Poor pitiful me! I'm sorry to say that this how I've felt lately. If anyone could throw a pity party these past few years, let me tell you, it's been me. My family has been walking a hard road for some time now, and somewhere along the way I forgot one of the most valuable lessons that God ever taught me: I forgot to look up. See, all around us was a sea of trouble. Miles and miles of waves and … [Read more...]
How to Fight Discouragement
Matt and I sat on the sofa looking grim. It was another hard night for my husband and me. We were anxious about our cash flow, with many bills looming and new work projects disappearing from our collective professional horizons. Just one more wave of financial stress for our family, and the waves had been crashing around us since 2008. There were so many things that our family needed, and we … [Read more...]
Why Did God Give Me a Child with a Special Need?
Yesterday I was stumped when a reader asked me this question … causing me to pray for a response to one of the most difficult, baffling questions a parent of a special needs kid can ever face. Have you ever asked God this question?: Why, God, did you give me a child with a special need? First let me say that I wouldn't begin to tell you that I know the mystery of God's limitless wisdom. But I … [Read more...]
The Power of Laughter: A Story about Holiday Worship Services, an Autistic Son… and Angry Birds
This Sunday, Christian families will take their children to an Easter worship service. Many families will be traveling with plans to visit a church home that is not their own. Other families struggle to find a place where their special needs children are welcomed. Visiting an unfamiliar church, particularly on a holiday, can put a family dealing with autism over the edge. That's why I'm … [Read more...]
The Power of Encouragement
"I bought more candy-grams, Mom," Alec says with a big smile as we drive home from school just two days before Valentine's Day. "Alec, you already bought twelve candy-grams," I frown. "Do you really need more?" Alec's school was selling the candy-grams as a fundraiser for the holiday. For twenty-five cents you could send a single hard candy with a note of friendship. This particular … [Read more...]
Extraordinary Living Right Here, Right Now
Most of us dream of making a difference in this world. We want to leave our mark, maybe run a company, hold a political office or have a recognizable name. Then reality hits and life gets hard. When you are the parent or caregiver of someone with a special need, days are filled with responsibilities: visits to therapists, educational meetings and attending to our loved one. It's overwhelming … [Read more...]