The Big G - He Always Sees You

El Roi - The God Who Sees Me

I've often heard it said that special needs moms begin to feel invisible.  In many cases, travel becomes more difficult so, as we become more secluded, it can truly feel like we are invisible.  That is something I've regularly prayed about.  Lately though, instead of pouring my heart out to say how invisible I feel, it has been an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the One who sees me, El Roi - the God who sees me.

It started in May when I attended a Women of Joy Conference.  During those wonderful services, God began to bring people across my path to show me that He had seen me.  As I sat during one of the services, the speaker taught on the woman with the issue of blood and how many labels she must have had.  She would have been rejected by everyone - her family, friends, husband.  Now that is isolated.  But then she touched the hem of Jesus' garment and heard Him call her daughter.

Mark 5:34

He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

Daughter!  The only one that had the authority to name her called her daughter!  As the speaker shared those words, I thought, "Ow, no. Ow, no, no, no."  Sigh - the ugly cry.  The speaker asked us to hold hands across the convention center and pray for those to each side.  I don't know who the person was that was beside me but before she left she stopped to speak briefly and then I saw her again when we were across from each other at a book kiosk.  She smiled a smile that told me she was praying for me.  I knew instantly that God was saying, "I am the God who sees you."

Later that day, we went to the grocery store.  A sweet little grandpa was walking past as I was getting Ryan's chair out and said, "Good job Momma!  Thank you for what you are doing."  He was quite happy about heading home with his frozen pizza to watch sports in his favorite chair.  Again, "I am the God who sees you."

As we were coming out of the grocery store, Wes had loaded up the groceries and I had loaded Ryan.  I was walking around to put the wheelchair in and another sweet little grandpa came walking up to me.  He had that, "I'm about to hug you" look on his face and so he did.  He said, "Thank you for being such a good caregiver!  It is just wonderful to see. Thank you!"  Again, "I am the God who sees you."

It has been about a month since I met the two grandpas and I've come to realize that the God who sees me must realize what a lonely, awkward time it can be to go to the grocery store.  He most often sends the reminders of how He sees me during the trips to the store.  This time, as I stood in line, a retired New York police officer came up to speak to Ryan and tell him how sharp his shirt was.  He then looked at me and said, "You are doing a great thing and the Big G always sees you and what you are doing, always.  He will reward you."  He even looked back as he walked away, smiled and said it again, "The Big G - He sees you!" 

Genesis 16:13

She (Hagar) gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."

For all of my fellow Moms, ask God to show you that He sees you.  He won't disappoint.  Give it a try and let me know.

What can you do to help a special needs parent feel less lonely? When you see them find something to compliment their child on.  It really doesn't matter what it is - their shirt, their smile, their hair, or maybe the cool wheels that light up on the wheelchair - I miss those lights.  They were great conversation starters with children as they pointed to the wheels.  You may be the voice that sends them home with a better awareness of the God who sees them.