My Father's Eyes by Sheila Allee

Today we held our Joni and Friends First Monday meeting.  I love every person sitting around the table.  We have a variety of personalities, ages, histories, and expressions of faith, but we have two things in common, a love for our Lord and a commitment to welcome, include, and value people of all abilities in our church communities.

This month we had a special guest join us, Sheila Allee.  Sheila has been a journalist, a corporate and political speechwriter and the executive director of the Writer's League of Texas.  The Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation has been blessed to have her as a former spokesperson.  

Sheila shared her most recent book, My Father's Eyes, which won the 2015 Barbara Jordan Media Award for positive depictions of people with disabilities.  In My Father's Eyes, Sheila shares about her friendship with her Uncle Melrose.  Uncle Melrose lived almost 60 years in a  state institution.  Sheila didn't know about him until the last 10 years of his life.  As she spent time with him and developed a friendship with him, he had a huge impact on her and her understanding of living with disabilities.

During the presentation Sheila also shared the history of how individuals have been treated in the recent history of the United States.  It is a history that we all need to be reminded of and learn from.  Sheila is a great resource for helping your church understand the value of individuals that happen to have a disability and the blessing they are to the church family.  I highly encourage you to read her book and invite her to share with your church family.

You may contact Sheila at:  sheila.allee@att.net, 512-983-7636 or www.sheilaalleebooks.com.