Moments of Joy

Families raising children with disabilities often don’t leave church because they’ve lost faith. Many leave because they feel unseen, unsupported, isolated, or overwhelmed trying to navigate spaces that were never designed with their children in mind. In this powerful episode, I sit down with Pastor Craig Johnson, founder of Champions Club, a worldwide special needs ministry that has helped launch over 135 disability ministries across the globe. Together, we have an honest conversation about disability inclusion in churches, autism acceptance in faith spaces, supporting families with special needs, and what true belonging really looks like. We discuss: • Why many special needs families quietly stop attending church • The emotional weight caregivers carry in public spaces • How churches can better support autistic children and people with disabilities • Practical ways to create sensory-friendly and inclusive ministries • Pastor Craig’s personal journey and heart behind Champions Club • What pastors, volunteers, and ministry leaders often misunderstand • How the Church can become a place of refuge instead of isolation Whether you are a parent raising a child with autism, a pastor, ministry leader, volunteer, educator, or someone passionate about disability awareness and inclusion, this conversation is deeply important. No family should feel invisible in the house of God. ✨ If you’re a special needs parent, what’s one thing you wish churches understood better about your family? Share below. Your story may help someone feel less alone. #Autism #SpecialNeeds #DisabilityInclusion #AutismAcceptance #ChurchInclusion #SpecialNeedsMinistry #ChampionsClub #AutismParenting #DisabilityAwareness #SpecialNeedsParenting #FaithAndDisability #CaregiverSupport #AutisticChildren #InclusiveChurch #MomentsOfJoyPodcast #PastorCraigJohnson #AutismFamily #ChristianPodcast #SpecialNeedsFamilies

Here's the truth: living with profound autism means lifelong caregiving—it's overwhelming but also filled with moments of hope. 👉 Tag a parent who needs to hear this today. Have you ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes of severe autism? Gunner's journey from early milestones to challenging years—and now breakthrough moments—show us that progress, no matter how small, is strength in disguise. It's not always pretty, and advocacy is tough, especially when boundaries are tested. But sharing our stories can give others hope and understanding. What message do you wish more people understood about profound autism? Let's keep the conversation real and compassionate. Full episode linked in bio — you don’t want to miss this inspiring talk! #AutismAwareness #ProfoundAutism #AutismJourney #MomLife #AdvocacyMatters

In this episode of the Moments of Joy podcast, Camille sits down with her friend Taylor J for a heartfelt and honest conversation about how friends and extended family members can better support families raising children with special needs. Whether you’re a sibling, grandparent, cousin, or close friend, you may often wonder: How can I help? This episode dives into the kind of help that actually makes a difference—from emotional support to practical ways to show up for the everyday challenges. 🎙️ Topics We Cover: What not to say to special needs parents Practical ways to show up and support How to include the child with special needs Why empathy matters more than understanding Personal stories from Camille and Taylor’s journey 💬 If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to be there for a family you love, this episode will give you the insight and encouragement you need. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode to support special needs families everywhere. #SpecialNeedsParenting #FamilySupport #AutismAwareness #MomentsOfJoyPodcast #TaylorJ #ParentingPodcast #Neurodiversity #DisabilityInclusion #HowToHelp

Summary: In this episode of the Moments of Joy Podcast, Camille Joy discusses the challenges faced by parents of children with special needs, emphasizing the importance of community, understanding, and self-care. She shares personal experiences of feeling misunderstood and offers encouragement to parents navigating similar struggles. The episode highlights the need for mental health prioritization and the value of finding supportive communities to combat feelings of isolation. Takeaways: Community is essential for parents of special needs children. Feeling misunderstood is common, but you are not alone. It's important to seek support from others who understand your journey. Caregiver burnout is a real issue that needs addressing. Prioritizing mental health is crucial for effective caregiving. You can advocate for your child without sacrificing your well-being. Self-affirmation and positive self-talk can help combat negativity. Finding local and online support groups can provide valuable resources. It's okay to let go of relationships that don't support your journey. Choosing joy is a powerful mindset, even in difficult times.

In this conversation, Areva Martin shares her journey as an advocate for autism awareness and support, stemming from her personal experiences as a mother of a child with autism. She discusses the disparities in services available to families based on socioeconomic status and race, the importance of early diagnosis and intervention, and the need for community support. Areva emphasizes that communication can take many forms and that autism should be viewed as a unique way of being rather than a deficit. She encourages parents to embrace their child's diagnosis and highlights the resources available through her nonprofit organization, the Special Needs Network.

In this episode of the Moments of Joy podcast, host Camille Joy sits down with R&B singer Faith Evans to discuss her journey as a mother raising an autistic son, Ryder. Faith shares her experiences from the initial concerns about Ryder's development to navigating the complexities of autism diagnosis, early intervention, and the challenges faced within the school system. The conversation highlights the emotional impact of the diagnosis, the importance of community support, and the advocacy needed to ensure that children with autism receive the education and care they deserve. Faith emphasizes the significance of sharing knowledge and experiences to help other parents in similar situations. In this conversation, Faith shares her experiences as a mother of a child with autism, discussing the challenges of balancing her career and family life, the importance of community awareness, and the progress her son Ryder has made. She emphasizes the need for safety and understanding in interactions with law enforcement, the significance of family support, and the mission of her organization, Ryders Room, to provide resources and support for families affected by autism. Faith also offers advice to new parents navigating similar journeys and highlights the importance of kindness and empathy towards individuals with autism.

In this episode of Moments of Joy, I sit down with the Houston Area; Katy, Texas Police Department to discuss Project Guardian, a program designed to improve interactions between law enforcement and individuals with special needs. We dive into how this initiative helps keep our loved ones safe and how you can advocate for similar programs in your own community. Every child deserves to be understood, and as parents, we have the power to push for change. Tune in and learn how to make a difference! If youre interested in having a project guardian in your local polica department you can email these two officers at ckoenig@katypd.com,mgarsee@katypd.com Be sure to stay connected with us on social media. Take a screen shot and let me know what you think of this episode! IG:https: //www.instagram.com/momentsofjoypodcast/ Tiktok:https: //www.tiktok.com/@momentsofjoypodcast?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camille.sneed.5/

Welcome back! Whew! It's been a awhile but we are gearing up to come back and spread encouragement for the community we love most! New episodes coming 3/26/2025. Im so excited. Be sure to connect with us on social media and spread the word.

On this weeks episode Im sitting down with Licensed Therapist Nadia Fiorita. We talked about why parents prioritizing their own wellbeing is so important and Nadia shared simple things they can start to do when we feel overwhelmed and stressed out. She gave tips on identifying anxiety in our children and ourselves and how to manage.

Today Im sitting down with Teresa Girolamo, Ph.D., she is an autistic language in autism researcher and assistant professor in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University. As director of the Brain, Environment, and Language Lab, she works with racially and ethnically minoritized autistic individuals with language impairment. This population is underserved in research, hindering our ability to develop supports to meet their needs. Current projects include how social determinants of health plus language ability shape life outcomes and how to better understand strengths in language ability in this population. The long-term goal of this work is to translate this knowledge into community-based supports for individuals to meet their self-identified goals.

Welcome back! Thank you for baring with me as we had a winter break. Today we are sitting down to chat with Melanie Oates. @melanieoates_ Mom of two special needs children. It was wonderful to hear her journey and what resources have worked for her.She made a tough decision of placing her daughter in a 24/7 respite care facility.

During this episode I'm sitting down with founder of Happiness is Down Syndrome and mom of Jed, Misty Con Snyder. We chat about diagnosis, resources, the beauty of raising a child with special needs.

Today I'm sitting down to chat with the founder of non profit organization Hearts of Joy International. Hearts of Joy is a non profit that provides life saving heart surgery to individuals with Down Syndrome. They are dedicated to serving vulnerable children who otherwise would have no access to quality medical care. 50% of children born with Down Syndrome are born with a congenital heart defect that requires surgery to repair before it becomes life threatening. Due to poverty and lack of resources in developing worlds, children are not given access to proper medical care. After traveling to Uganda, East Africa and seeing the need first hand and witnessing how individuals with Down syndrome are disregarded and seen as a burden to society, Lauren was inspired to start a program to help. Hearts of Joy International walks with families through the surgery process, providing resources, support and education to communities, orphanages, caregivers and parents on the inherent dignity and value of the child. Hearts of Joy International serves in the Philippines, India, Mexico, Uganda and right here in the United States.