Publisher's Synopsis
Book Summary While Our Lord sees in persons with disabilities a wholeness of spirit, the faith community, with an imperfect vision, may only see brokenness of body or mind. The wholeness of the Body of Christ depends upon the inclusion of all of God's children in His church, bringing the entire Body to the knowledge of Christ and making them disciples to go forth in service to Him. The Great Commission in Matthew 29:19-20 did not put limits or define to whom He was speaking, except to say all people in the entire world. Christ walked with compassion on this earth and His healing miracles are too numerous to cite. His healing hand was always ready to touch those with contagious diseases, twisted limbs and convulsive seizures. If we are to love as He loved, we are held to the high calling demonstrated by the Lord and invite all of His children into the fold with loving arms, embracing them, teaching them and encouraging them throughout a lifetime. Many people, who see themselves as the "perfect" body of Christ, seem to turn away any thought that there might be Disability in the Body of Christ. This manner of thinking is at least 180 degrees in the opposite direction from what is described in the scriptures. There are a plethora of pathetic excuses given for these thoughts, including lack of expertise, lack of workers, lack of understanding from others in the congregation and, often, just lack of compassion for people who "are not like us" in one way or another. This book attempts to refute some of the excuses and give answers to why these excuses are not acceptable to a loving and all-seeing God. Each chapter has new heroes, some are experiencing the disability and some are experiencing the associated pain of seeing their loved one with a disability being marginalized and mistreated. There is so much more to be learned, but if you are someone who loves the Lord and loves His body and would like to learn to better be His "hands and feet" in this world, this book may be a good place to begin.
