About Celeste

Celeste Shally is a devoted mother and full-time caregiver to her adopted son with autism and intellectual disability. She is the author of While We Wait: Clinging to Christ in the Trenches of Special Needs Parenting, Since We're Friends: An Autism Picture Book, and The Bully Blockers: Standing Up for Classmates with Autism. Together with her husband, Mike, and their sons, Cooper and Jaxon, Celeste resides in Northwest Arkansas, where they founded Thrive, a flourishing ministry dedicated to ministering to special needs adults and their families.

About the Episode

In this episode, we sit down with Celeste Shally as she opens up about her family’s powerful journey through adoption and parenting a child with special needs. Celeste shares the emotional and spiritual challenges that came with adopting her son, Cooper, and how discovering his developmental delays became a defining moment for their family.

She candidly discusses the grief, strain on her marriage, and the overwhelming realities of special needs parenting—yet through it all, Celeste found strength in her faith, a deepened spiritual life, and the support of a loving community. From seeking out interventions to leaning into humor and hope, her journey is one of resilience, vulnerability, and surrender.

Now, through her book, Celeste offers a message of understanding and encouragement to others walking a similar path.

Related Links:

Chosen, Called, Favored Study

celesteshally.com

 Moment of Reflection: While We Wait

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  • Persevere through the waiting: Suffering and uncertainty can feel endless, but Celeste reminds us that waiting is not wasted. It’s a space where God meets us—in our doubts, our grief, and our hope.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Look for God in the chaos: In the hardest moments, try to pause and ask, “Where is God here?” It might be in small acts of kindness, unexpected laughter, or quiet peace amid the storm.