Isolation
Hi Friends,
Today I want to discuss something that has been stirring in my spirit for a while.
I have been reading blogs from other special needs moms. Some people blog every day or every week regarding their special needs child or their experiences of parenting that child. I can't do that. I have a child with special needs, but I find that to talk about it all the time (or blog about it) is exhausting and emotionally draining. I have enough other stuff in my life that requires my attention that I can't just constantly write blogs about each moment of my parenting experience.
I think often, we as parents isolate ourselves because we think that there is no one who understands our journey; let alone our children. I have also isolated myself. For many years I lived in a small city where there were no resources for my son, and I sat at home working at a stay at home job. I was not involved in any community events and I felt so isolated and lonely.
The truth is, isolation is a prison of our own making. Because we feel that nobody understands our journey, or understands our struggle, we hide. Unfortunately, hiding from a problem doesn't make it go away. I hid in my home for years, but I STILL had a special needs child, and I STILL felt lonely. Isolating is dangerous too because along with our isolation, inevitably depression and self pity follow, as well as a host of other physical or mental health issues.
In the midst of my own pain and struggle that I was experiencing as a special needs parent, I began a charity. I realize that not everyone can do that. The charity allowed me to reach out. It was like a life preserver. I was pulled out of my own prison of isolation and self pity and began to realize that the world is so much bigger than me and the struggles that I was facing. You see, we are called to be the "Hands and Feet of Christ." When we hurt, and we start to reach out to others in our hurting world, suddenly our circumstances can change. I started to see that I am not alone in the struggle. I started to see that reaching out to others brought joy to my own life.
I also realized that God has a purpose; not just a purpose in the midst of my pain, but a purpose for my life and a purpose for my child's life. I see that God has done beautiful things in my life and has blessed me beyond measure not just as a special needs parent, but as a person in general. But all of this blessing came from stepping out in faith. I stepped out of my prison of isolation, that prison that I had made. I stepped out when I was hurting; and God used me to bring HOPE and LIGHT to people around me who were also struggling in their journeys.
So, we have a choice... either we slink away deeper into our prison, or we step out. It is time to step out of the boat and step into the things that God has called us to. God doesn't want us to isolate ourselves when we hurt and are struggling to come to grips with a life that is opposite of what we expected; instead, He wants us to run to Him and be refreshed, then reach out to others so that they too may experience His LOVE and GRACE. Our world hurts and could really use a dose of the LOVE of God. Won't you allow Him to use you to bring that HOPE, GRACE, LOVE and LIGHT to our hurting world?
Have a Blessed Day
Melanie
Today I want to discuss something that has been stirring in my spirit for a while.
I have been reading blogs from other special needs moms. Some people blog every day or every week regarding their special needs child or their experiences of parenting that child. I can't do that. I have a child with special needs, but I find that to talk about it all the time (or blog about it) is exhausting and emotionally draining. I have enough other stuff in my life that requires my attention that I can't just constantly write blogs about each moment of my parenting experience.
I think often, we as parents isolate ourselves because we think that there is no one who understands our journey; let alone our children. I have also isolated myself. For many years I lived in a small city where there were no resources for my son, and I sat at home working at a stay at home job. I was not involved in any community events and I felt so isolated and lonely.
The truth is, isolation is a prison of our own making. Because we feel that nobody understands our journey, or understands our struggle, we hide. Unfortunately, hiding from a problem doesn't make it go away. I hid in my home for years, but I STILL had a special needs child, and I STILL felt lonely. Isolating is dangerous too because along with our isolation, inevitably depression and self pity follow, as well as a host of other physical or mental health issues.
In the midst of my own pain and struggle that I was experiencing as a special needs parent, I began a charity. I realize that not everyone can do that. The charity allowed me to reach out. It was like a life preserver. I was pulled out of my own prison of isolation and self pity and began to realize that the world is so much bigger than me and the struggles that I was facing. You see, we are called to be the "Hands and Feet of Christ." When we hurt, and we start to reach out to others in our hurting world, suddenly our circumstances can change. I started to see that I am not alone in the struggle. I started to see that reaching out to others brought joy to my own life.
I also realized that God has a purpose; not just a purpose in the midst of my pain, but a purpose for my life and a purpose for my child's life. I see that God has done beautiful things in my life and has blessed me beyond measure not just as a special needs parent, but as a person in general. But all of this blessing came from stepping out in faith. I stepped out of my prison of isolation, that prison that I had made. I stepped out when I was hurting; and God used me to bring HOPE and LIGHT to people around me who were also struggling in their journeys.
So, we have a choice... either we slink away deeper into our prison, or we step out. It is time to step out of the boat and step into the things that God has called us to. God doesn't want us to isolate ourselves when we hurt and are struggling to come to grips with a life that is opposite of what we expected; instead, He wants us to run to Him and be refreshed, then reach out to others so that they too may experience His LOVE and GRACE. Our world hurts and could really use a dose of the LOVE of God. Won't you allow Him to use you to bring that HOPE, GRACE, LOVE and LIGHT to our hurting world?
Have a Blessed Day
Melanie
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