About Me

The longer version of me:

I was born and grew up in Taipei, Taiwan. After college I came to the States, so English is my second language. I did not have conversational English and did not read an English book before I came here. I had to deal with the cultural shock and overcome the language barrier at the same time while studying for my MBA. It was a challenging, yet rewarding time. The challenges I faced enabled me to build perseverance, endurance, and resilience. But what I am forever grateful for during this time is that I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Fast forward 10 years, my husband and I moved from Illinois to Texas and were expecting our daughter. I made what I thought was the most sacrificial decision at the time – to stay home with my daughter. As a born workaholic with 2 Master’s Degrees, a CPA, and a good job, I wrestled through that difficult decision.

Pregnancy was hard. I had all-day sickness for almost 9 months and even lost weight during the pregnancy. My daughter came a month early, so we had to cancel the Superbowl party at our house. We did not have relatives close by, and our church friends were all singles at the time. We would not have made it without God’s grace covering and carrying us through that time.

Being a mom totally changed my life – not just the rhythm of daily life but also my perspective on things here and beyond. My view of God and humanity was revolutionized. I stood in awe till that day when the Creator God involved me in the creating process, by bringing His Masterpiece into this world. I stood amazed that the all-powerful God incorporated me in caring for and bringing up His daughter. I learned what it means to love, sacrifice, and surrender at a whole new level. I recognized and acknowledged that I could not parent my daughter or love her well without God’s help. Self-sufficiency and independence just don’t cut it.

Fast forward another 15 years, I decided to pursue a doctorate in education. I knew my dissertation would be about the disability community from the get-go. People asked me why because for more than 18 years, I was teaching children in different settings. I did not get involved in the disability ministry until my last year in the Christian Education Master’s program. I was not disability aware, let alone being an advocate before then.

I like those why questions. Because those questions helped me to think clearly and further solidify my decision.

Personal Witness

I have seen families of children with disabilities struggling with financial burdens, emotional turmoil, and marriage dissolutions. My first experience with families affected by disabilities was during my daughter’s elementary school year when she received pediatric speech therapy. While waiting for her during the therapy session, I observed and conversed with many children with disabilities. Most of them were in the clinic every other day, if not more. The speech clinic was often the second or third therapy place they visited on the same day. When waiting, these parents tried to help the older siblings with homework and occupy the younger ones with toys and books. They talked about how they had to fight for almost everything for their disabled children. They also voiced their fears, guilt, stress, and exhaustion. Some moms confessed that their marriages were in trouble, and their other children were neglected. I saw firsthand that disability affects every member of the family unit and completely changes the family dynamics.

The Message of Hope

The Bible is God’s story of the salvation of humankind through His Son, Jesus Christ. The history of Salvation reveals God’s heart of compassion for all people and His mission to draw all people to Him.

The distinguishing marks of Christianity are humility and love. With or without disabilities, we are all bearers of the divine image and deeply loved by God. We all inherit the disability of sin from the first human being Adam: a universal, disabling condition that we cannot fix ourselves. We all need the saving grace of Jesus Christ to redeem us from our disabling sin.

We are aware of the ubiquity of impairments and limitations. Though individual limitations and impairments are different in kind and degrees, we are all vulnerable and depend on one another. Jesus’ life was marked by a genuine love for others despite their abilities or how society views them. He loved all, and He came to die for all. The message of Jesus gives hope to a world in need of salvation and restoration.

So, how is this blog different from the other blogs that also talk about disabilities?

As the website’s name indicates, this blog is about conversations, stories, and resources. It holds many voices, not just one voice. It offers many perspectives, not a single perspective. It provides cold and hard facts, but it contains even more heartfelt real-life stories. And it includes thoughts of people from all walks of life, not just a single profession.

It is a site where people come together, recognizing each individual’s inherent dignity and value, to offer love and belonging to one another.

I believe the hope of restoration, renewal, and eternal life we find in Jesus Christ is the only sure hope we could offer to the world. I also believe in the power of shared stories. If your life is impacted by disabilities, directly or indirectly, this blog is for you. If you are disability aware and want to offer information, this blog is for you. If you are not familiar with disabilities and care enough to learn more, this blog is for you. My prayer and hope are that this blog will provide an open and honest space for people to share their stories.