Tag: Lifelong Disability Care
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When Your Yes Is On The Table: Trusting God Through Disability Parenting, Adoption, and Trauma with Johnna Hensley
What does it look like to keep saying “yes” to God when life feels chaotic, exhausting, and completely unexpected? In this heartfelt conversation, Carrie Holt sits down with author, disability mom, and “coordinator of chaos,” Johnna Hensley. With six children—including a son with complex medical needs and three adopted children—Johnna shares what it really means…
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Desperate Prayers and Deep Faith: Finding God in Long-Term Caregiving and Loss with Rachel Wojo
What do you do when you don’t have the words to pray? In this deeply honest and hope-filled conversation, Carrie sits down with author and speaker Rachel Wojo to talk about caregiving, grief, and how prayer transforms in life’s hardest seasons. After walking a 22-year journey caring for her daughter Taylor, who was diagnosed with…
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From Disability to Calling: Finding Purpose, Identity & Joy in Christ with Anna Harp (Part 2)
In Part 2 of this powerful conversation on This Unexpected Life, Carrie M. Holt continues her interview with Anna Harp, a young writer living with cerebral palsy who is discovering her God-given purpose through storytelling. Anna opens up about the ongoing grief that can come with disability and the freedom of realizing that grief is…
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When Caregiving Feels Unseen: Finding God’s Presence in Lifelong Special Needs Parenting
What happens when caregiving lasts far longer than you ever imagined—and no one is applauding? In this deeply honest episode, Carrie sits down with Beth Benson, a mother whose life has been shaped by infertility, trauma, adoption, autism, and decades of full-time caregiving for a son with a rare chromosome disorder. Together, they talk about…
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God With Us in the Unexpected: An Advent Reflection For Disability Mothers
In this Advent reflection, Carrie M. Holt invites weary, overwhelmed, and tender-hearted special needs moms into the ultimate unexpected story—Christmas. Through a first-person narrative inspired by Mary’s journey in Luke and Matthew, Carrie draws parallels between Mary’s unexpected calling and the everyday realities of disability parenting: medical crises that interrupt holidays, the longing for peace,…
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Finding Rest in Caregiving: Burnout, Faith, and Letting Go with Jess Ronne
In this profoundly moving conversation, Carrie M. Holt talks with author and advocate Jess Ronne about her powerful and unexpected story—one marked by disability, grief, resilience, surrender, and the refining work of God. Jess shares her journey from learning of her son Lucas’s profound disabilities, to walking with her late husband through terminal brain cancer,…
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A Father’s Voice in Special Needs Parenting with Bruce Holt
In this heartfelt episode of This Unexpected Life, Carrie M. Holt sits down with her husband, Bruce, to share the often-unspoken perspective of fathers in the world of special needs parenting. Together, they revisit the day they received their son Toby’s diagnosis, the wave of grief that followed, and the heavy burden of guilt Bruce…
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Creating Community and Connection for Moms in the Disability Space With Labeled & Loved
In this episode, Carrie M. Holt speaks with Julie Hornok and Dr. Regina Crone, co-founders of Labeled and Loved, an organization dedicated to supporting families with children who have disabilities. They share their personal journeys into the disability space, the importance of community and faith, and how to navigate the unique challenges of motherhood and…
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A Journey of Acceptance With Kara Ryska
In this episode of This Unexpected Life, host Carrie M Holt engages in a heartfelt conversation with Kara Ryska, a dedicated advocate for families navigating the challenges of raising children with disabilities. Kara shares her personal journey as a mother of four, including her experiences with her son’s brain tumors and the complexities of parenting…
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Finding Hope In The Unexpected Grief With Paula Romang
In this episode, Carrie M Holt interviews Paula Romang, who shares her journey of motherhood, particularly the challenges and joys of infertility, premature twins, and a son with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. Paula discusses her initial expectations, the reality of caregiving, and the profound grief that accompanies the realization of having a special needs child. She emphasizes…