Breaking Barriers - Winter 2017

This issue — Disability and spiritual practice. How does living with a disability shape our own spiritual practice? As people who belong — body and soul, in life and in death — to Jesus Christ, where do the rhythms of disability and of devotional life intersect? This issue features stories reflecting the spiritual practices of people with disabilities.

Through Darkness to Light 
Kathy Nimmer’s  visual decline brought grief, depression, anorexia, hopelessness, and over time a deep assurance that she has innate value as a child of God.

Teaming up with God and Others 
Ken Petty ‘s early onset Parkinson’s changed everything, including his deepening trust and greater readiness to lean on other people and God.

A Life of Mystery and Faith 
Living with disability throughout her life, Andrea Godwin-Stremler has discovered God’s faithfulness indeed is great, but so is the mystery of God.

Trusting in God, Relying on Others
Living with epilepsy, Stacey Midge has found that relying on other people is as important a spiritual discipline as Bible study and prayer.

Becoming More Focused in Prayer
The distractions caused by Michèle Gyselinck’s schizophrenia led her to a new spiritual practice, writing out her prayers.

Editor’s Note: Growth through Disability 
Breaking Barriers co-editor, Terry DeYoung, resonates with aspects of all the stories in this issue.

Next issue: Spring 2017 — Paid caregivers. Many people with disabilities receive supports from other people. If you hire and manage caregivers for your own support, receive support in a group home or other living situation, have a loved one who receives paid support, or if you are paid to give care to a person or persons with disabilities, please send us a note about your experiences by February 1, 2017.