When we were discovering that Sophie had autism, my world crashing down around me, I finally reached out for help and prayer. I could not handle this alone and I was sinking into a deep abyss of unimaginable sorrow.
Anyone who has a child with autism knows this place all too well. The torment. The thoughts of all of your dreams for the future of your child broken and unattainable. The wedding day, the grand kids, graduation replaced by thoughts of changing adult diapers , looks of pity from strangers and the movie Rain Man.
It was when I finally reached out for help and posted a message on a forum that I frequent for prayer request that is when I received the story Welcome to Holland. If you have a child with special needs, you have undoubtedly been forwarded this story at one time or another. The gist of the story is that you are going on the trip of your dreams to Italy. You have bought guide books, planned, dreamed and prepared for this trip. There is a problem with the flight plan and you end up in Holland. Holland isn’t a horrible place, and you will always grieve your dream trip, but it has nice things about it too.
This was a turning point for me. When I read this story I thought to myself, I would never stay in Holland! There is more than one way to get to Italy. Boat, plane, hijack a bus but I would not just give up on my dream because of some misfortune, because someone tells me I can’t. I would fight my way to Italy and then enjoy it all the more because I would also have another triumph under my belt.
I am amazed at what people will except just because someone says “this is the way it is and you can’t change it”. Well they don’t know me and they don’t know my God. I have faced many challenges in my life and God has always brought me through them.
Another person, from the same forum I mentioned earlier sent me this:
Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Now that is something I can sink my teeth into.
Don’t give up, cling to hope. Set your chin like flint and do not be moved.
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3 Comments
I love that verse.
Our saying isn’t biblical, though we have those too. Mine is from the movie Rocky Balboa [paraphrasing] - “it ain’t how hard you can hit - it’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
Never give up . . . .
Thanks Penny! I love that quote from Rocky also Angela!
Comment by Sarah on August 14th, 2008 @ 8:37 amLine and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
God used my child with autism to bring me closer to Him. I got to witness the power of a modern day miracle in Logan’s recovery and Logan still leads me to God often. I would not change a thing. Keep praying and know that our God is an awesome God!!
Comment by Penny on August 12th, 2008 @ 8:25 pm