Parenting a child with autism can often feel like an uphill battle, overshadowed by worries about the future. In this blog post, I reflect on our journey – from the early days of feeling overwhelmed to the hope that has emerged as my son, now 26, thrives in his own life. This is a story of faith, resilience, and the gentle reminders from God that autism was never meant to define us, but to lead us closer to Him.
I believe with all my heart that my son has been strengthened in his journey with autism. There were so many times when I was blinded by our family circumstances, struggling under the weight of uncertainty, exhaustion, and fear. My eyes were locked on autism itself, a mountain that seemed insurmountable, towering over every part of our lives. It captured the entire field of my vision, blocking out everything else. I couldn’t see past it. I couldn’t see anything but the challenges, the therapies, the meltdowns, the misunderstandings, and the constant worry about the future.
In the beginning, autism felt like the defining chapter of our story, as if the diagnosis had rewritten the script of our lives into something unfamiliar and overwhelming. I was consumed with trying to navigate a world that suddenly felt foreign, trying to prepare for every possibility, trying to hold everything together when I often felt like I was falling apart. It was hard to see anything beyond the daily struggles, the late-night research, the advocating, the appointments, the prayers that often felt unanswered.
But over time, God opened my eyes. He showed me that autism was not the whole story. It was never meant to be. This journey was not just about a diagnosis or a set of challenges – it was about faith, about trust, about letting go of my need for control and learning to lean into Him. God was writing another chapter in the book of my life and the life of my son, and it was never just about autism. It was, and always has been, a story about Him.
I began to realize that autism was not the mountain in our way – it was the path. And on this path, in the shadow of what I once thought was an overwhelming obstacle, God was whispering to us. He was reminding me that He is the author of this story, that He has a purpose beyond what I can see. He was teaching me to trust Him in the unknown, to believe that He is working even when I don’t understand the way forward.
Now, my son is 26. He is living on his own, holding a job, navigating life independently – things I once wondered if I would ever see to be honest. There were nights when I lay awake, wondering if he would ever be able to live without my constant support, if he would ever find his place in this world. There were moments when the fear of the unknown felt suffocating, when I wasn’t sure if the future I dreamed for him was even possible.
But God knew. He always knew.
Looking back, I see how He carried us through each challenge, how He provided in ways I never expected, how He shaped my son into this strong, capable, and determined man he is today. I see the victories that once felt so distant – small moments that added up to something beautiful. My son is not just surviving; he is thriving. And while the journey wasn’t easy, it was never walked alone.
Autism is not the story. God is. And in every challenge, every breakthrough, every quiet moment of grace, He is there, whispering, reminding us that we are never alone.
The cover image was created by ChatGPT–4O using the Image Generator.
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