Common Man, Extraordinary Call: Thriving as the Dad of a Child with Special Needs

Challenges, equips, and inspires fathers of children with special needs

Becoming the father of a child with special needs can feel like being drafted into the military--and starting duty as a general. Dad is expected to know how to set rules and run drills without any training in leadership. And there are very few resources for men who want to be involved but need guidance and specific ideas. Overwhelmed, many fathers end up going AWOL on their families.

As a twenty-year veteran of special-needs parenting, Jeff Davidson wrote a field manual to give fathers the skills required for the day-to-day demands of parenting. Jeff helps men discover God's new mission for their lives in each of five specific roles: warrior, protector, provider, encourager, and equipper. He offers rich, real-life examples from dads in the field and a no-nonsense approach from initial diagnosis onward. This book is filled with practical how-tos for parenting in the special needs world, bullet points for easy reading and quick reference, and a Mission Critical synopsis at the end of each chapter.

Informal and task-oriented, Common Man, Extraordinary Call offers growth and hope for men with little free time. And as they process their instructions, they'll be able to mentor other fathers, creating a strong army of men who not only survive but thrive as capable dads to their children with special needs.

Jeff Davidson (1967–2017) was the founder and president/CEO of Rising Above Ministries, a national ministry serving special needs families. He was also a pastor, speaker, and author of No More Peanut Butter Sandwiches and the blog Goodnight Superman.

Becky Davidson is the president and executive director of Rising Above Ministries. After the unexpected death of her husband, Jeff, she assumed leadership of their shared ministry and honored his memory by shepherding his last book through publication. Becky and her son, Jon Alex, live in Cookeville, Tennessee.