Faith, Disability, and the Power of Belonging with Jeannie Ewing - Episode 110

Inclusion and Disability Advocacy from a Parent's Perspective: The Inclusive Dad

In this episode of The Inclusive Dad podcast, host AAron welcomes author and speaker Jeannie Ewing for a heartfelt conversation about parenting, inclusion, grief, and redefining faith. Jeannie shares her journey of raising a daughter with Abert syndrome, navigating neurodivergence in her family, and transforming grief into purpose. They explore how faith evolves, what true inclusion means, and how churches can either harm or heal. With personal stories, practical wisdom, and spiritual insights, this episode offers hope and direction for anyone walking a complex journey of love, disability, and belonging.

Key Takeaways:

Redefining Inclusion – Inclusion means accompaniment, not condescension; it’s about walking beside people, not fixing them.

Grief Beyond Death – Jeannie reframes grief as more than death—it’s also the loss of dreams, identity, or stability.

Faith Reconstruction – Parenting a child with disabilities can spark spiritual deconstruction and rebuilding.

Empathy as Skill – Empathy isn’t innate for everyone; it must be modeled, practiced, and intentionally taught.

Small Acts Matter – Daily kindness is a practical way to build a more inclusive world—smile, speak, notice, care.

Jeannie’s definition of inclusion:

Inclusion is acknowledging the dignity of every human and welcoming them as a fellow pilgrim.

Jeannie’s Bio:

I am a middle-aged wife to Ben and mom of five crazy kiddos: Felicity (13), Sarah (11), Veronica (7), Joey (5), and Auggie (4). Honestly, I never imagined myself having even one child, let alone five, but here I am. The weirdest part is that we don’t have a “typical” family, in the sense that some of our kids have developed according to the norm of their peers.

Felicity struggles with anxiety. Sarah was born with a genetic craniofacial condition (Apert syndrome, which I mentioned earlier) that affects her entire body. It’s more of a systemic issue than merely a facial one. She currently has fifteen specialists, many of whom we see monthly or even weekly, and she is also on the ASD (autism spectrum disorder), as well as struggling with ADHD and intellectual disabilities.

There are many avocations that fascinate me and capture my attention. These days, they mostly include creative cooking, wine tasting, reading, and walking in nature. Occasionally, I scrap book mementos and photos throughout the year, and I’d love to pick up traveling again, once the kids are a bit older.

Our family lives in northern Indiana. I’ve always been a Midwestern gal, born and raised as a Hoosier. My husband is a transplant from Colorado, though, and he will always miss his Rocky Mountains.

Connect with Jeannie:

Website: https://jeannieewing.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeannie_ewing

Substack: https://jeannieewing.substack.com/

SPAM© Count:

Host:

Yes

Current Guest:

No

Cumulative Guest Stats:

Yes - 44

No - 64

☕ Buy me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theinclusivedad

Subscribe to Podcast Newsletter: https://www.theinclusivedad.com/podcastupdates

Want to create videos like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6041699795730432

Want to be a guest on Inclusion and Advocacy from a Parent's Perspective: The Inclusive Dad? Send Aaron DeVries a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theinclusivedad