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The Big Question: I feel like God wants me to write.
cynthia l. simmons | clsimmons.com
Q: I feel like God wants me to write, but a friend told me getting published is almost impossible. What should I do?
At six, I introduced counting and asked him to pick up a block and say a number. However, he couldn’t hold the block and verbalize at the same time. Blood-curdling screams came whenever I attempted teaching. He would announce, “I am stupid, stupid, stupid.” Those words ripped at my heart. My husband and I told him he was named for Caleb in the Bible. The Caleb in Genesis climbed a mountain in his old age and conquered an enemy. That story comforted my dear son.
After much prayer and consulting with my husband, I took a master’s degree in special education and attended yearly conferences to glean more. Armed with special techniques, I begged for grace each morning before I started teaching. My new skills helped, but I learned patience. After working on one task for months, Caleb might wake up one morning and get it perfect. He inched forward, climbing his mountain, and we rejoiced with each baby step.
As a homeschool mom, I didn’t know how I’d manage another baby. My sweet Caleb was born three days after Christmas. He never cried because his four older siblings hovered over him, offering anything he might want. However, Caleb wasn’t maturing.
When he was four, he seldom spoke and couldn’t do simple tasks. The doctor who tested him delivered a two-paragraph diagnosis, which broke my heart. Later, the same doctor put him on the autism spectrum. Since I had a big family, I chose to teach him while working with therapists, but he struggled with everything.
For instance, while teaching him to speak, I gently held his face and moved until I was an inch from his nose. In that position, Caleb could listen for three seconds before he pulled away, screaming. Today, Caleb is an adult. He can read, write, do laundry, cook simple meals, and works part-time for a local plumber.
He still needs help balancing a checkbook, but he overcame many obstacles. In summary, I prayed for guidance, talked with my husband, and sought education. With a lot of hard work and God’s grace, I helped Caleb learn. You can tackle anything God wants you to do.
Joining our upcoming online Arise Esther Conference (ariseestherconference.com), which has classes for writers and speakers, can be the first step, but know that God will guide you the way—as He did me.
