The Journey We Didn’t Expect

We sat in this room the night before you arrived.

We were scared, terrified, really.

I got a call that morning saying the state of Louisiana had a little 3-year-old boy who was nonverbal in the foster care system. Do you want this placement, Mrs. Marler? She asked!

I instantly said YES!!

I called my husband immediately, telling him the good news. He was so excited until the moment I said this little three-year-old boy is nonverbal and might have autism.

The phone went silent.

My husband and I both got home that night, we sat in this exact room and discussed the possibility of you joining our family.

My husband looked at me and said, “Kim, I’ve never told anyone this before, but my biggest fear about getting married and having children is that we would have a child with special needs. I can’t do that,” he said. “I can’t live in fear of not knowing who will take care of my child when I die one day.”

After a few hours of thinking and praying, he came back to me and said, “The Lord told me I have to do this. This little boy needs us, and we need to be there for him.”

I tell you all of that to say this; God has the perfect plan. He knows every valley we will walk through and every mountain we will climb, and he will be right there with us through it all.

Every so often we may not feel him, but I promise you he’s just waiting around the corner he’s waiting for you when you come through that valley, and he’s waiting for you at the top of the mountain

My husband had a dream. He had his life planned out. That is not the life that God intended for him. He took my husband out of his comfort zone and opened his eyes to a whole new world.

All new possibilities of advocating for his son and for other families just like ours.

Occasionally, God puts you on a journey that you never imagined, but it’s right where he wanted you all along.

Written by Kimberly Marler of Light Up Autism With Lucas.