On June 21 & 22 we welcomed special needs moms, grandmothers, and female caregivers from around the country to a weekend of refreshment and encouragement.
Read MoreIt’s been a great spring at Rising Above Ministries! We are so grateful for every opportunity we have had to continue #LiftingUpTheSpecialNeedsCommunity.
Read MoreEach year it brings us so much joy to host a celebration in honor of real-life heroes who live among us: individuals with special needs and their families.
Read MoreSaturday, March 2 marked the 2019 Cookeville Dodgeball Tournament to benefit Rising Above Ministries. 14 teams competed in an exciting round-robin style tournament while spectators looked on…
Read MoreThis month we invite you to meet the Bryan family. Wally, Lisa, Kelly and Matthew happen to be some of our favorite people, and we think you will love them, too. Stories like theirs are the reason we are so passionate about the mission God has given us at Rising Above.
Read More270 honored guests. Over 200 volunteers. One amazing, unforgettable night.
Read MoreThis month we invite you to meet some dear friends of ours from Kennesaw, Georgia...the Whaley family. Kevin and Donna have one son, Parker, who is 13 years old. Parker was diagnosed with regressive autism at age 2. He currently has PANDAS, a debilitating autoimmune disorder…
Read MoreToday, my son who has profound special needs turns 21. His life could not look more different than mine did at that age. He is not in college dreaming about his career. He is not pondering his future or how he will make his fortune. He is not chasing a pot of gold or climbing the ladder of success. Those are the things most young men are doing at his age, but Jon Alex operates on a different level…
Read MoreToday, we’re going to talk about forming good habits.Contrary to our introductory quote from superstar-athlete, Michael Jordan, I happen to think that quitting is an EXCELLENT habit to form. I discussed in Part 3 how God is faithful (after we’ve surrendered our own plans) to give us the words to say and the guidance we need about what to do next…
Read MoreSurrender doesn’t mean that we stop playing an active role in our future, but it does mean that we step back and let the Holy Spirit begin directing us. So back to that thing you quit.Was it a role? A job? A responsibility you inherited or for which you volunteered? Something imposed upon you? Think about that thing right now. And then consider it in light of this verse…
Read MoreYou’ve probably seen that billboard with John Wayne in his large cowboy hat. The words next to his ruggedly-handsome face say “Don’t much like quitters, son.” This quote elicits a wide array of responses in my brain…
Read MoreHave you ever had one of those days where you just want to give up? If your life circumstances were a job, you would not even bother with a 2-week notice. You’d say, “I quit!” and high tail it out of there, running away with the determination of Forrest Gump. I’m with you on this. For many of us, this feeling can last not only days, but for weeks, months, or even years…
Read MoreThis month we invite you to get to know two of the most amazing women we've ever met... Christine Rosenow and her younger sister, Barb. Barb is full of joy, always has a smile to share. Barb was diagnosed with Down syndrome as a child in 1973…
Read MoreCould you use some encouragement on this Tuesday afternoon? These songs are a good place to start!
Read MoreOn June 22&23, moms, grandmothers, and female caregivers of individuals with special needs came from far and near to join together for By The Brook 2018. What an honor it was for us to welcome these amazing women to Cookeville, Tennessee for two days of pampering, refreshment, encouragement, and fun…
Read MoreIt's Tuesday, and we have some encouraging song selections for your afternoon! This week's songs go along with our By The Brook 2018 theme - Brave. We hope they help put a little spring in your step today.
Read MoreHere’s Rising Above’s spring 2018 Newsletter!
Read MoreGenesis 22 has to be one of the most suspenseful stories in the Old Testament. Abraham is tested by God and asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on a mountain in Moriah. I cannot imagine what must have been going through Abraham’s mind as he woke up early, cut wood for the offering, traveled for three days, and then saw the mountain in the distance…
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