Perspective

One of the many things I have learned from our journey with Evan's autism is there is always something in which to be thankful. I'm thankful he can run, play and have fun. I'm thankful he is healthy, beautiful, and can learn. I'm incredibly thankful for every word he says. The list goes on. We know so many families and children with disabilities, and some are extremely difficult situations that definitely put things in perspective for me. I guess it is like that with anything in life, you can always measure your pain against someone else's pain and find that you have a lot indeed to be thankful. BUT, pain is pain and God's grace is sufficient!

Last night at church we had a speaker, Nick Vujicic. He is from Australia and was born without arms or legs to parents who were in ministry. He shared his testimony and the joy he has in the Lord. He was amazing, and I wanted to share some things he said that I found profound.

When talking about how he would pray to God as a child that He would give him arms and legs, he said it would have been sad if God would have answered that prayer because through his story and the way God made him, others were coming to know Christ. He said, "If God doesn't give you a miracle today, you are a miracle of God." He also said, "What God doesn't change, he has a plan." "Remain the miracle God made you to be." "Be thankful for what you have."

I also wanted to include the verses he said have helped him through some depressing times in his life:

"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." Jeremiah 29:11,

" 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

" 1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." John 9:1-3.

I found his testimony incredibly encouraging (and of course I bawled like a baby through most of it). It was just incredibly touching and I felt like I could definitely relate, not just because I have a child with special needs, but in the ups and downs of life in general.

Attached is a video I found on YouTube. There are tons more if you want to see more.