Book Review: The Indispensable Kid: Absolutely necessary, essential; incapable of being disregarded

From Amazon:

No one ever claims that raising children will be easy. Women go through some of the most challenging pain in childbirth. Moments after birth, the mother changes all focus to the life on her chest. People often say that women are so focused on their babies after childbirth that they are rarely overcome with pain when the afterbirth is born. The pain is no longer the focus. Why? I suspect that they’ve figured out the same thing I did. The pain was worth it. The reward outweighed the cost. The focus shifts to the reward, the gift of life, and the promise of what will come.

With each child, we had so much excitement. It seemed that nothing could go wrong, and hope for the future was neverending. We were excited about what God had planned for each little one. The years ahead were only thought of with hope and excitement. The possibilities of problems ahead were not on anyone’s mind—not then, not at that moment. Everything was just right, just as it should be.

Just a few short years after our son Noah was born we found ourselves asking questions, even while we were still in denial. Then, the diagnoses came. Life as we thought it would be, was not, and we were embarking on a new journey. Our son, Noah was given a laundry list of diagnoses. Special needs, disabilities, and differently-abled were terms that would become familiar to us. Although we accepted those diagnoses, we knew that God was the one who ultimately defined Noah. And God says, Noah is indispensable!

Join us on our journey with Noah, disabilities, and the purpose that God has set out before us. We’re not alone in this journey and neither are you.

Julie’s Review:

Let me be upfront: Our family has the privilege to greet Noah in church halls, talk pizza at events, and visit his home thanks to his and his family’s hospitality. I’ve known Tracie Corll for over 15 years and she is a close, dear friend, a prayer partner, and someone I contact often for guidance.

Why?

Because of this book. If you know anyone with a disability, The Indispensable Kid is a story to educate and encourage. For years I’ve asked Tracie to help me navigate as our daughter had chronic health issues followed by a rare diagnosis that set her apart in ways she did not want to be defined. Tracie understood the appointments, therapies, advocacy and so much more that our family walked through, especially in our daughter’s earlier years. Our stories are not the same, but Tracie has had, as I have, to push doctors for more, and ask for things either from the medical or educational system that were near impossible.

Tracie’s story, Noah’s life, is one we can all learn from. If you are not part of the statistics Tracie lists who are impacted by a disability, my sense is you can benefit from The Indispensable Kid to raise your awareness.

What I love is it is so much more than a personal journey. It is loaded with information, statistics, promises from God’s Word, and conversation that makes you feel you are sitting down with a cherished friend.

I highly recommend The Indispensable Kid. Not because I know Noah, but because Tracie’s story helped me capture the vision. All kids, all ages, are indispensable. They are valuable and loved deeply by our Heavenly Father. You don’t want to miss this book full of love, mountains, valleys, hope, and God’s promises.