Can Disabilities Bring Hope?

Our families--and parenting--can look a lot different than we expect. Especially when disabilities enter the picture. Today we talk with Jillian Benfield about her journey of shock, grieving, and discovery in parenting a child with special needs. Her honesty and perspective give HOPE for families who grapple with life's unexpected twists and turns...and encouragement on how God can use and transform you through the unexpected!ABOUT OUR GUESTJillian Benfield is a former journalist and news anchor. She holds a broadcast journalism degree from the University of Georgia. As a freelance writer, her essays about living an unexpected life have appeared on sites such as TODAY, Good Morning America, Yahoo! News, and ABC News. Jillian regularly advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in her writings, community, and as a part of the National Down Syndrome Congress's National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition. Jillian and her husband, Andy, and their three children make their home on Florida's Space Coast.CONNECT WITH JILLIANWebsiteInstagramFacebookABOUT HER BOOKThe Gift of the Unexpected: Discovering Who You Were Meant to Be When Life Goes Off PlanWhat if the unexpected is the beginning of becoming your truest self?Jillian Benfield was living life in the spotlight as a TV journalist, but after receiving a life-altering diagnosis for her unborn son, she realized no camera-ready outfit could dress up her grief.Overcoming this unexpected circumstance wasn't an option. She would have to undergo it instead. In doing so, she discovered who she was and who God wanted her to become.In this riveting story filled with grit and grace, Jillian helps you break down the false constructs you've built around God and your identity. You won't avoid your pain, but you'll learn to feel it, in a healing way. And you'll discover how your internal transformation leads to external purpose.No matter what you're going through, you're invited to open this gift: The Gift of the Unexpected.