Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast

Епизоде

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  Until Next Season 03.09.2026 3мин

  From conversations about disability and caregiving to grief, perseverance, and hope, this season has been a reminder that you are never alone in your hardships. No matter what you're facing today, God sees you, loves you, and is continuing to write a beautiful story of redemption and grace.
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  How to Live with Joyful Purpose: Renee Dollenmayer 27.08.2026 36мин

  What if the life you've been given is more beautiful and purposeful than you've allowed yourself to believe? Living with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, mental health struggles, and countless surgeries, Renee Dollenmayer knows what it means to go through the hard. But she's also discovered something profound—joy isn't found in perfect circumstances, but in the presence of Jesus.
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  The Gospel of Weakness with Dr. Michael Beates 20.08.2026 48мин

  What if caregiving isn't an interruption to ministry, but ministry itself? In this thoughtful and deeply personal conversation, Dr. Mike Beates shares how disability reshaped his understanding of the Gospel, the image of God, and what it means to faithfully follow Christ. Together, Stephanie and Mike explore why weakness is central to the Christian life, how caregiving reveals the heart of God, and why every person possesses immeasurable dignity, not because of what they can do, but because they bear God's image.
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  How to Thrive in Dementia Care with Lizette Cloete 13.08.2026 58мин

  How can Christians faithfully care for a loved one living with dementia while holding onto hope, truth, and compassion? In this practical and hope-filled conversation, dementia care expert Lizette Cloete shares biblical wisdom for navigating one of life's most difficult caregiving journeys. Drawing from decades of professional experience, Lizette explains why caregiving is more than a responsibility—it's a God-given calling that shapes our hearts and deepens our dependence on Christ.
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  A Biblical Understanding of Pain and Suffering: Pastor Shane Colwell 06.08.2026 47мин

  How do you trust God when suffering doesn't end? Pastor Shane Colwell knows this question intimately. For more than a decade, he and his family have cared for their son Chase, who lives with profound medical challenges, daily seizures, and ongoing uncertainty. Through years of hardship, Shane has discovered that God's faithfulness is often found not in immediate healing, but in His sustaining presence.
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  Strength for Today: Katie Blackburn on Community, Grace, and God’s Sustaining Mercy 30.07.2026 46мин

  In this deeply honest and hope-filled conversation, author Katie Blackburn shares her journey as a single mom of six, raising a son with severe autism. With vulnerability and wisdom, Katie reflects on how God meets us in our limits: not with quick fixes, but with sustaining mercy.
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  When Everything Changes: Patric Young on Disability, Identity, and Trusting God through Adversity 23.07.2026 47мин

  What happens when the life you've built changes in an instant? Former professional basketball player Patric Young seemed to have everything ahead of him: a successful athletic career, a new job, and a wedding just days away. Then a devastating car accident left him paralyzed from the waist down and forced him to confront big questions of identity, purpose, and faith.
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  More Than Accommodation: Carrie Mastenbrook on Creating True Belonging in the Church 16.07.2026 30мин

  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!
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  Worship Through the Breaking with Isaac Immanuel 09.07.2026 51мин

  Worship leader and songwriter Isaac Immanuel shares his powerful story of faith in the midst of suffering. Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare brittle bone disease that has resulted in hundreds of fractures and dozens of surgeries, Isaac has learned to see weakness as a platform for God’s strength. In this conversation, he opens up about living with disability, stepping out in faith to embrace God’s calling on his life, and cultivating a posture of humility and worship. Through his story and music, Isaac offers a compelling reminder of what it means to find true identity in Christ and to hold onto hope even through the breaking.
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  We're Kicking Off Season 8 of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast! 02.07.2026 2мин

  Stephanie Daniels, our host of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, is gearing up for Season 8. Join her each week this summer to hear from inspiring guests who will encourage you right where you are. Whether you're looking for practical ways your church can embrace people living with disability, you are personally facing a new disability or diagnosis, or you serve as a caregiver, you’ll discover hope through your hardship as you listen!
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  Literally Living by Faith and Not by Sight – Jennifer Rothschild 23.10.2025 34мин

  Author, speaker, and Bible teacher, Jennifer Rothschild joins host Stephanie Daniels to share her story of literally walking by faith and not by sight. Since losing her sight at age 15, Jennifer hasn’t let blindness stop her from seeing and sharing God’s goodness. You will be encouraged by their conversation and reminded to trust God even when life doesn’t look like what you planned. And that God’s strength shines brightest in our weakness and hope can bloom in the darkest places.
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  Arising through Grief: God's Faithfulness after Loss — Amber Smith 16.10.2025 31мин

  Amber Smith, wife of former country music artist, Granger Smith joins Stephanie Daniels to share about her book, The Girl on the Bathroom Floor: Held Together when Everything is Falling Apart. Amber shares her deeply personal experience of losing her three-year-old son, River, and God’s faithfulness to her in the pit of despair. Her story will encourage you to hold onto the hope that God is near, even when it feels quiet, and that the bathroom floor is not the end—it’s just the beginning.
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  Finding New Life: Dr. Jason Kolb on God’s Sufficient Grace in Suffering 09.10.2025 44мин

  Dr. Jason Kolb and his wife Amy know firsthand about unexpected turns in life. In January 2023 Jason took a wrong turn at high speed while skiing and landed at the bottom of a 20-foot drop. As an ER doctor, Jason knew he was paralyzed from the chest down and had broken several ribs. Jason and Amy join Stephanie Daniels to share their journey of discovering God's sufficient grace in ways they never could have planned. Their conversation will encourage, challenge, and remind you that no matter what you face, God's grace really is enough.
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  Shawn Thornton’s “All But Normal” Childhood and Path to Ministry (Part 2) 02.10.2025 39мин

  Shawn Thornton, our Joni and Friends President and Chief Ministry Officer returns to the podcast to share his experience and insight on disability ministry in the church. Raised with disability in his immediate family, Shawn has a unique perspective on how the church should care for people who live with disability. Hear how God has used his personal experience to grow him as a pastor and prepare him to reach the global church through his role with Joni and Friends.
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  Shawn Thornton’s “All But Normal” Childhood and Path to Ministry (Part 1) 25.09.2025 28мин

  If you've ever wondered where is God in the middle of your pain, or if your story has purpose, don’t miss this conversation with Shawn Thornton, our Joni and Friends President and Chief Ministry Officer. Shawn joins host Stephanie Daniels on the podcast to share his raw and redemptive story of growing up with a mother who had suffered a traumatic brain injury. Reflecting on his childhood experiences, which he describes in his book, All But Normal: Life on Victory Road, Shawn recounts how God used challenging life circumstances to shape his heart and call him into ministry, first as a pastor and now in leadership at Joni and Friends.
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  Watching for the Morning: Vaneetha Risner on Hope amid Suffering 18.09.2025 52мин

  Vaneetha Risner is no stranger to suffering. Having lived through polio, the loss of a child, and multiple miscarriages, she has wrestled with God and learned to trust in his goodness. Vaneetha joins Stephanie Daniels to share about her journey and how she has continued to hope in God through the darkness of deep pain. Their encouraging conversation will remind you that God sees you and reassure you that you never have to suffer alone.
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  Faith Amidst Suicide: Help and Hope for the Darkest of Times – Kay Warren 04.09.2025 48мин

  Kay Warren, known for cofounding Saddleback Church with her husband, Pastor Rick Warren, joins Stephanie Daniels to discuss a deeply personal topic. Kay is the mother of three adult children, including Matthew who lost his life to suicide at age 27 after years of chronic depression. Having walked beside her son through his suffering, and survived the anguish of his death, Kay has experienced firsthand the need for the church, and all believers, to extend compassionate support to people facing mental health struggles. Tune in for this critical call for the body of Christ to support people who battle with depression, suicidal ideation, and despair—providing the love and hope of Jesus in moments of deepest darkness.
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  Identifying Barriers and Building Pathways to Belonging for People with Disabilities in the Church – Matt McCraney 28.08.2025 42мин

  Army Chaplain and special needs dad Matt McCraney joins Stephanie Daniels to talk about how the body of Christ can better embrace people living with disabilities. Bringing personal, biblical, and academic perspectives, Matt identifies barriers that keep disabled people from finding their places of belonging in the church and he offers practical ways Christians can better demonstrate the love of Jesus to those living with disability.
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  A Dancer’s Faith Journey and Passion for Disability Advocacy – Lars Nelson 21.08.2025 21мин

  Lars Nelson, a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet, joins Stephanie Daniels to share about his faith journey, career, and passion to see people with disabilities served and included by the church. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he began dance training at the age of 11, studied at the School of American Ballet, then joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011. He is husband to Tanya and also brother to Eric, who lives with cerebral palsy.
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  Caregiving with Grit, Grace, and Joy – Jess Ronne 14.08.2025 45мин

  Author, speaker, and special needs mom Jess Ronne joins Stephanie Daniels to talk about her family’s story of beauty emerging from the ashes. She also offer insight into tangible ways to support families facing difficult seasons. Jess is the founder of The Lucas Project, named after her son with profound disabilities, which provides recognition and respite for parent caregivers. She and her husband Ryan, both of whom lost spouses to cancer before blending their families, have eight children, an encouraging story of finding hope through hardship, and a heart to serve others coping with deep and complex suffering.