Parenting and Disabilities: review of book by Stephanie O. Hubach

Review by Kathy Kuhl    Feeling weary? When you raise a child with special needs, you enter a lifetime of giving. If you’re not careful, it can become a burnt-out life.

That’s why I recommend a short new book. To help you replenish your soul as you raise kids with challenges, Stephanie O. Hubach has written a 31-day devotional book. It’s called Parenting and Disabilities: Abiding in God’s Presence. (Though I say it’s for parents of kids with challenges, I suspect all parents would benefit.)

In this book, Stephanie Hubach provides short Biblical messages to encourage fellow parents. As the parent of an adult with special needs, she’s walked this road a long time. She will challenge you to reframe your thinking, whatever your child’s disabilities or age. And you’ll enjoy her humor.

You might know I’m a Christian. I know that you might not be. I appreciate all my readers. I don’t usually recommend explicitly Christian books on this site.

My aim here is to help you homeschool kids who learn differently. But some of you have talked to me about spiritual dryness you’ve experienced while raising an atypical child. So today I’ll make an exception.

Reading Parenting and Disabilities

Stephanie has organized Parenting and Disabilities around eight ways God’s presence is a gift to his children. Growing out of the author’s decades as a parent and as a student of Bible, the readings are clear and practical.

And as she reminds us, you don’t need to read this 31-day devotional book in 31 consecutive days. (She knows how we live.)

Buy a copy for yourself and one for a friend, read together, and help each other savor these peace-giving lessons.

I’m excited that Parenting and Disabilities: Abiding in God’s Presence by Stephanie O. Hubach is available with my affiliate link here. Give yourself a treat—one that will help you keep going.

Who is Stephanie Hubach?

Not only is Stephanie the mother of an adult with disabilities, but she has also directed disabilities ministries nationally and locally. She’s talked and worked with many parents like us. Currently, she’s a research fellow in disabilities ministries at Covenant Theological Seminary. Also she’s a visiting instructor in their educational ministries program.

Years ago, Stephanie had a big impact on my thinking about to view disabilities. I read an interview with her prior to the publication of her first book, Same Lake, Different Boat: Coming Alongside People Touched by Disability.

She began that book by asking, are disabilities just another kind of normal in a normal world? Or are they an abnormal part of a good world? Stephanie made the case that they are a normal part of a broken world.

How do people with disabilities and differences fit into the church? Just a project? Not at all! Stephanie helped me understand how to think about disability. (I highly recommend her book, Same Lake, Different Boat for your own reading, and for your church leadership if you want them to think about disability ministry. The book was updated and expanded in 2020.)

When Stephanie and I first met, we had so many common interests and passions, we could scarcely stop talking. Gratefully, I now call her a friend. She’s smart, funny, wise, and easy to follow.

How to get a copy of Parenting and Disabilities

Though I wish I could give a copy of this book to everyone who wants it, I only have one copy* to give away. Cathy was the winner.

But you can still get this book. If you have a Kindle app, you can enjoy that version for $6.99, or the paperback for $9.99. (Those are today’s prices.) Tell someone it would make a great gift for you, and buy one for a friend.

What helps you avoid spiritual burnout as you homeschool a child with special needs? Please comment below.

(* Disclosure: I won one copy of this book in a contest for members of Stephanie’s book launch team. Along with an advance digital copy, it is the only compensation I received for participating on the launch team. Later, I voluntarily wrote  this review.)