Do you believe God is always working in our lives, even when we can’t see it?
I Believe~
I want to share 3 miracles
when God spoke to us specifically about Bethany.
[Tweet “Miracles are #surprising #mercies from the #heart of our #Father. #GodsLove”]
photo credit- Paul Foreman
Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. Genesis 11:1
I was sitting on our bed, holding Bethany and reading the “lovely” little pamphlet (NOT) the state gave us concerning having a child with “special needs”. One of the lines said something like this (I’d quote it but I threw it away 🙂 )
“don’t worry, your child is “similar” to other children and you will be able to love and enjoy them. They will be much slower to attain to normal milestones and they may be very limited in their communication or have to depend on sign language to communicate but they are especially loving….yada yada yada.”
That pamphlet made her sound like a sub-par copy of a human being! Someone needs to rewrite those things!
Just look at that cutie on the left. How dare “they” try to strip my life of hope for her future!
As I read, I burst into tears. Limited in her communication? Locked in her own small world? I couldn’t even find the words to pray- how do you ask for something that big?
@
To be locked in a silent world
is a prison of its own.
I groaned, I begged, I prayed, “Oh Lord, I don’t know what your plans are for Bethany, but I pray that you will help her learn to communicate. To truly listen and understand and speak well enough to interact with people and with You! Let her be able to enjoy interacting with people.”
Miracle 1
Now God does not always answer our prayers this quickly, but this was a true Miracle moment!
I was still praying when the phone rang. I answered it and it was a friend of ours who was a missionary, Linda Pallone. She said, she had just received our email asking her to pray for our newest little Barclay. She said she had been praying and God told her to call me!!!!
She said, “Cindy, the Lord wanted me to tell you something. He is going to pour out His Spirit on Bethany and she will be able to communicate with people and tell them about God’s goodness!”
I SAT IN STUNNED SILENCE AND THEN BEGAN TO CRY AGAIN AND TOLD LINDA WHAT I HAD JUST PRAYED!
~
Fast forward 2 years- 
Bethany was progressing amazingly- EXCEPT for language. She could point out and identify hundreds of sight words, walk, climb, jump, but said only about 5 or 6 words. ( I was reminding God (ok- I was begging Him to hurry up and make her talk 🙂 ) about the promise of communication for Bethany.
Well, as I was home schooling Moriah and Josh later that day, we were reading in the A-beka History book about the tower of Babel. I looked under the picture of the tower, and in bold print, these words seemed to jump off the page.
*
LANGUAGE IS A GIFT FROM GOD.
Miracle 2! Language is a GIFT- from God!
Wow God can use a donkey or He can use a school textbook. However, He wants to communicate with me is all right then!
Two years had passed- without the “breakthrough” in speech I wanted- but God was literally making words from a page in a history book, dance His promise right in front of my eyes.
Those “dancing” words were rejoicing before me- promising that our Bethany will learn to communicate!
I knew I was to keep doing what I was already doing- keep working hard- ignoring the lack of success- keep “sowing language skills”- keep talking- keep reading-keep expecting her to understand even though she didn’t seem to sometimes!
[Tweet “Do not grow #weary in well doing for in DUE SEASON you will #reap a rich reward! #faithfulness”]
Because He had promised me!
Ok- I’m going to hold on to those promises!!! I’d like to tell you she started talking that day. But we still didn’t see a lot of progress until she was about six or seven, and even then it has been slow and steady and with lots of work and repetition. By four and five, “we” could understand a lot more of her words, but others couldn’t. And it seemed she had a jabbering language all of her own that I worried about.
But, the most AMAZING thing was, as I taught her Bible verses, she clearly repeated them, and those words became the foundation of her speech. She literally learned to speak by learning to read Bible verses!!!
Miracle 3
The third miracle is the most grand!
It’s the Miracle of our Journey!
I look back at the rough road we’ve traversed and I’m blown away by how far God has brought us. Today, I can barely remember the shadow of heaviness and worry I was under. We still haven’t reached our goal but He is with us in our journey- and that’s good enough for me!
[Tweet “Enjoy your #journey- embrace the #miracles- Be #patient in the difficult times.”]
He is faithful to do what He has promised- not on my time table but all things within His time. Not for my desires but for His greater glory!
[Tweet “God is the #faithful God who does no wrong, upright and #just is He.”]
Surprising Treasure: Deuteronomy 32:3 He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.
The best thing about communication–is that almost 10% of it is verbal–the rest of real communication is non-verbal. I’m so glad I was blessed to assist Bethany with the 10%–and some of the 90%–but I can honestly say this: I’ve learned more via Bethany and so many other people with disabilities once I “stopped the verbal”–and paid attention to the non-verbal. Aren’t we lucky that the Lord saw fit to make it so that most of our communication doesn’t utilize verbal language (not that it’s not important–but it can be limiting to some extent too–if you know what I mean…)? I know when I went to Mexico–not knowing more than how to say hello, goodbye, and count to 10–that the majority of the communication those 2 weeks was non-verbal. It’s one of the times (when I was learning American Sign Language and had many Deaf friends that was another) I was SO grateful that communication involved more than my poor use of verbal language 🙂
BTW–I love reading your blog 🙂
Luv–Mary
Oh Mary! So true!! However, when she was first born, I wondered if we would get to share thoughts, ideas, “i love you’s”. I couldn’t imagine- You are one of the most awesome gifts God gave us for Bethany! She will go up to someone and say, “How was your day?” and I “hear” you and Beth practicing your conversation skills in our living room! Blessings to you!
As I read this, I thought of my time with Bethany. She had such an impact on my life and taught me so much about gifts and abilities. Her abilities never ceased to amaze she was such a smart little girl and I am sure that has only grown over the years. As a teacher, there are many times I remind myself of the great strides Bethany made and how God always has a plan. I wanted to let you know that she has been such an inspiration to my life and even today I hang onto those moments we had together.
Karyn!! So great to hear from you! I remember you being so patient and loving with Bethany- especially as she was a moving little tornado back in those days! God has been so good to bring so many loving, patient, kind people into Bethany’s life. You are one of them! Blessings!
Dear Cindy – your Bethany stories thrill me all to pieces. God’s timing is just so perfect. I have no doubt that the Lord has a special ministry to fulfill through your precious child, because I already see it at work. “The battle always has to be fought before the victory is won, though many people think they must have the victory before the battle…But we must fight each battle of our lives in the strength of Jesus’ victory….” (Corrie ten Boom in her book Don’t Wrestle, Just Nestle – chapter 3)
For sure, none of us likes that long struggle. We despair, fearing we won’t ever see the outcome of our hope. Then, He gives us a glimpse of His glory, and we erupt with grateful praise. Thanks be to God! And, not only that, we realize that all through the battle, the Lord has been working on us as well, drawing us closer and deeper in our walk with Jesus. What a win-win situation! Hugs all around!
For sure- none of us likes that long struggle!- I couldn’t agree more. There have been “periods of times” in my life- where I felt I didn’t know how I was going to take one more step forward. BUT GOD- 🙂 Thanks again for your encouragement Edy!
Bethany’s ability to communicate is incredible. (By the way, Bethany can read and spell the word incredible!) A few minutes ago, as her neice and nephew were arriving she told me about her plans for the day. And, already this morning I have recieved multiple texts from her. All words spelled correctly. Spaces between words. Bethany does not own a phone, but she freely borrows any phone she can get her hands on. (There is absolutely no phone made that Bethany has not been able to intuitively figure out and use. Her daddy barely understands his iPhone. But Bethany knows how to put all phones through their paces! She calls, texts, and loads music and games on mine!)
I wish I understood why some children with Downs Syndrome struggle so much more than Bethany does. The Lord has been gracious. From the beginning Cindy’s first goal for “Surprising Treasures” was to restore hope and offer encouragement. I think she is accomplishing her goal. Spread the word about this site. Those raising and caring for children with special needs need to know they are not alone.
Special thanks to Mary Pearson for all she gave to Bethany. Mary, we miss you!
But I do have to say, having observed first hand Cindy’s motherly tutelage over Bethany’s education, my wife is an amazing woman. And I think what is most amazing is that Cindy does not realize how amazing she is!