Our goals for 2010

Written by admin on January 3, 2010 – 1:17 pm -

Steve and I have been spending much time thinking about where we want to go with Gabriel’s Foundation of HOPE in 2010.  The passion for serving the disability community is on fire in Steve’s heart to the point of tears when he sees someone in a wheelchair or cane or walker.  Just today at church we met a new friend – Natalie – a beautiful young girl with a smile as wide as the Mississippi.  What a sweet family! 

God continues to place these families in our lives and we continue to pray for the resources to do what it takes to encourage them and to provide for whatever they need. The desire is so strong it chokes us sometimes.  So we need to get busy raising funds and letting people know what we have to offer.

Today I’m working on an application for Joni and Friends ministry affiliate program.  We want to associate ourselves with this incredible world wide ministry focused on ministry to individuals and families affected by disabilities.  We hope our application will be accepted and we can join forces with Joni’s ministry as we both serve these wonderful people.

Happy New Year 2010.  A new decade is upon us and we envision great things for our organization.  We are planning our first fund raising dinner and auction.  We are working diligently to complete Gabe’s first book.  Gigi’s book Caregivers Devotions to Go is completed and waiting for the printer to complete the print copy.  We are making that book available free with any donation during the month of January.

In March we will present our ministry at the Northwest Ministry Conference where we will share more about how we can help other ministries in working with the disability community.

Gabe is taking a public speaking class as part of his college curriculum so we are excited to help him improve his speaking abilities so he can continue to touch lives in this way. 

We have much work to to and we are excited to achieve our goals in 2010.  Won’t you come along side us and help us make it happen?


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Northwest Ministry Conference 2009

Written by admin on March 28, 2009 – 8:22 pm -

We finished our first conference for Gabriel’s Foundation of HOPE today.  It was a successful conference for all of us.  Our booth was well attended and we got some good contacts.  Steve and I presented a workshop about our desire to help individuals and families dealing with disability through our nonprofit.  We also want to come along side churches to help them minister to the disabled community.

We heard stories from families who have struggled with finding resources for their children affected by disability.  It reinforced the reason for our ministry.  We are excited to get to work writing grants and seeking donations to promote our causes.  We know we are doing what God has called us to.  That feels so good.

It was very exciting to meet Rev Dan’l Markham from Joni and Friends.  My heart has been with Joni’s ministry for many years.  We hope to partner with her ministry in the coming months.  Dan is also on the board of directors for Nick Vuicich from Life Without Limbs.  We hope to meet him one of these days.  I think he and gabe would make a dynamic duo sharing their stories.

For those of you who have never been to the Northwest Ministry Conference, it is an amazing and fun time.  The speakers, the worship, the exhibit booths and the workshops are worth every penny spent.  Don’t miss it next year on the weekend of March 18-20, 2010.  You

Thank you to those who stopped at our booth.  It was such a blessing to meet each one of you.  We hope and pray that in the coming months we’ll meet again.  Perhaps Gabe will be able to speak at your church.  I’d love to speak to your women’s ministry as well.

Please keep coming back to our website to learn more about what we are up to.  God Bless.


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Parents in Transition

Written by Gigi on February 10, 2009 – 7:12 pm -

Our lives have been touched in many ways as parents.  Our two boys have made our lives so rich.  As a parent of a child with a disability we have learned much.

 Well, he’s not a child any longer.  He’s now an adult.  So we are in transition.

I have to admit this is not an easy transition.  We are having to let go of Gabe.  He no longer needs us like he once did.  My focus as Gabe’s mom has changed completely in the last six months.  My days were often driven by Gabe’s schedule.  Now that he is away at college, I have found myself with time on my hands. 

What to do with that time?  I have been focusing on my writing.  The book I have been writing about the season of raising our boys is getting more of my attention these days.  I’m excited.

I’m also more ready to write from a different place.  When I was in the middle of the challenges and struggles and the triumphs and joys, it was difficult to put it all on paper.  But now much of that is behind me.  I can clearly write some of the difficult things without soaking the paper with tears.  Oh I still cry about it, but it’s a different kind of tear these days.

I am so proud of who our boys have become.  The difficult times have been worth it.  I’ve learned much in the last twenty-one years of being a mom. 

I’m excited to continue in this transition as we move further into our season of empty-nesting.  I love this season as Steve and I get to know each other again with our focus on one another rather than on our boys.  Some days we feel like teenagers again.  That part of transition is really good!


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