Steps Care: The Talk

Audra Uzzell joined our board at Steps Care a few months ago. Audra is a teacher at the Phelps Center in Springfield, MO where she teaches 6th grader in the scholar program. Audra teaches students who are gifted.  During this conversation, Audra talks about how her students have inspired her. Audra's passion for advocacy is contagious. We talked about working with students that learn and process differently and what that means in the classroom. Knowing how to support gifted learners even within our faith communities is such a valuable resource these students.  We talk about teaching as a ministry and how our teachers are looking to impact their students even beyond their current grade level. Teachers inspire!!  We hope you enjoy this two part episode and that you are inspired with some nugget that will take you soaring with success this school year!!  Check out Audra's Bio  Stay tuned! I think you'll be inspired!  To learn more about what we do here at Steps Care  check out our website at Stepscare.org. Also feel free to reach out to us by email at [email protected] 

Welcome to episode 26. Today we are talking about self care. Our title for this episode was inspired by a book called, Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek click here to get your copy.  It's a great read and I hope that you will check it out. When you are in a ministry that is a high need or you are someone serving a high need group or job, you will understand the heart behind todays conversation. Leaders and those that serve sacrificially will feel this conversation the hardest. 

I hate disappointing people. I would rather "eat last". I'd rather suffer while those around me are blessed beyond measure. But when do I get to eat??? As responsible, giving people if we don' t eat we will crumble. We take on the strong image. I never talk about what struggles I'm facing, what challenges me, and shakes me to my chore. For example; my doctor called me this week to tell me that they found a growth that she wanted to biopsy. It was the hardest week of my life and when I mentioned it on social media I said, "It has been a booger of a week." lol This is how I roll. It is impossible for me to even think about how incredible complicated it would be if I got sick let alone the possibility of cancer (there I said it).  I found out a week ago and I'm waiting for the appointment and the test to be ran before I can even make this real. Because I haven't said anything about people are still looking to me for all the stuff that I normally love and I'm so over the top excited about doing. This new information is a game changer. It means that I am going to have to take a breath for myself. I need to be fed. My husband had to do the same thing on his job this week as well. We are so good at what we do. We like that we both are so low priority for those around us, but when we need help, it is hard to say it out loud. So we put it off until our bodies explode. We spout off when its not our nature. Well it's not my nature, my husband is the king of snarky. He has a quick wit that throws people off if they don' t know him. It is part of his charm. I love him sometimes for it. 

This week we talk about all this. We think those doing disability ministry are the coolest people in skin. You eat last and because there is always a need, you often forget that you need to eat. We don' t want you to starve. You are so needed. Your worth is intense value. 

Stay tuned, I hope you'll be inspired!

For more about Steps Care go to our website at Stepscare.org There you will find inspiring ministry resources and so much more. Catch you back here next Monday! Have a great week! Don't forget to eat!

This is Episode 25 and it is Monday July 15th. Today I will introduce to you my good friend Elizabeth.  Today Liz and I talk about the impact she had on my life as a new mom facing a new diagnosis of autism and how her response was so helpful during a time of so much uncertainty for me.  We talk quite a bit during this conversation about her experiences as a sibling to her sister who has special needs and what it was like at church for her.  Liz and her husband Preston, and their two children Haddie and Noah now live in Central Louisiana where they are the owners of a Christian owned and operated HVAC company called, "Greater Air and Heating".   Liz and I have know each other since we were little girls and her friendship today mean just as much or more as it did when we were 5 and 6 years old. It is so rare to have such a close friend that you have known so long. I am so grateful to be talking with her today here on the podcast.  If you have questions about today's podcast shoot us an email at [email protected]. For more information about what we do here at steps care feel free to click through our website and Stepscare.org  I would like to say a special thank you to Chloe and Michelle for recording our ending commercial on today's broadcast. You girls did a great job!! Thank you for stopping by and visiting us this weekend.  We hope you've been inspired!! 

Welcome to Episode 24. This is Monday, July 8th. Today I have a great conversation to share with you. I sat down with a good friend to talk about a challenge that has been a long time struggle between faith communities and those impacted with disability. 

Dr. Robert Jason Grant is the creator of AutPlay therapy and travels all over the world training and certifying other professionals in AutPlay. Dr. Grant has a private  practice in Springfield, MO where he has served families within the community for several years. Dr. Grant is an author, speaker, and licensed mental health professional owner of AutPlay Therapy Clinic. 

Dr. Grant and I discuss the great challenge of faith and those impacted by disability. Is faith really something to contend for in a community that so many impacted by disability have experienced rejection and hurt? 

Want to know more about AutPlay Check out this link:https://youtu.be/40_-cGbyNYw 

Interested in the training opportunities Steps Care offers? Steps Care Training opportunities 

Disability Ministry from our perspective is about being intentional about creating accessibility for all abilities within a faith community.  We want to inspire you to get involved. Don't let your lack of knowledge keep your faith community from building lasting relationships with those that are impacted by disability. 

Here at Steps Care we believe that most of the hurt and rejection that families are experiencing is cause by a general lack of knowledge and awareness and many times the rejection is not intentional. That has been my experience. However, it is not an excuse for lack of respect or an excuse not to try and do better. This is why we this is why organizations like Steps Care are so valuable as an asset to grow in understand and making accommodations within your faith community. Know that all of our training can be tailored to your specific needs. Not every church needs a disability "program" we like to say Disability ministry is not a program it is all about creating accessibility and inclusion in ways that are most meaningful to people of all abilities. 

If you have questions or comments about today's podcast email us at [email protected]  

If your church is a safe place for people impacted by disability we want to hear about it. We want to share your church with those that are looking for a place to go. We serve families all over the world. So if you are not local, we still want your communities information.  Email us your information at [email protected]. To learn more about what we are doing at Steps Care go over to the website at http://stepscare.org 

Thank you for joining us today! We hope you have been inspired! 

Good Morning!! Welcome to Steps Talk, this is episode 23 and today we talk about some tips for preparing students for the holiday events taking place this week. Practice makes perfect will seem like the theme of this episode. Thinking about students with developmental and sensory disabilities. The 4th of July can add some anxiety and overwhelming feelings. We can help our students and families with tips shared on the show this week. 

We will have a link to the original article with these tip ideas over on our Steps Care Facebook page @Stepscareinc. 

Consider making a monthly donation to support the work of this organization. Monthly donations can be set up over at the website stepscare.org and maybe you are thinking about becoming a partner this year. We would love to talk to you about the details. Email us at [email protected] and let us know that you are interested in sponsorship details. We will send them your way. 

Thank you for joining us this week. We hope you have been inspired!!! 

Good Morning!! Welcome to Steps Talk, this is episode 23 and today we talk about some tips for preparing students for the holiday events taking place this week. Practice makes perfect will seem like the theme of this episode. Thinking about students with developmental and sensory disabilities. The 4th of July can add some anxiety and overwhelming feelings. We can help our students and families with tips shared on the show this week. 

We will have a link to the original article with these tip ideas over on our Steps Care Facebook page @Stepscareinc. 

Consider making a monthly donation to support the work of this organization. Monthly donations can be set up over at the website stepscare.org and maybe you are thinking about becoming a partner this year. We would love to talk to you about the details. Email us at [email protected] and let us know that you are interested in sponsorship details. We will send them your way. 

Thank you for joining us this week. We hope you have been inspired!!! 

Good morning It's June 24th and today on Steps Talk we are talking about Classroom Management. There is so much more to say about this topic, but here is the start of a great conversation. How do your students shape the climate in your classroom? How does knowing each student play a role in how you manage your classroom? We want to hear from you this week. Email us at [email protected] 

My birthday is in a couple of weeks!! Facebook gives us opportunities to create fundraisers for our birthdays. I am celebrating this year by raising money for my favorite charity, Steps Care. I would like to invite you to be apart of the impact here at Steps Care!! Click the link https://www.facebook.com/donate/442100149702434/ to make your donation. This fundraiser will last two weeks!! But you are always welcome to show you support by going to the Steps Care Website stepscare.org and clicking on the donate button which will take you to PayPal and make your donation there at anytime. We are close to our $200.00 goal I think we can move our goal up. Let's do this!! Join the impact and help us inspire disability ministry all over the world!! Your donations help us to keep moving the needle for change. Join me in celebrating my Birthday!!! 

See you next week back here on the podcast. We hope you have been inspired. 

Welcome to episode 21 here at Steps Talk. We had a wonderful Father's day weekend! So much going on around here at Steps Care. This week we Talk about our trip to Linn Creek, MO to Rock House Church. We provided a Leadership Sensitivity Training as well as a Forming Disability Ministry Training. What a great group of loving, caring, and kind people that we met on Saturday. You all were wonderful! Thank you Mary Vest for connecting with us and helping us get this training in motion. Mary is a reprehensive of Stars for Autism. So grateful for her help. On Friday we met up with our friends at Stars for Autism at their Autism Friendly Presenters training. We want to thank them for allowing us to share what we do at Steps Care. We love all that Stars for Autism does for the community. They are doing fabulous things. We also got the opportunity to visit with our good friend Elijah Winfrey who was visiting from Seattle, Washington. You can find him at Elijahwinfrey.com and at his podcast The Elijah Winfrey Show on blog talk radio. 

I wanted to also add a link to the letter that I read today. Too many families tell us of similar stories, which breaks our hearts. This is our driving force behind why we do what we do at Steps Care. For information about how you can get involved please head over to our website at StepsCare.org. There you will find ministry resources, free downloads, past episodes from our podcast, as well as all the ways which you can get involved in what we are doing here at Steps Care. Donation can be made on our website or you may want to send a check. Make your check out to Steps Care and address your letter to Steps Care at PO BOX 1134, Bentonville, AR 72712. Feel free to email us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you. 

Welcome to Episode 20! It is Monday, June 3rd and today we are gearing up for Father's Day!! We think Dad's are pretty incredible! Today I share some personal stories about how my husband connected with our children who have special needs. Sometimes Dad's get a bad rap. Being the ones that leave when things get hard. We want you to know that this is not always the case. There are Dads that stick it out and are truly making a difference for their families. We think they are inspiring and Incredible. Many Dad's, my husband included, really don't see themselves as being anything extraordinary. We want them to know their worth today and on June 16th; Father's Day. 

If you would like connect with us at Steps Care, shoot us an email at [email protected]. We are looking for sponsors. Let's talk details. Email us at [email protected].

Thanks for joining us! We hope you've been inspired!!

So this week we ask you all, What would church camp, VBS, or other religious summer time events look like if your family could go. Some of our families impacted by disability have talked about how they feel left out when summer comes along. We want to know what accommodations would your family need in place to make camp or VBS something that you could participate in. Would your family be able to attend a typical designed camp or do you think you would need something tailored to your specific needs. Would attending special camps like Camp Barnabas be enough for your family. Would you think it was wonderful to be at camp put on by your faith's organization and have time with other parents like you and friends that were impacted by disability just like you at the same camp? 

I would love to hear your thoughts. We will be talking more in depth with our resident camping mom next week as we share our ideas and what we would like to see for our families. 

To Share your ideas at our email at [email protected] We would love to hear from you. 

So come back next week! We hope you'll be inspired!