Longtime host of Northeast Journal , Joe Cullen, and his wife, Tahni, remember feeling overwhelmed when their son Josiah was diagnosed with nonverbal autism. Their challenge, they say, was best summed up in a single phrase: “No known cause, no known cure, lifelong.“
Struggling to figure out how to best support Josiah, they turned to whatever resources they could find for guidance. But few were available, and those that were “didn’t offer a lot of hope,“ Joe remembers. So they shared their story.
Josiah’s Fire: Autism Stole His Words, God Gave Him a Voice, co-authored by Tahni and Cheryl Ricker, details the Cullen family’s journey from the time of Josiah’s diagnosis when he was a baby to present day as a gifted 11-year-old with insightful observations about religion and spirituality that he communicates through typewritten messages on his iPad.
The Cullens say that above all, they want the book to be a source of hope for people feeling lost.
“There’s no other reason for me to be that vulnerable with our story,“ Tahni says. “It’s always pointing back to the goodness of God. It’s a testimony to all He’s done in our family.“
Josiah’s Fire, published by BroadStreet Publishing, is available in Christian bookstores and through major online retailers. For more information or to order a copy, visit the website here.
