It’s hard to understand why different things happen and we often wind up asking God to fix them. Cecily Paterson’s life was turned upside down when her son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She prayed for God to show her love but received it in a very different way than she imagined. Cecily talks to us about how God helped her through very tough and challenging times.
Cecily's journey began with a prayer for something different- after miscarrying, the eventually gave birth to Cameron, who seemed to be a normal child until the age of one. He began to have numerous, uncontrollable tantrums per day, and would avoid contact in most forms. Already knowing the diagnosis, Cecily took Cameron to see a doctor, who confirmed that her child was autistic, along with ADHD. Despite this diagnosis, no one could really help with the practical side of raising an autistic child, so Cecily was left to figure out her son's condition on her own.
Turning to the internet community, she found a number of solutions that helped in Cameron's development, including sound therapy for his lacking aural abilities; the improvement was slow and steady, but there was a definite change in his behaviour. Cecily also stresses that there is no 'magic bullet' that doctors can prescribe, and a child with autism always means a long road ahead.
Looking back on her experiences, Cecily feels that the ordeal of raising such a difficult child has caused her to mature in unexpected ways; despite the hardships, and even times when she felt angry at God for what seemed like an insurmountable obstacle, Cecily has found that she knows what to expect from her children, and this has helped her to cope.
Cecily is also a strong believer in specific prayer; rather than asking for general things, she prefers to let God know exactly what is required, then leave it to his will.
The book Love, Tears and Autism began as a blog for parents in similar situations and eventually became something greater, chronicling Cecily's journey through life with her son in what she intends to be an 'honest and thoughtful' guide for others dealing with difficulty.
Picture credit: cecilypaterson