When Church Hurts: Wrestling With the Faith I Inherited

Carrying Less, Trusting More: A Deaf Ministry Journey

As a Deaf Ministry pastor nearing ten years of service, I reflect on the joys of ministry, the importance of creating access, and the power of raising Deaf and Deaf-blind leaders. I share the story of my daughter leading worship, the hidden work to make inclusion possible, and how one person saying 'yes' inspires others to serve. I also open up about burnout, guilt over missed Sundays, and learning to trust God, set boundaries, and share responsibility so ministry can grow and thrive.

When Church Hurts: Wrestling With the Faith I Inherited

In this episode of Where Grace Meets Truth, I share the story behind why I resisted ministry for so many years. Growing up as a pastor's kid in a culture shaped by legalism, shame, performance, and rigid expectations, I witnessed both the beauty of faith and the wounds church culture can leave behind.  From public humiliation after becoming pregnant at nineteen, to watching my Deaf children struggle to find true accessibility and inclusion in church spaces, these experiences deeply shaped the way I viewed leadership, faith and even God himself.  But this episode is not just about church hurt. It is about confronting the painful reality that if we never examine our own wounds, we can unknowingly repeat the very things that hurt us. It is about wrestling with fear, inherited patterns, grace, surrender, and the kind of Christianity Jesus actually modeled.  If you have ever struggled with church hurt, legalism, calling, or the tension between faith and healing, this conversation is for you.

Criticism Is Cheap, Showing Up Is Costly

Jeannette shares her journey fighting for her deaf twins' education — from homeschooling in a rural town to confronting inadequate school programs, unqualified interpreters, and limited language access. She explains how language and fluent communication shaped their learning and why she refused to accept minimal support. Through frustration, criticism, and rare allies, she urges parents to keep pushing for true access and opportunity, reminding listeners that showing up matters more than standing on the sidelines.

You Need to Do Better: What a struggling parent doesn't need to hear.

Jeannette shares a deeply personal season of life—raising four young children, including two deaf preschoolers, while her husband worked long, traveling hours. She describes the exhaustion of managing home, learning sign language, advocating for her children, and feeling unseen and judged despite doing everything she could to build a bilingual family. Amid the struggle a teacher arrived who understood, defended, and helped bridge communication gaps with compassion and practical tools. Jeannette reminds listeners that even when it feels like everything rests on your shoulders, help, community, and God's grace often arrive when they are needed most.

Finding Language, Finding Home: Our Move, ASL, and a Mother's Faith

Jeannette shares her family's move to South Carolina while pregnant and caring for four young children, including Deaf twins. She describes choosing ASL over cochlear implants, the challenges of finding resources in 1999–2000, and her determination to learn sign language so her children could communicate at home. She recalls the daily routines of early mornings, bus pickups, and learning from limited materials, and how gaining language helped reduce her son’s frustration and build connection within the family. The episode also covers a sudden, life-threatening abdominal infection that led to major surgery and an ICU stay. Through separation, recovery, and deep faith, Jeannette recounts how family, a devoted husband, and a caring church community provided support and glimpses of hope in a dark season.