Brian, We have a 17 year old son with Down syndrome with deaf-blindness. The first thing the church said to us when our son was born was either “sorry” or “what did you do wrong?”, my husbands family told me that “this is not on our side of the family” and our culture saw me as foolish or selfish to not abort him. Despite this, I saw God began to deepen our journey to understand His love and we see it demonstrated in our non-verbal son daily. Your words are like a healing balm to the soul. The sadness I have felt in the church and in healthcare all this time has been explained in a way that will lead me to a deeper understanding of Gods mercy, grace and forgiveness. It is our burden and privilege to see the dark underbelly of humanity and glorify God for all he has created. Thank you for speaking on this topic. I would love to talk to you, so I may call you someday. ❤️🙏✌️
Can't say I have ever heard of the theology of disability, even though I knew there was one. As a bivocational pastor/nurse I think we discuss this way too little. Thanks for discussing this! PS growing up with a father who couldn't walk without assistance due to polio it makes me more than upset when I pull up in a church parking lot with a pastor parking spot closer to the door than the handicap spot (even though dad wouldn't think about it).
My 7 year old grandchild has asked me why God chose him to have a condition. He says he does not like having a condition and asks if God will ever take it away. My answer is that we all have a condition that are not always the same; many times, they are not seen and they are almost, like being invisible but that God has His own reason for us to be the way we are. We can not stop worshipping God because we do not know why He has not cured us, It may be, to make us stronger for something that will happen when we grow older. We have to live the best way we can with our condition and maybe one day, God will allow it to go away. My grandson understands that answer but always questions why he was chosen to have to have these episodes that no one can rub or hug away. My grandson excuses himself when he feels an episode beginning, goes to the restroom, where he will go through the tightening and flaying of his muscles and facial twitches, even though his teacher is aware of his condition but he does not want his classmates to see him that way. I must add that though he may not scholastically have high grades, he is perfect and his condition has served to be a priceless learning experience for me, on the uniqueness of each of God’s creations. The fall of man, in my opinion. has nothing to do with what conditions we may have. I believe that we are all perfect and have a specific unique reason for our journey here, that our Creator, Father God has not yet unveiled. Thank you for sharing this interesting topic. Language, seems to box us in.
Thanks to all of you who commented below. May our discussion prompt yours.
Brian,
We have a 17 year old son with Down syndrome with deaf-blindness. The first thing the church said to us when our son was born was either “sorry” or “what did you do wrong?”, my husbands family told me that “this is not on our side of the family” and our culture saw me as foolish or selfish to not abort him.
Despite this, I saw God began to deepen our journey to understand His love and we see it demonstrated in our non-verbal son daily. Your words are like a healing balm to the soul. The sadness I have felt in the church and in healthcare all this time has been explained in a way that will lead me to a deeper understanding of Gods mercy, grace and forgiveness.
It is our burden and privilege to see the dark underbelly of humanity and glorify God for all he has created.
Thank you for speaking on this topic. I would love to talk to you, so I may call you someday.
❤️🙏✌️
Thank you for talking about this.
Does a butterfly looks back on its chrysalis shell and yearn for what it thought would be?
Can't say I have ever heard of the theology of disability, even though I knew there was one. As a bivocational pastor/nurse I think we discuss this way too little. Thanks for discussing this!
PS growing up with a father who couldn't walk without assistance due to polio it makes me more than upset when I pull up in a church parking lot with a pastor parking spot closer to the door than the handicap spot (even though dad wouldn't think about it).
My 7 year old grandchild has asked me why God chose him to have a condition. He says he does not like having a condition and asks if God will ever take it away.
My answer is that we all have a condition that are not always the same; many times, they are not seen and they are almost, like being invisible but that God has His own reason for us to be the way we are.
We can not stop worshipping God because we do not know why He has not cured us, It may be, to make us stronger for something that will happen when we grow older. We have to live the best way we can with our condition and maybe one day, God will allow it to go away.
My grandson understands that answer but always questions why he was chosen to have to have these episodes that no one can rub or hug away. My grandson excuses himself when he feels an episode beginning, goes to the restroom, where he will go through the tightening and flaying of his muscles and facial twitches, even though his teacher is aware of his condition but he does not want his classmates to see him that way.
I must add that though he may not scholastically have high grades, he is perfect and his condition has served to be a priceless learning experience for me, on the uniqueness of each of God’s creations. The fall of man, in my opinion. has nothing to do with what conditions we may have.
I believe that we are all perfect and have a specific unique reason for our journey here, that our Creator, Father God has not yet unveiled.
Thank you for sharing this interesting topic.
Language, seems to box us in.