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The Special Needs Parent: A Guide to the Life You Never Expected
The journey you didn’t choose. The joy you didn’t expect. Caring for a child with special needs is a full-time job, an undertaking that cannot be imagined until you’re thrust into a life you never saw coming. It can feel overwhelming and isolating. Often, special needs parents have little free time, energy, or money.Dr. Joe and Cindi Ferrini, parents who’ve been caring for a special needs child for over 40 years, understand. In The Special Needs Parent, Joe and Cindi share honestly and openly about their own struggles and victories. With biblical wisdom and helps they’ve learned along the way, this book shares how
• embrace your journey of caring for a loved one with special needs
• experience a vibrant and thriving life yourself
• celebrate your loved one
• serve with excellence and Christlike loveAdditionally, The Special Needs Parent provides invaluable action steps for coping with unique challenges, when others are unkind, the lack of free and fun time, the stress of finances, and grief. Emphasizing our relationship with God, this book is filled with hope and practical ways to build a strong life, marriage, family (nuclear and extended), and to flourish with a foundation of faith. You’ll discover you’re not alone and how to embrace this unexpected journey with confidence, grace, and strength—all of which God provides—to go the distance.
• embrace your journey of caring for a loved one with special needs
• experience a vibrant and thriving life yourself
• celebrate your loved one
• serve with excellence and Christlike loveAdditionally, The Special Needs Parent provides invaluable action steps for coping with unique challenges, when others are unkind, the lack of free and fun time, the stress of finances, and grief. Emphasizing our relationship with God, this book is filled with hope and practical ways to build a strong life, marriage, family (nuclear and extended), and to flourish with a foundation of faith. You’ll discover you’re not alone and how to embrace this unexpected journey with confidence, grace, and strength—all of which God provides—to go the distance.
160 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2026
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June 13, 2026
I’ve read a lot about my kids different diagnoses and about parenting in general. But I have never felt as seen and connected while reading them as I did with this one.
So much within these pages had me thinking over and over “I thought it was just me or us”
I was surprised to learn that it must not be that uncommon for a family’s church to prioritize pastoral care for healthy, “normal” families over caring for families with special needs, those enduring lengthy hospital stays, etc. We’ve been blessed to find two amazing churches in our community that I am incredibly grateful for. And while I pray this book and/or others like it become a helpful read for lots of church leaders, I believe the same as the authors… not every church is going to be the right church. Not every church is meant to have a great special needs ministry. That’s okay.
I’ll provably be reading this one over again.
So much within these pages had me thinking over and over “I thought it was just me or us”
I was surprised to learn that it must not be that uncommon for a family’s church to prioritize pastoral care for healthy, “normal” families over caring for families with special needs, those enduring lengthy hospital stays, etc. We’ve been blessed to find two amazing churches in our community that I am incredibly grateful for. And while I pray this book and/or others like it become a helpful read for lots of church leaders, I believe the same as the authors… not every church is going to be the right church. Not every church is meant to have a great special needs ministry. That’s okay.
I’ll provably be reading this one over again.
Displaying 1 of 1 review