“Not accepting my son’s case prevented me from
seeing anything outside my own fear.“
“‘If you are able? All things are possible for the one who believes’ … Jesus gently took his hand and raised him to his feet, and he stood up.” When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not heal the boy, Jesus answered, “This kind can only be resolved through prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:14-29). It’s all about faith. How often is our fear greater than our faith, pushing us to avoid facing our challenges through any temptation that crosses our path.
This story is about Betty’s wakeup call when she realized that nothing is impossible for God, as long as we believe. Betty’s testimony gives hope, joy, and calmness to all parents of children with special needs.
“When I first found out that my eldest boy was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, I was shocked. I was in denial. I did not want to hear it. My fear was so great that I decided not to face it. For years, I ran away through sports, friends, and texting all the time at home so that I could stay away from my son, family, and reality that I was failing as a mom. Spending hours at the gym, I ignored my husband and son whom I feared would grow up to be dependent on me all his life. I felt that I was being punished by God. The temptations I gave into kept me away from my son who was growing into a boy I did not know with skills and abilities that I was not discovering.
Not accepting my son’s case prevented me from seeing anything outside my own fear. While I was away dealing with denial, fear, and frustration, my husband was taking care of the family, playing the role of both mom and dad. It was not until my marriage fell apart and our lives became miserable that I acknowledged my weakness and vulnerability. I was terrified that my children would one day blame me for being a selfish mother. Studying the Bible and learning how to live by its teachings gave me great faith that nothing is impossible for God. I learned that anything can be overcome through prayer. I repented as a woman, wife, and mother. It was then that I truly started discovering my son’s abilities and realized that he has superpowers in languages and technology. The more I accepted him, the more talents I discovered in him, but all this happened only after I started working on myself first. Walking daily with God brought peace and joy and helped me see His hand in everything, even in hard times.”
Betty now coordinates the Parent2Parent support group at the SKILD Center where she supports other parents going through similar hard and happy times.
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DANIELLA DAOU
Partner Relations Coordinator| SKILD