There Is Glory in Her Story
Last week, I shared something I had kept close to my heart for many years: my journey of raising two neurodivergent children.
For some people, that may not seem particularly significant. But if you come from an African Christian background like I do, you may understand why sharing this part of my story felt vulnerable.
In many African communities, autism is still misunderstood. Families are often met with assumptions, stigma, and painful questions. Some people view autism as a curse, a spiritual attack, or evidence that something has gone wrong spiritually.
Because of this, many parents carry their struggles quietly.
I know because I did.
Why I Hesitated to Share My Autism Parenting Journey
For years, I found it difficult to openly talk about raising children on the autism spectrum.
There were several reasons:
- The diagnosis was painful to process.
- I hoped my children would eventually “grow out” of some of their challenges.
- I feared judgement from others.
- I worried people would assume I lacked faith or wasn’t praying hard enough.
If I’m honest, accepting my son’s diagnosis was a battle.
Many well-meaning Christians encouraged me to reject the diagnosis entirely. Their intentions were good, but I eventually realised that denying reality was not an act of faith.
True faith is trusting God while facing reality.
Over time, God helped me move from denial to acceptance, from fear to trust, and from shame to confidence in His purpose.
The Hidden Community of Autism Moms
What happened after I shared my story surprised me.
My inbox filled with messages from women I had known for years.
Some were close friends.
Some were acquaintances.
Many quietly shared the same truth:
“My child is autistic too.”
As we exchanged stories, struggles, hopes, and prayers, one question kept coming to mind:
Why didn’t we talk about this sooner?
These were women I had known for years. Women I laughed with, prayed with, and caught up with from time to time.
Yet we were all carrying similar stories in silence.
Perhaps we were all protecting ourselves.
Perhaps we were all afraid.
Perhaps we were all carrying the same burden in silence.
The truth is that many autism moms feel isolated.
We carry concerns about our children’s future.
We navigate therapies, school meetings, behavioural challenges, and sleepless nights.
And sometimes we do it while battling feelings of guilt, grief, and misunderstanding from those around us.
But when we share our stories, we discover something beautiful:
We are not alone.
What the Bible Says About Suffering and Disability
During this season, God continually brought me back to John 9.
Jesus encountered a man who had been blind from birth.
His disciples immediately asked:
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2)
It’s a question many people still ask today in different ways.
What caused this?
Who is responsible?
What went wrong?
But Jesus answered:
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” (John 9:3)
Those words changed everything.
Jesus rejected the assumption that suffering is always connected to personal sin.
Instead, He revealed a greater truth:
Sometimes God allows circumstances that become platforms for His glory.
Autism Is Not Punishment
As a mother raising autistic children, this truth has become deeply personal.
Autism is not a punishment.
My children’s diagnosis is not evidence that God has abandoned them.
Their challenges do not diminish their value, their purpose, or their future.
They are fearfully and wonderfully made.
God sees them.
God loves them.
And God has a purpose for their lives.
Just as the blind man’s story became a testimony, I believe God can use every part of our journey for His glory.
When Delay Feels Like Rejection: Remember Sarah
Year after year she waited for the promise of a child.
She endured disappointment, embarrassment, and probably countless whispers behind her back.
Yet God had not forgotten her.
At ninety years old, Sarah gave birth.
Why?
So that no one could mistake it for human effort.
The miracle was undeniably God’s.
What looked like delay was actually divine timing.
When Life Feels Unfair: Remember Joseph
Betrayed by his brothers.
Sold into slavery.
Falsely accused.
Thrown into prison.
If anyone had reason to ask, “God, what did I do wrong?” it was Joseph.
Yet his suffering was not punishment.
It was preparation.
God was positioning him for a purpose far greater than he could see.
The prison was not the end of Joseph’s story.
It was part of the pathway.
Sometimes the season we want to escape is the very season God is using to prepare us.
God Is Working Behind the Scenes
One of my favourite promises in Scripture is Romans 8:28:
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Notice it says all things.
Not just the easy things.
Not just the victories.
All things.
The tears.
The delays.
The disappointments.
The diagnosis.
The uncertainty.
God is working through every part of our story.
Even when we cannot see it.
God is weaving them all together into something beautiful.
Our responsibility is not to understand everything.
Our responsibility is to remain connected to Him.
Stay Anchored to God’s Promises
Hebrews 10:23 reminds us:
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
When life doesn’t make sense, stay connected to the One who does.
When the future feels uncertain, trust the God who already sees it.
When the journey feels heavy, remember that He carries you.
As Moses reminded the Israelites:
“The Lord your God… will fight for you… and carried you, as a father carries his son.” (Deuteronomy 1:29-31)
This is the God we serve.
The God who goes before us.
The God who fights for us.
The God who carries us through every season.
There Is Glory in Your Story
Today, I am no longer hiding this part of my journey.
Not because the pain has disappeared.
Not because every question has been answered.
But because I have seen God’s faithfulness.
And I have come to believe that our stories matter.
The parts we are most tempted to hide may be the very places where God chooses to reveal His power.
Whether your struggle is autism, infertility, grief, disappointment, delay, or uncertainty, I want you to remember this:
Your story is not over.
God is still writing it.
And there is glory in your story.
Have You Walked a Similar Journey?
Are you raising a child on the autism spectrum or navigating a season that has challenged your faith?
I’d love to hear your story in the comments. Follow us on@shebelievedco on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s encourage one another and build a community where women can share openly, find support, and be reminded that God is still working in every chapter of their lives.
If you missed our blog last week, read it here – https://sheblieved.com/2026/05/31/she-walked-through-the-fire-and-found-god-there/