Eps. 35
Date: 1/13/26
Title: When Special Needs Parenting Becomes Survival: Faith, Endurance and Parenting Autism with Celeste Shally
Summary: What happens when special needs parenting moves beyond exhaustion and into survival? In this deeply honest and faith-filled conversation, Carrie M. Holt sits down with Celeste Shally, author of While We Wait: Clinging to Christ in the Trenches of Special Needs Parenting, to talk about the rarely discussed reality of long-term violence in special needs parenting — and the relentless suffering that comes with it.
Celeste shares her journey as a mother to an adult son with autism whose escalating violent behaviors dominated their family life for over a decade. From living in constant fear, isolation, and hyper-vigilance, to questioning God’s goodness in the midst of daily trauma, Celeste opens up about what it truly means to reach the end of yourself — and cling to Christ because there is nowhere else to turn.
Listen here ➝
This episode explores:
- The myth of “fixing” our children and the danger of misplaced hope
- How violence impacts marriages, siblings, and faith
- Wrestling with God when suffering feels unbearable and unending
- Surviving on prayer when strategies fail
- Finding hope, purpose, and God’s presence in prolonged suffering
- Parenting adult children with special needs and navigating life beyond high school
- Creating safe spaces for families through honesty, ministry, and community
Celeste also shares how God has redeemed their story through healing, new diagnoses, answered prayers, and the founding of Thrive Special Needs Adult Ministry, offering hope to families who feel unseen and unheard. This is a tender but heavy episode, especially for parents currently living under the threat of violence—but it is also a testimony of endurance, faith, and the quiet strength that comes from trusting Christ one moment at a time.
If you are a special needs parent who has ever thought “I can’t do this anymore,” this conversation reminds you that you are not alone—and even a sliver of hope is enough to carry you into tomorrow.
Resources:
Celeste Shally’s Website
While We Wait: Clinging To Christ in The Trenches of Special Needs Parenting
Celeste on FB
If you enjoyed the show:
- Check out my new website
- Click here if you want to be a guest on the show
- Carrie’s Facebook or Instagram
- Find me on Substack
- My book: The Other Side of Special
This podcast features honest conversations with special needs parents and faith-filled guests. While I deeply value the stories and insights shared, the views and opinions expressed may not always reflect my own. Likewise, anything listed as resources is shared for reference, not necessarily a personal recommendation. I invite you to listen with spiritual discernment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide in what you hold onto and set aside.
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