Long before I ever carried the title of “mother,” God was already at work in me, shaping and equipping me for a journey I didn’t yet know I’d Walk. For years, I worked within the autism community, supporting families, advocating for children, and learning to navigate a world that often misunderstood them. At the time, I thought it was just my career path. I didn’t realize it was also a spiritual preparation. God was planting seeds of wisdom, patience, and discernment for an assignment that would one day hit home in the most personal way: my own son.
When my son was about 18 months old, I noticed subtle but significant differences. His development looked different, and while others brushed it off, my spirit whispered otherwise. I brought my concerns to his pediatrician, hoping for guidance, only to hear a dismissive reply: “Boys develop slower than girls.” But something deep inside told me not to let that answer rest. I had spent years learning to listen carefully to families’ concerns, to trust parental instincts, and to push when something didn’t feel right. Now, it was my turn to live that out. I pressed on.
At two years old, while we were living in Texas, I advocated again. This time, my persistence brought clarity: my son was diagnosed with autism. It was not a moment of defeat, but one of confirmation. What I knew in my heart was now written on paper. Later, when we returned to Massachusetts, we saw the same pediatrician who once dismissed my worries. He looked at my son and said, “He may be autistic.” I remember chuckling and thinking to myself, “Sir, you’re late.” What the world overlooked, God had already revealed to me. What doctors doubted, the Spirit had already prepared me to recognize.
Motherhood has a way of humbling and stretching you, but raising a child with unique needs calls you into a deeper purpose. I realized that everything I had learned before, every advocacy meeting, every strategy session, every family I walked alongside, was a training ground. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). This verse became more than just a Scripture; it became a promise. God reminded me that while the world may not always understand my son, He has a way for him. My role as his mother is to guide him in that God-given path, not force him into the world’s mold. God chose me for this child, and He chose this child for me.
Parenting through the lens of faith changes everything. What some may see as an obstacle, I see as an assignment. What others may call “different,” I see as divine design. My son is not a mistake; he is a message. Each day, I walk with the understanding that God trusted me with him. He trusted me to recognize what others might miss. He trusted me to advocate when the world says, “Wait and see.” And He trusted me to believe when doubt tried to creep in.
If you are a parent who feels unseen, unheard, or doubted, hold fast. What the world may overlook, God may already be whispering to your spirit. Trust the preparation you didn’t even know you were walking through, because sometimes, before the child ever comes, the calling is already there. We’re here to walk with you, pray with you, and advocate alongside you. Contact us to connect with a faith-informed advocate today.