Same Concern---With A New Prayer

As you may know, Isaac will turn 4 very soon...on January 2. Still no mama, dada, cat, dog, cup, mcdonalds...Jesus loves me. He doesn't use words to communicate. He uses pointing and says, "ah-tah" when he really wants something...He is what the world calls "non-verbal."

I was not too concerned in the beginning as I knew boys talk a lot less than girls (same is true of men v. women by the way) and my brother didn't talk until he was 4.

However, the School District and medical professionals are concerned and the new catch-phrase is this, "Early intervention is the best." Of course my God is a God of the impossible so we trust Jesus, send him to pre-school for special needs boys and pray, pray, pray...

They say he needs intervention. Intervention? It sounds like Isaac is on drugs or something. He is a vivacious, fun loving, energetic, unique boy...who just doesn't talk. He is different in addition to the speech delay...he hates crowds, is sensitive to sounds and does have occasional tantrums, etc. I diagnose him as moderate on the spectrum, but who am I? I'm just the mother....

Anyhow, in September the School District said they determined he was on the Autistic Spectrum. He has either, Autism, Social-Behavioral-Speech Delay, Cognitive Delay, Asperger's, Pervasive Development Disorder, or something else....(stay tuned).

My concerns were not with his behavior, energy, disobedience to teachers/parents, lack of fears, anti-social behavior, non-typical behavior, etc. My main concern was SPEECH. I was and still am waiting for Isaac's speech. I can't wait to hear, "Mom" or "Jesus love me" or "I want an ice cream." Oh glorious day!!!

God is teaching me soooooo (add 10 to the 25th o's) much through this. I am learning to pray. I am learning to surrender and I am learning to pray big because God is a Big God. I am learning to pray scripture over Isaac, over my family, over my needs and the needs of others. I am learning compassion for special needs kids, adults and families with special needs loved ones.

I am also learning to trust in His Word and lean not on my own, or the world's understanding.

Just yesterday I was reading in my One-Year-Bible and came across one of those verses that made me stop and cry and praise at the same time...

Ezekiel 33:22 reads---
Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me the evening before the man came who had escaped. And He had opened my mouth; so when he came to me in the morning, my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.

I prayed, wow LORD! I didn't even know (or remember) that Ezekiel was mute for a season. You came to Him in the morning and His mouth was opened and he spoke! But what did he speak for? For the LORD of course!!!
Such a powerful verse God gave me...another reminder from God's Word that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. God will open Isaac's lips to praise Him and give glory to Him. Sometimes God closes our mouths for a reason. God wants us to LISTEN.

When Chuck and I asked my brother recently (now 39) what were you doing in your toddler years when you didn't talk, when you didn't use language to communicate? He said, "I was listening."

I pray daily over Isaac that God would, "Unseal his lips that he might praise you" Psalm 51:15. But I never though to pray for Isaac's listening ears. Now I am I going to pray that God would bless this time of listening. I sing God of Wonders to Isaac when he goes to sleep. We have praise music in the car. We listen to God's Word on the radio through KWVE. He hears Chuck, Olivia and I praying over meals. Although he doesn't yet communicate with words, HE IS LISTENING and I pray and ask God to annoint Isaac's ears. May the scriptures and truths about God be upon Isaac's heart during this precious season of listening....Thank you LORD for giving me a new prayer for my concern over my son!