Rays of Hope for Special Needs MomsSample

You’ve probably heard the term “Proverbs 31 woman,” and we all want to be her. And if you’re a special needs mom, you’ve already cocked your head to the side. “What do you mean she doesn’t fear the future?”

I have two daughters, and they’re both autistic. To say I didn’t fear for their future at all would be a complete lie. I think some of our biggest fears are not knowing what would happen to our children if we died or what is going to happen when they’re fully grown adults and we can’t take care of them anymore. Let’s just be honest.

But can you imagine being fully confident in the Lord that you aren’t afraid at all about your child’s future? Knowing that He has a plan. That His plan is better than our plan could ever be? I think that’s part of what this verse means, that she’s fully confident in our God, because He can, but there’s something else here.

“She laughs without fear of the future.” A lot of us mommas also have anxiety, which can be crippling at times. Anxiety isn’t just worry; it can come in the form of your body never fully relaxing and always feeling on edge because you don’t know the unknown. At least, that’s what my anxiety feels like sometimes.

I can remember a couple of times when I was “anxious” before I had two autistic children; in fact, I didn’t really understand when people said they “had anxiety.” Eye roll. But you know one thing I’ve struggled with while having children with disabilities? Anxiety.

My first panic attack was when I was sitting on my couch. Both my children were asleep, and all was good with the world, except all of a sudden, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I felt hot, and I couldn’t fill up my lungs. It’s like I couldn’t breathe fully, which made me panic more.

This verse doesn’t say this mom had no struggles with anxiety. What it is saying is that she could laugh about the future. To be hopeful for the future. To know that God was in control of it. That God is big enough to calm our anxious thoughts and that we can trust Him with our child’s future.

PRAYER

Just Pour out your heart to the Lord today.