Am I displaying a lack of faith?

Question

I have 2 twin daughters that are developmentally delayed. I have since their school age pushed for them to go to mainstream as I didn't want them to go to a special education school, we had a special arrangement with the school and they split their time between the mainstream and the special unit.
At the last meeting I had with the school it was agreed that as their age requires them to be in year 1 and they are not even speaking yet it was better to put them in full time special needs with the occassional sessions in the mainstream class, my husband and I have agreed to this as looking at them we don't think a year 1 class will be suitable for them or even meet their needs, I am a Xtian and constantly praying for God's Miracles in their lives, and I believe that nothing is too difficult for Him, however agreeing for them to go to the full time special education unit seems to be that I'm lacking faith. Please help!!

For Nicky, I'm glad you found my typo funny!
For those with serious answers please the first line should read
"I have twin daughters"

Answer 1

No, you aren't.... believe that they will receive a miracle and they will. I will believe with you. Putting them in sp ed as recommended and agreed upon is not a lack of faith, it is doing what is right for the time. I believe God will use this decision to further His Kingdom and you will be a great witness to others through what He does in the lives of your daughters.

Answer 2

You are not showing a lack of faith, but are acting in the best interests of your daughters. You are doing what a good father should do. Prayer is the most any father can do. As far as their education, let the experts deal with this. they have a great deal of expedience in handling special needs children. My Uncle is a retired special ed teacher. Since your daughters cannot speak yet, full mainstreaming might not be a good idea. They need special attention and special love that they would not get in a mainstream environment. Kids can be cruel to other kids, and a full mainstream environment might do more harm than good. They will probably need more than one year in special ed. At the end of the first year they will be evaluated by the system and their needs updated. In special ed, the teacher is required to keep extensive records on their progress, in other words everything that they do is documented. Keep your faith in God and keep praying. God has given you these precious children so that you and your wife can show your love for him and for your fellow human beings. Consider your daughters a very special privilege from God. I have a second cousin that has Downs syndrome, and her mother and father would not trade her for anything in the world. Her brother is a super genius, but has Hyperactive Attention Deficit Disorder, and they would not trade him either. Jesus loves you all.

Answer 3

No you are not lacking faith. All people are different & all kids learn & grow at different rates. If they need to go to the full time special education unit then that is where they need to be. It may be the path that they are meant to go on for now so don't think it is a test of your faith. Who knows what great things God has in store for them in their lives & the best thing you can do is be good parents & do what is right by your children which is it sounds like you are doing.

Answer 4

At times when there is suffering around u it becomes harder to see what really God wants from you.My dear,you are very brave and i admire your courage..May God help u in the best possible way..and the best thing is you do not lack any faith that must be an amazing thing that god must love about you.Taking care of your kids, the way u r doing with so much concern n love..goes to show your strength in your God...and as a mum ONLY YOU know what is best for your daughters..no one else can step in and tell u what u should ought to be doing..u already are doing an amazing job!..take care n God bless!..peace.

Answer 5

Have you ever heard of an amputee re-growing a missing limb? No? Well, neither have I.

Do you think that the reason that no amputees have ever re-grown their missing limbs is because none of them have ever prayed to god that their limbs might be restored? No? Me, neither.

I suspect that ALL amputees have fervently prayed to god that their limbs might be magically restored... even amputees that do not believe in god; what the heck... try it, just in case you're wrong.

Guess what? The reason that no amputees have ever had their missing limbs magically restored is that god (if he exists... very doubtful) does not answer prayers.

There is an old saying: "Wish in one hand, crap in the other one... and wait to see which one gets filled up first." Substitute the word 'prayer' for 'wish', and there you have it.

To be 'lacking faith' is not a bad thing... it is a GOOD thing. It is an indication that there might actually be a rational, thinking person buried under all of the religious nonsense with which you have been indoctrinated and brainwashed for your whole life. It means that there is hope that you might actually do the RIGHT THING with respect to the well-being of your children.

Faith (wishful, magical thinking) is a substitute for evidence... and serves as the basis for 'belief'... the internalized certainty that one's own ideations and imaginings map to reality.

'Belief' is a substitute for knowledge... i.e., false knowledge, sustained by wishful, magical thinking.

faith + belief = willful ignorance and self-delusion

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"When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion." ~ Robert M. Pirsig
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"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance... it is the illusion of knowledge." ~ Daniel Boorstin

God isn't going to do anything. It is YOU who must navigate the difficult course of figuring out what is the best thing to do for your children. And guess what? That course does NOT involve reliance upon the good graces, benevolence and cooperation of any magical sky-fairies (gods),

Answer 6

If you have prayed about this deeply and the Lord seems to be leading you to to put them in full time special ed, then you are not lacking faith. At this time, is appears that God has been closing doors for them to be in the mainstream. If this is the case, than you can only do what doors are open. God may have a good teacher in mind for your children or a good environment for them to be in for them to be nurtured and cared for while in the special ed program. A step of faith right now is to let God take care of them wherever they are and know that He is with them.

Answer 7

The LDS beleive that God reserves his most precious, special spirits to be put into bodies with physical (and mental) impairments. This is because these souls are so pure and good, that God wants to protect them from Satan, who wants to destroy them because he recognises their courageous warrior souls. They were probably some of the angels that fought him and threw him out of heaven.

Your daughters' developmental delays are a protection from Satan, because he cannot tempt them, and because they will never be as accountable for their actions as other humans can be.

Don't pray for your daughters to change. God made them that way for their own good, and so that through them he could teach you (and other people) how to love unconditionally, just as He loves you. You will see what glorious spirits they truly are, when we all meet again after this life, which is but a blink of an eye in the midst of eternity.

Answer 8

No you are not showing a lack of faith. Your first obligation to God is to be sure your daughters are cared for intelligently are safe. I don't think grade one can guaranty either one of these. Keep praying and be patient. Gods plan could be anything. He could use your girls to do a good work through you in the special class.

Answer 9

You are quite right in what you are doing I have a sister who did not attend a mainstream school but a special needs school instead and I can tell you that all of my family agree that this has actually stunted her learning growth,she started very early on to imitate those around her and her speech too became very poor.
We only wish now after so many years that we had done the same as you.
Best regards.

Answer 10

I don't think that just because you made an excellent logical descision for your twins that that shows you have a lack of faith. you cannot put them in a situation or a class that they can't handle or not ready for. A lack of faith would be not praying for them at all. Don't let satan beat you up over this. god knows your heart and he hears your prayers.... be still and know that god is god.