Purchase Resources Online

Same Lake Different Boat by Stephanie Hubach (Second Edition, Revised & Expanded)

All people share a common story of both human need and God-imparted value (we’re in the same lake), but our life experiences – including our abilities and disabilities – are not the same (we’re in different boats).  Welcoming readers of all backgrounds and circumstances, Stephanie Hubach explores what we need to rethink and relearn regarding disability in order to support one another – and to make the gospel truly accessible to all.

$15.00

(Lisa’s thoughts: “Stephanie lays an accurate Biblical foundation like no other book that I have found in this genre.  Stephanie’s personal experience combined with Biblical theology of disability make this new version of SLDB the foundation of my library.”)

Same Lake Different Boat by Stephanie Hubach (First Edition)

When the church attempts to function without all of its parts, the body of Christ becomes disabled.  Same Lake Different Boat is a transformational work – designed to renew our minds to think biblically about disability in order that our lives, our relationships, and our congregations might wholly reflect Christ.

$10.00

(Lisa’s thoughts: This book is my heart on paper.  Biblical Foundations.  Real Life.  How the Church should respond once they understand both the Bibical theology and the challenges families face.  This is the book every special needs ministry leader and every pastor considering special needs ministry needs to read.)

Same Lake Different Boat Bible Study Workbook by Lisa Mattheiss/LifeLine, Inc.

Based on Same Lake Different Boat by Stephanie Hubach, First Edition

For close to 10 years, LifeLine has used this study, along with Stephanie’s book and her YouTube video series to provide solid Biblical foundations for families and churches on the topic of disability.  This study has been instrumental in the transformation of individuals, families, and churches through the development of theological worldview of disability.

$15.00

(Lisa’s thoughts: “People preparing to launch a special needs ministry in their church frequently ask me how to start. My response is always to pull a team together and work through the SLDB Bible Study. The 15 weeks together will knit your hearts together like nothing else. The study, utilizing Stephanie’s book and her YouTube video series, will give you a foundation for the Biblical theology of disability, an understanding of what families face on a daily basis, and practical applications for taking that knowledge to action.)  NOTE: This study will be updated with the new chapters of the second version soon.

Unbroken Faith – Spiritual Recovery for the Special Needs Parent by Diane Dokko Kim

When parents hear that their child has a disability, hearts and hopes are broken.  But faith doesn’t have to be.  In Unbroken Faith, Diane Dokko Kim comes alongside you as a fellow special-needs parent to help reconcile the premise of a good God with the devastating realities of raising a disabled child.  She courageously articulates deep-seated, unspoken doubts and fears you may be afraid to voice: Will my child still have a full life?  I can’t do this! Where is God in all this?  Kim’s biblical based encouragement will help you understand that you are not alone, that God gets it, and that God’s Word is entirely releavant to the raw and messy, yet hallowed and hopeful, spaces of special needs parenting.

$15.00

(Lisa’s thoughts: “The impact of a diagnosis in real life.  Raw feelings. Solid truth. Pure hope.  It’s all here.  Diane tells her personal story of working through the feelings, finding the truth, and realizing the hope that can only come through Jesus.  All the feelings of families and all the theology for ministry leaders to base their ministry to families upon.”

Mental Health and the Church – A Ministry Handbook for Including Children and Adults with ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, and other Common Mental Health Conditions By Stephen Grcevich, MD

Is your church a welcome place for everyone?  Weekend worship services, Christian education, small group ministry, and service opportunities are activities critical to growing in faith in Christ.  Yet the church across North America struggles to include families of children, teens, and adults who have common mental health conditions.  In Mental Health and the Church, Dr. Stephen Grcevich lays the groundwork for an inclusion ministry that is flexible enough to be used by churches of any size or denomination.

$12.00

(Lisa’s thoughts: “It’s the “invisible” disabilities sometimes that keep families from participating in their local church.  Dr. Grcevich uses his medical experience and family’s stories to share all the ways that, with a little forethought and planning, it IS possible to include with invisible disabilities in the life of your church.”)

Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families

The 5 Love Languages for Parents Raising Children With Disabilities by Gary Chapman, PhD and Jolene Philo, MEd

Between the worry, the doctor’s appointments, and the countless small challenges of everyday life, showing abundant love to every member of your family can feel like a daunting task.  Jolene Philo has been there.  And in this wise, warm, practical guide, she and Dr. Gary Chapman show you how the five love languages can help strengthen your marriage and family life –whatever your needs.  Sharing dozens of stories from parents children with special needs.

$15.00

(Lisa’s thoughts: We founded our family on Dr. Chapman’s concept of Love Languages and it was such a valuable tool for marriage, but every child with special needs may not communicate according to established patterns.  How do we express love to them?  Jolene’s educational and personal experience help bring these concepts home for families with children with special needs.)

Resilient Ministry – What pastors told us about Surviving and Thriving by Bob Burns, Tasha D. Chapman, and Donald C. Guthrie

What does it take to have fruitful ministry over the long haul?  The stresses of pastoring are well known – multiple tasks, long hours, taxing responsibilities, and yes, some challenging personalities to deal with.  Too often the results can be burn out, being run out or just feeling worn out.  To find out how pastors can thrive as well as survive, the authors undertook a five-year, in-depth research project among working pastors.  In this groundbreaking book is the distilled wisdom of dozens who have been on the front lines of ministry.  We hear from them what works, what doesn’t and what distinctive issues in ministry face.  The authors uncover five key themes that promote healthy, sustainable ministry that lasts.  The result is a book that can also be of value to church boards and others who want to better understand how to help sustain their pastors in ministry.  In short, this is a book pastors can’t live without. 

$20.00

(Lisa’s thoughts: “It’s the book I wish I’d had 25 years ago when I started ministry.  This is NOT just for pastors.  It is for any ministry leader, no matter where you are in your ministry.  Whether you are brand new and want to set yourself up with a good foundation for many years of ministry or you’ve been in the throes of it for awhile and feel like you are ready to crash and burn, there is a take-away for EVERY ministry leader.”

You can make a donation online through the www.lifelinefamiliesorg/support-us tab and then write which book/books you would like and the quantity in the comment section.  We will ship them out to you or make arrangements for pickup/delivery if you are local.  

More resources are coming! Check back soon!