Strong Shoes for Strong Parents

“If God sends us on strong paths we are provided strong shoes.” – Corrie Ten Boom

I recently saw this quote on a Facebook photo and it stuck with me. I thought, What a perfect quote that describes the life of a special needs parent! If you know the life of Corrie Ten Boom the woman who said this, then you know she endured a very hard life. I admire her and I admire her faith in God throughout all circumstances.

As I thought about the quote above, I thought about the word “strong.” What does that really mean? I looked it up in the dictionary and found that these words were perfect to describe the word “strong” as used in the quote above: “If God sends us on strong (forceful, extreme, intense) paths we are provided strong (solid, well-established, firm) shoes.”

What a description for the paths we have been sent on as special needs parents! I don’t know about your journey, but mine has been one that is extremely forceful, extreme and intense. It has been strong. As special needs parents we are sent on a strong paths since the birth of our children. We work hard to get our children the best help we can, we become their best advocates, and we plan our lives around their needs and schedules.

But God did not lead us on this journey without help! The shoes He has given to special needs parents are special. They can’t just be any shoes they have to be the perfect fit, size, and color. They are not always the most comfortable, but are instead made to take us over the rough spots and through the muck and the mire and the yuckiness of life.

They are shoes that not many others could handle or wear, but they were given to us because He knows our strengths and our weaknesses. He knew what we were capable of and He knew these were the shoes we would need to get us through each day. They are solid, well-established, and firm. They are strong.

I am so thankful that He knows us better than anyone else. That He gives us to strength to get through the stress and trials of each and every day. And so thankful for the shoes that He knew I could handle.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”- Matthew 11:28

—Kathryn Sneed

Don’t forget to vote for Not Alone in the About.com Readers Choice Awards. You can vote every day until the contest ends March 19th!