that. That is so sweet and full circle. And, I love when the Lord does a thing, he just. doesn't miss the details, Let's talk about volunteering. It's incredibly impactful, to the volunteer to just serve...
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yes.
Stephanie Daniels:
At Family Retreat. And your sons have had the chance to volunteer with us here at Joni and Friends. How has that been for them?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
It's special to watch their gifts and strengths being called out in service to others. Again, with, with my younger son, having a brother who's impacted by disability. He's so supportive and just wonderful to his brother. So watching that growth and watching God call that out in him.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
To be of service to other families and use his gifts, use his experience firsthand as a brother. It's really special. He's someone that advocates for people at his school in our church setting. He's a small group leader, I just think the Lord is blessing. His Yes. His obedience.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yes.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
In so many beautiful ways.
Stephanie Daniels:
That's wonderful. And I just wanna encourage our listeners too, if you're hearing this and you are feeling, a tug or you're hearing Carrie say, there was a demand placed on the gifting in her boys, and you wanna place a demand on your gifting and talents, I know that volunteering with Joni and Friends is a great way to stir up the gifts within you and just see how the Lord will move. I'm telling you, I think that there's nothing like, especially watching young people serve, seeing them get pushed toward purpose. I can't tell you how many people will write in and say, "Joni, after I watched your movie, or after I volunteered at a family retreat or at an event, I decided I wanted to be an occupational therapist." It's really so beautiful seeing people wake up to what the Lord has placed in them because they serve.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yes.
Stephanie Daniels:
So visit our website if you're interested. Or you can check the show notes. and we would love to, direct you to, how to volunteer with Joni and Friends.
So, Carrie, I also heard that the Joni and Friends Minnesota office is volunteering at the Special Olympics this year.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yes, such a special time to get to watch the athletes. Watch them just light up. The different games and the different areas that they have interest and...
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
And passion So yes, we will be volunteering with the Special Olympics.
Stephanie Daniels:
That really blesses me. ministries to go volunteer somewhere else. Another guest talked about this being a really beautiful way for churches to meet people in the community living with disability. To invite them to their church. Go serve at something like Special Olympics. Get yourselves out there, get into the community...
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
See where the need is, and, let people know about you. That's so great. I'm proud of you guys for getting out and serving.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Thank you. Well, and it's a beautiful way for us to support our families too.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Some of our families that attend Family Retreat, are Special Olympics athletes, so getting to be there and to cheer them on and watch them in their elements and watch them doing something that they're so passionate about, is a blast.
Stephanie Daniels:
I love it. I think that is just precious. Carrie, you've started a disability ministry at your church. What was that like? I wish I could share with you that it was born out of a specific need that our family felt. but it was really born out of just wanting to brag on and, encourage a volunteer that saw us. So for our family, early childhood was great for Andrew. As he moved into the elementary years and more kids, more lights, more activity in the room, it became problematic for him, particularly with a seizure disorder.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
So my husband and I would hand off, he would be in the auditorium taking in service. I'd be in the lobby with Andrew and then we'd switch for the next service. It was really a volunteer that was walking through the lobby that saw our family. And he came over to me and said, "Hey, I don't mean to be nosy. I don't mean to get in your business, but I see you out here every weekend. Can I ask why you're here?" and I just shared, you know, a little bit about Andrew's history and my husband was in service and he said, "I don't know exactly what it looks like to have a person living with a seizure disorder. I don't really know much about that, but I'd love to learn everything there is. I'd love to come alongside your son so you and your husband can take in church together."
Stephanie Daniels:
Oh wow.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
And of course, I just. Broke down crying that he saw us was so special and so beautiful and so powerful. that someone to take the time. I feel often that we're maybe a little bit camouflaged or that people know that we're there, but don't always know how to lean in so they don't.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
So for him to have taken the time to come over and say, I see you. And then to want to do something. So we attend Saturday Night Services. So Monday morning I called the church just to say, Hey, I just need to brag on this volunteer. What you're doing to train up your team, please keep doing it. and at that same time in the conversation, they said that they were looking to start a disability ministry and would I be interested in helping back up just a little bit. I just walked out of a full-time position. I had been in a full-time position for 16 years. Friday was my last day of a six week notice, praying that his seizures would turn around, praying. I didn't have to leave that position. But there I was. I had just finished on Friday. We're sitting in service on Saturday. I call the church on Monday and say. This person is incredible. Please keep doing what you're doing. Please duplicate, replicate more of him. and that really is how it started, that I had just walked outta this full-time position and I said, I will help however you need. You need me to stuff envelopes. You need me to make phone calls. Whatever you're needing. I'm all in.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
I got to serve under a ministry leader for about a year in a volunteer position that came on staff after that was on staff for 14 years.
Stephanie Daniels:
Wow.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Just got to see from the beginning and leaning in every step and just praying and trusting God for that next step. We literally walked in obedience in step after step. I just watched it grow organically. I say often start small and build well. So identify that one family in your church that needs support, come alongside them, however you can come alongside them. and then just watch it grow. It doesn't immediately have to be this, well never has to be this big ministry with a big budget. We just need to meet people where they are and get them to church so that they can hear the gospel of Jesus.
Stephanie Daniels:
I think that that is a consistent theme that I'm kind of hearing you don't have to be a big ministry with a big budget.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
And I think that is what sometimes can seem scary to people. Like we don't have the...
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
The finances for it. Can you maybe speak to that too, a little bit.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
How simple can it be?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
I think where I'm at now is helping our churches incorporate what they're doing for ministry. Already there's beautiful ministry that's happening...
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
In all of our church locations.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
So take what you're doing already. And meet that individual, meet that family right where they are, incorporating them into the ministry that's happening. Whether that's someone that's in kids' ministry or students or adult ministry, worship ministry, greeting. I think I'd just continuously come back to getting to know their name, getting to know their gifts and strengths. And how do you incorporate that into. What ministry is already happening in your church.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
And that's relationship, that's connectedness, that's closeness. That's getting to know the individual, living with a disability and their family. And, how do we just meet them right where they are? Not everybody's desire is to be a greeter. There's so many things that can happen of helping clean rooms ahead of time, or prep lessons or handout lesson. I mean, there's just so many opportunities within our church for individuals living with disability to support. And not only be served, but to serve... others in our church.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
So...
Stephanie Daniels:
That's interesting 'cause I was gonna ask you, what were you needing? But not seeing that made you take initiative, but really it was a volunteer seeing you and that really is so beautiful. And an encouragement, to us as the body of Christ, to ask the Holy Spirit to help us be aware, be aware of the needs coming to sit in service or coming into church with us each week. Help us to, be in tune and maybe the Lord. Might lead us to do the same. See somebody and yeah. And approach them.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Reminding us all as leaders too, that our families are leaving multiple churches before finding a church home. I have conversations with families of like they've been asked to leave a church because they're not sure how to support their needs or don't feel like they have the structure to support their needs. So how do we identify and lean in again, I think it comes to that relationship and connection, sitting down with them, and then using resources like ours with Joni and Friends, the great training resources, that we have available, that we can come and train up staff, train up ministry leaders, train up your volunteer teams around things like behavior or safety protocols or how to adapt the curriculum so that they're able to hear the gospel, right where they are. So there's so many wonderful resources that we have available to be successful.
Stephanie Daniels:
So yeah, if you're hearing this listeners and your interest is peaked, please visit our show notes so that we can, get you connected to our church resources. We would love to do that for you. Carrie, as you're advocating for families and churches, how do you bring your lived experience into what you do for other Christian families living with disability?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
There's so many ways that come to mind. An IEP meeting for example, I know that it's necessary to set goals of the things that Andrew was not doing at that time. So we can move towards a goal But what I took from that is the things that he can't do or won't do or shouldn't do. So I kind of flip that on its head when I look at church reminding our leaders to look at the gifts and strengths of the people living with disabilities that are coming to our church. They often hear in the community or in school... and again, it's necessary. I'm not downplaying that, but to hear the gifts and strengths, and lean in with that what are the things that they like, what are the things that they're good at? What are the things that God has wired in them as a strength and how do we call that out. First in church.
So some of those lived experiences or even what it looks like to get out the door in the morning is a family living with a disability. I had a pastor early on that was like, " I feel like I'm doing something wrong with this mom in particular. Every time she comes in, it seems like she's really cold with me." And I'm just able to then take my experience personally and say. I can just share with you, it took us three hours to get out the door. We were just about through the door. Andrew had a seizure and we had to walk through the seizure protocol. So just some of those lived experiences I think are really helpful and...
Stephanie Daniels:
Wow.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah. Not taking that personally or just sharing that with ministry leaders, And I think coming back to that middle right, that I'm working with ministry leaders, but also have that, hat of a family and kind of walk that middle through both understandings.
Stephanie Daniels:
That is such a good reminder, that we don't always know what people go through just to get through the door.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
That is like a light bulb moment for me. Like, oh, it wasn't. As easy for you to get here as it was for me. Lord, give us hearts of compassion to just...
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
Be understanding, Lord, for people's journeys and, and help us meet them where they are. how can churches move from simply accommodating families with disabilities to truly embracing and discipling them and providing that with-ness
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yeah, I think again, it's, It's having conversation and relationship of where they're at. I know individuals living with disability can feel very overwhelming if you're not living this day to day. I don't want people to feel stuck or not willing to get started because they're unsure. Not being intimidated or overwhelmed to get started. And to create true places of belonging for people living with disability.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
It's just beautiful to see that represented in the full body of Christ in the congregation.
Stephanie Daniels:
That's so good. Well, in a journey that has surely held deep challenges, what unexpected gifts have you received in your life and faith?
Carrie Mastenbrook:
So many. I wish y'all could meet Andrew. He's an absolute joy. It's been a journey. It's been hard in a lot of ways, but such a blessing. I didn't know a whole lot about disability prior to Andrew being born. So just walking through a compassion and deeper understanding and empathy for people living with disability. The nearness and the intimacy with God. I think often what would someone do without faith, without that nearness and that relationship with Jesus of crying out to him, both in celebration, but in those challenging moments is, yeah. So many things, so many stories, but I'm just incredibly grateful that he guides our steps, that He's gone before us and I know that he's always with me and never leaves us.
Stephanie Daniels:
Amen. And that's the same for all of our listeners. He is with us. He never leaves us. He is so faithful and he sees us. Yeah. He knows where we are, where our hearts are.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
And he's making intercession for us, Carrie, thank you so much for joining us for today's conversation.
Carrie Mastenbrook:
Yes, absolutely. My pleasure. Thank you for having me.
Stephanie Daniels:
Well, we hope that this episode encouraged many families walking the journey of disability and inspired churches to continue growing as places of belonging and support. I just wanna encourage any of you, think of ways that you and your church can get out and get into the community. meet the types of families you wanna welcome into your church. Thanks for listening and we'll see you next time.
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