Autism and the Church - Sondra Williams

"When was the last time you looked at the world through someone else’s experience? Why can doing so, make it a better place for everyone? " Join us for one of our most fascinating episodes ever, a conversation with autism self-advocate, Sondra Williams. Sondra shares her personal experience of growing up with autism. Find out what it really feels like to be a child who is learning how to communicate, what non-speaking students with autism often want their teachers to know, and hear what the world feels like for Sondra as she shares her beautiful and very personal poetry.  And of course, we will also talk about how the church can better support people with autism. One quick note, if you are a longtime fan of Wonderful Works you may recognize this interview from the first time we shared it back in 2022. But, since we feel it is such an important conversation, we wanted to share it again! We believe that the best way to better understand people who have autism is to listen to them. We hope you will listen, learn, and share this podcast with others!   Sondra Williams, an individual with ASD residing in Columbus, OH, is a published author and national speaker on autism and trauma-related topics. She was the 2013 recipient of the Courage Award from Governor Kasich in the state of Ohio. She serves on many local, state, and national boards. She is part of the advisory board for OCALI. Williams is the founder of S.P.E.A.K.S. ART PROGRAM and loves mentoring teens and adults with autism. She is the parent of four young adults with autism, as well as four grandchildren, one of whom has ASD. Williams is the main character in the film The Leprechaun's Wife.    To learn more about Wonderful Works Ministry or the Adapted Discipleship Library, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠wonderfulworksministry.org⁠⁠⁠⁠   .A quick note on disability terms: Before you listen, I wanted to talk to you about something important about our podcast, and that is how we will be referring to disability during our discussions. We want you to know that at Wonderful Works Ministry, we know that words matter. We will strive to use preferred language regarding disability. But we also understand that preferred terms change over time and also can be subjective and vary from person to person, even among those with a shared diagnosis. With this in mind, we ask that you understand that we, here at Wonderful Works, and our guests may use a variety of terms on this show and in our resources. Please know that we will always approach language with inclusion, dignity and respect, and we hope you will too. Thank for listening!   One more quick note: The views and opinions expressed in our show are those of our guests and do not necessarily reflect those of Wonderful Works Ministry. Wonderful Works Ministry does not provide medical, legal, or therapeutic advice or services. Rather, we provide general information regarding disability ministry. The information provided in our content does not replace the advice of medical, legal, or educational professionals. Wonderful Works Ministry is not responsible for any information or services provided by third parties. It is recommended that you use independent judgement when considering any resource associated with serving those who have been impacted by disability. Thank you.