ENCOURAGEMENT FOR AN AUTISM MOM

Words for Encouragement for Autism Moms. It is oftentimes a lonely journey. As a mom with an autistic teenager, I understand. But you can find hope and joy in this journey!

Being a mom with an autistic child is hard.

It feels as if you are hanging on a ledge by just your fingertips. 

And you are tired! 

No. More than tired!

Exhausted…

Sleep rarely comes.

At night while everyone else sleeps, you have one ear open. 

Always listening

Ready to pounce at the sound of movement.

Always on

Never fully relaxed.

You could handle the well meaning comments if you weren’t so tired.

Told what to do and how to think by experts

And friends

And relatives.

Advice

Words like, “Why don’t you..” or worse

“You should have…”

As if it something you did wrong.

Told it’s your fault.

But the most stinging words are the ones that are never spoken.

When the coffee or play dates stop

And there are no invitations to birthday parties

Friends disappear

And there is no help.

And you fight

For services

Or someone to listen

Someone to care

Because you know it’s more than just a diagnosis

It’s more than a therapy

There is a human in there – trapped and hidden.

You see it in his eyes

There’s so much more he has to give and offer the world. 

If only others could see it.

What you wouldn’t give to hear his voice.

For him to say, “I love you.”

And you wait and hope even when others strip that hope away.

And in silence, tears fill your eyes as you contemplate what could have been.

Grief

Anger 

Loneliness

The loneliness is the worst.

Never experiencing joy.

It feels as if nobody understands. 

There is no refuge.

You become stronger hanging on that ledge. You have built strength from the heartache and difficulties. 

Friends say, “I could never do what you do!”

And you know that you can’t do it either. 

But what choice do you have.

And you wait.

For the voice to speak

And for the human to emerge.

Still hanging on.

Hanging there on that invisible ledge – you have found a strength you didn’t know you even had.

It’s okay to let go. 

You don’t have to be strong on your own.

You will only fall for a moment. 

But it is in that falling you will begin to find freedom.

And real strength.

If you release your grip on the ledge and fall

You can fall into the arms of the one that can save you.

There is deep joy in falling

Joy in the letting go

And when you let go of the pressures and burdens

Cry out to the one that knows all

Jesus catches you.

As you rest in His arms 

He takes away the fear and burden

And makes the worry fade

And in that moment when you find comfort in the Creator

You find a greater strength

A deep abiding joy

And happiness.

Trust the one who created your child

Trust the one who created you

And it is in that moment of trust

You find Joy

READ MORE: Joy Comes in the Morning