Have you ever felt so emotionally and physically exhausted, that it was all you could do to just keep going? Ten years ago, we moved to Fort Worth, TX in pursuit of a calling that God had laid on our hearts. We were going to help bring his word, the Bible, to millions of people who had never seen it or heard it in their own language. At the same time, our youngest son was born…allergic to all food, flat affect, unresponsive to the stimulus around him. Sarah was only getting 2-3 hours of sleep per day if you put all the 15 minute increments together. It felt like God had given us a great “calling” but then abandoned us. One day, Sarah was asked by an individual how they could help…her reply, “She needed Jesus with skin on.” Someone who could just come alongside our family, be there for us with simple daily tasks, clean the house, do laundry, make dinner, hold our screaming son, and let her actually get a break or sleep for more than a 15 minute stretch. You don’t have to be in ministry for this to be your experience with special needs. Many parents, whose children are impacted by special needs feel exhausted, alone, and even abandoned by God.
They long for “Jesus with skin on.”
It can be difficult to know how to come alongside someone who is struggling, especially when you know there isn’t an immediate way to bring long term relief. The chances are, that if you are reading this article, you personally know someone whose family has been impacted by special needs.
