How do you help someone who is grieving? Or, if you’re experiencing grief yourself, what do wish others knew about what helps—and what just makes things worse? Poet Emily Curtis joins Stephanie Daniels to talk about bringing hope to those who are grieving. inspire you with biblical insight and heartfelt encouragement for facing grief.

Emily is the compiler and author of the bestselling book Hope in the Mourning. Featuring real life testimonies and a foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada, this book offers hope to the hurting heart and will equip you to confidently minister to the grieving. Learn what to say, what not to say, and how to effectively serve those in the deepest, darkest valleys.

Get your copy today!

Emily Curtis lives in North Carolina with her husband, Brent, and their four children, Micah, Avia, Malachi, and Alayah. She has a passion for ministering to hurting people and learning how to love them as Christ would. She serves at Twin City Bible Church in the nursery and music ministries. She enjoys homeschooling, writing poetry, singing, and playing piano.

KEY QUESTIONS:

• What encouragement does the Bible offer for when we suffer deep loss?
• What well-intentioned “encouragements” can actually weigh down a grieving heart?

KEY SCRIPTURES:

• Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
• Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

Michael Hingson, blind since birth, was born in Chicago to sighted parents who believed in raising their son with a can-do attitude. Treated like all other children in his family, Michael rode a bike, did advanced math in his head, and learned to read and write. He later went to college receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degree in physics along with a secondary teaching credential from the University of California at Irvine. Michael then enjoyed a nearly 30-year career working for high tech companies spending most of his time in management roles.

Michael’s life changed dramatically on September 11, 2001, when he and his guide dog, Roselle, escaped from the 78th floor of Tower One in the World Trade Center moments before it collapsed. Soon after, Michael and Roselle were thrust into the international limelight where Michael began to share his unique survival story and 9-11 lessons of trust, courage, heroism, and teamwork. Mike has served as The National Public Affairs Director for one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the nation, Guide Dogs for the Blind. Currently Michael lives in Victorville, California with Alamo, his eighth guide dog and his rescue feline, Stitch.

Get your copy of Michael Hingson’s book, Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust

Check out Michael’s Unstoppable Mindset podcast

Learn more about Michael’s life and work

KEY QUESTIONS:

How can you lean on God today to overcome fear and move forward?

Who in your church, workplace, or neighborhood might need assistance during a crisis or natural disaster? What can you do to be part of their team in these circumstances?

KEY SCRIPTURES:

Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

Don’t miss this installment of Joni Eareckson Tada’s “Heart of the Founder” series where Joni digs into the topic of healing. Imagine you’re an athletic, ambitious teenager looking forward to starting college. It’s a hot day at the beach. On a whim, you plunge into the water and your neck snaps as your head hits the sandy bottom. Life will never be the same…

After her diving accident, Joni recalls fervently asking God for healing—to walk again and regain use of her hands; to get out of bed on her own. Poring over stories of Jesus miraculously healing people, Joni waited for her miracle healing. But God had something different in mind for her.

Joni had good reason to believe that God would heal her after her accident. She looked at Scriptures like Matthew 7:9–11 where God promises good gifts to his children. Wasn’t a healed spine a good gift?

Why, more than five decades later, still in a wheelchair living with quadriplegia, can Joni attest to the fact that God has deeply healed her? It’s because, over years of Bible reading and trusting in Jesus, Joni began to see the heart healing and powerful purpose God intended for her—all while living with paralysis. Joni still hasn’t walked again, squeezed her husband’s hand, or gotten up in the morning on her own. But a deep and lasting healing is hers, through the power of the Lord Jesus.

KEY QUESTIONS:

Where in your life do you need healing?

Might God want to heal you in a way you don’t expect, or maybe wouldn’t choose?

KEY SCRIPTURES:

Matthew 7:9–11: “‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!’”

Isaiah 55:8–9: “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways.’”

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

Rachel LeMaster lives with both Turner syndrome and a traumatic brain injury. But she doesn’t let her troubles keep her from pursuing God’s call on her life. In the midst of following Christ’s example, encouraging and serving others, she met her husband, Caleb. Now the two live out their Christ-centered mission to love one another and those around them, all for the glory of God. As Rachel says, “to live is to give!”

• Watch Rachel’s 2012 interview
• Resources for welcoming someone with a disability in your church
• Find opportunities to volunteer with Joni and Friends

KEY QUESTIONS:

• How can you step out in faith to serve others?
• Where have you seen God turn struggle into celebration in your life?

KEY SCRIPTURES:

• Genesis 50:20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
• Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

At age 23, Rachel Bailey (now Rachel Bailey LeMaster) was finishing a college certificate in nutrition and personal training. Living with a genetic condition called Turner syndrome, Rachel had weathered experiences of bullying and exclusion, but she found purpose and strength through her faith and community. Seeking ways to share the Gospel through her life, Rachel hoped to serve as a missionary one day. But all her plans got upended in 2011 when a truck smashed into her car on her way to work, causing catastrophic injuries including internal decapitation (the severing of the skull from the spine). Tune in to hear Rachel’s conversation with hosts Crystal Keating and Stephanie Daniels, exploring Rachel’s story of trauma, resilience, and discovering fresh drive to serve others in need of hope and healing.

While the kind of trauma Rachel Bailey LeMaster suffered in her car accident normally results in paralysis or death, she has made a stunning recovery, which she attributes to the grace of God and the quick, skillful action of the first responders and medical professionals. Since the moment Rachel awoke from her month-long coma, she has sensed God’s nearness and trusted him to see her through. Today she shares her powerful testimony of faith, resilience, and hope in Christ with many.

• Learn more about Turner syndrome
• Watch Rachel’s 2012 interview
• Resources for welcoming someone with a disability in your church

KEY QUESTIONS:

• What do you feel you cannot do? Take a moment to look for what you can do instead.
• What purpose(s) beyond your own is God inviting you into today?

KEY SCRIPTURES:

• Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
• Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

Tune in as host Crystal Keating talks with Stephanie Daniels, who is sharing the mic this season. Stephanie opens up about poignant aspects of her story, including the challenges navigating the disabilities of aging parents, and coping with the onset of an autoimmune disease, all while seeking God’s guidance. Don’t miss this encouraging episode that will inspire you to praise God in all circumstances and tap into the deep, peaceful joy that comes from trusting Jesus.

Crystal Keating has been part of Joni and Friends for over 10 years helping the ministry answer thousands of calls, letters, and messages about disability and holding fast to hope in Jesus through life’s greatest hardships. Crystal and the Response Team offer resources, share encouragement from God’s Word, and connect those in need with Christ-honoring, disability-friendly churches. Her prayer for the Ministry Podcast is that each conversation will help listeners and their loved ones “bear much fruit” (John 15:8) in acts of love throughout the disability community.

Stephanie Daniels serves as Community Engagement Specialist at Joni and Friends and she is always ready to share words of biblical encouragement on the Joni and Friends social media accounts. She has a heart for worship and is passionate about encouraging, equipping, and empowering the body of Christ. Stephanie hopes the podcast will encourage everyone who hears it and inspire each listener to lean even more deeply into Jesus.

Send a message to Crystal and Stephanie!

KEY QUESTIONS:

• What can you praise God for right now? (Go ahead, do it!)
• Where do you get your sense of value?
• What life struggle can you lay before the Lord today, exchanging anxiety for the peace of Christ?

KEY SCRIPTURES:

• Psalm 96:1–3: “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
• John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.