Many children with autism have difficulty communicating directly with others. You must strive and work to discover how to enter their world if you want to connect with them.
I recall trying to connect with my son through words but to no avail. Then one day I discovered (I believe through God’s enlightenment) that connecting with Matthew was not going to happen through words but through his other senses – what he sees me doing with him or what he feels me doing with him. I began dancing with him because he loved to dance. I began singing the songs he liked. I began giving him more hugs – even if they had to be from his sides or back; and each time I got greater glimpses from him – he began to let me know, “I sense you, mom”.
The blessing of all this is that while many children must struggle to get their parent’s attention, as we are often too busy (I was such a parent), I had a child who turned the tables on me and made me work for his attention – but what a blessing it was to search and reach and then finally discover the precious gift of my child.
PLAY WITH ME
I tried to teach my child with books
He gave me only puzzled looks
I tried to teach my child with words
They passed him by often unheard
Despairingly I turned aside
“How shall I teach this child?” I cried
Into my hand he put the key
“Come,” he said
“Play with me”
Author Unknown
Job went so far as to question possible sins in his life. Realizing his nakedness before God, Job examined his soul before his Creator. Chapter 31 records aspects of Job’s examination. Oh, to be so open and honest with ourselves—to get past our self righteousness and examine our lives under the spotlight of God.
Sessions in Pain, pg. 180
If you are serious about the great and awesome things in God, then you must allow the examination by His spotlight. God wants you to be able to “handle the heights” as He blesses you – many have fallen. Will you allow His spotlight into the closets of your heart? No more excuses – it is time to deal with you!
…some people will hurt you and never ask for your forgiveness; therefore, the responsibility falls on you to protect your spirit from a root of bitterness. It can happen so easily, not intentionally, for by the very nature of our humanness we will resent who or what has hurt us. This root can begin with a single thought that seeds a superficial wound and before we realize it, we have allowed a small offense to become a painful, infectious, gaping wound that poisons our soul and spirit.
Sessions in Pain, pg. 215
Bitterness and anger can grow up with us, and in us until we cannot tell where it ends and we begin. If your soul is bitter and thorny, remember the One who wore a crown of thorns for you. Give Him your pain and bitterness, He knows where and how it began and He knows how to end it!
I remember years ago a friend telling me that she was praying for my son, Matthew who has autism. She told me that she was praying that his autism be cured so that God could speak to him. Then she told me that she heard God speak to her spirit that, “He talks to Matthew all the time!”
It dawned on her that although all of us were having difficulty communicating with Matthew, God could always speak to his mind and spirit.
Many times Matthew will not respond to questions, but every time I ask him, “Matthew, do you love God?”, and he would always respond readily, “Yes, I love God!”
Be encouraged, my friends, even as it seems your child is locked away in a world where you can rarely reach him/her. God can always reach them and touch their spirits with His love.
As parents or caregivers of children and adults with autism it is important that we purposefully make decisions to keep ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually healthy.
Living with autism in your home can be confining and limiting or it can be embraced as an opportunity – an opportunity for you to create and explore the gifts within yourself. I have found that creation usually occurs in solitude. Some of the best works of humanity have occurred in isolation! Pray, journal and then create something wonderful for the world.
There is no place on or off this planet where you can hide from God. There is no place in your mind where He cannot see your thoughts. He knows all of your secrets. He can penetrate through all of your emotional pain and turmoil and find your heart—just you and Him alone.
Sessions in Pain, pg. 89
God will reach for you where ever you are – where ever you have fallen to – whatever you are lost in. No situation is too complicated, no pit is too awful and deep that His hand cannot penetrate through it and reach you. Grab hold!
One of my favorite quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. is, “Fear knocked on the door. Faith answered. There was no one there.” There is no one there, beloved. The Bible records, “…Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8b). The devil will growl and make all kinds of threats, but “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37)
Sessions in Pain, pg. 179
The Scriptures teach is that we can do all things through Christ that strengthens us (see Philippians 4:13). That word strengthens is a powerful word – it means to enable a person to act vigorously or effectively. In Christ you can answer all of your doors when fear knocks on them. Through that door is your destiny and Christ will walk with you through it – go get it!
As the grieving mind continues its contaminated analysis on life, it starts to picture the future under a dark cloud. With that picture comes a consuming fear of what may happen. I cannot recount the many times I have been down that road of the possible future. The imagery can be frightening and consuming if not arrested. These are the times when we must strive to obey 2 Corinthians 10:5 and “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” These thoughts must be captured, or they will take us captive.
Sessions in Pain pg. 58
The human brain is designed to continually process thoughts. There is never a time when your conscious mind is without thoughts. As you sleep your dreams reflect the thoughts of your subconscious mind – ever going, ever affecting who you are. Therefore, it is up to you to to obey the Scriptures and “manage your mind” so that your thoughts do not take you captive to stress, fear, stagnation and even evil. Choose to feed your mind well and you will live free!
Sometimes you can hurt so much that you don’t care anymore about what God or anyone else thinks. This is a great place to be. You are ready to be honest about things. This is exactly where God wants you to be—raw and honest!
Sessions in Pain pg. 32
God invites you to contend with Him – to argue out the issues of your life. He said, Come now let us reason together or argue this out, although what you have done or what others have done to you is horrible, I can make your life clean again – I can heal your heart and make your life beautiful and fulfilling (see Isaiah 1:18). Talk to Him!
So often our greatest failures are on the heels of our greatest victories. Even those who have a sincere heart toward God can forget for a moment the immovability of His Holiness. Caught up in our human emotion, we forget that He is always God and He will not be compromised even in our excitement or depression or anger.
Sessions in Pain pg. 99
What a relief to know that God cannot be changed. When the drama of our lives is over He remains the same – He cannot be corrupted as we can. He pulls us to His standard and we are stronger – and we are healed.
kwc/1.31.14
