From challenge to triumph
As a mom of school-aged children, I was struggling to manage all of my responsibilities. Stress, feelings of being overwhelmed and insecurity were my unwelcome companions. I turned to God for help, and He heard my cry. He answered me in a way that I did not expect – He used one of my son’s diagnoses to bring healing and hope in my life.
An unexpected diagnosis
School was hard for my oldest son. By the fourth grade he had fallen behind in reading and was struggling to keep up. It was affecting his mood, his energy levels and even causing him acid reflux. When he began to show signs of anxiety, I knew this was a bigger problem than him just not liking school. After a series of doctor visits, I discovered that my son is dyslexic and has ADHD.
My husband and I set off on a journey to get our son the help he needed. In the process of educating myself on my son’s diagnosis, I discovered that I, too, have ADHD.
Lifelong challenges
I was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, but somehow the ADHD part was overlooked. I struggled in school just like my son. Having untreated ADHD not only impacted my educational achievements, it followed me into every season of my life. From my first ministry job, to marriage and raising a family, my ADHD left a wake of unfulfilled dreams, forgotten friendships and unresolved questions about my limitations and weaknesses. I spent years struggling to live a productive and balanced life. I felt like I had to work twice as hard as everyone else just to be average. Even though I knew what the Bible said about my value, worth and purpose, still questions haunted me due to my everyday life challenges.
Why was I so easily distracted? Was all this stress the enemy attacking me? Why did I not have the motivation to do things that didn’t interest me? Was I too lazy to do more or better? Why could I only focus on one thing at a time? Why was I so prone to anxiety and depression? Why did I start new things only to quit when it became too hard?
A new perspective
These questions and concerns found their answers when I discovered that I have ADHD. Armed with knowledge and acceptance, I have been able to make peace with my life experiences and move forward with hope. One of the tangible differences this knowledge has afforded me is that I now have a realistic handle on what my capacity is. I know how much I can commit to and how to manage my mental energy. Understanding how the ADHD brain works has freed me up to make better decisions.
Before making this discovery about myself, I used to pray for God to deliver me from the things that were hard or stressful. I was aware of my weaknesses, but I was only asking God for deliverance. After learning about my ADHD, my prayers changed. I began to ask for God’s grace to sustain me and for the power of Christ to enable me to do all things.
Although I wish I would have known these things years earlier, I am grateful that I get to live the rest of my life in this newfound knowledge. I have developed new skills to help me parent my son with more awareness and understanding of his needs.
Ministry opportunities
Nothing is wasted in God’s kingdom. He intended all along to turn my challenge into His triumph. Not long after my discovery of ADHD, God began to use me to encourage other families whose children were suffering because of their learning and behavioral challenges. A new ministry opportunity was born! I have been able to share my testimony at church and one-on-one with many parents. I love helping people learn about how their brains work and the unique set of strengths and challenges they may face in life because of it. Most importantly, I love to share that God did not make a mistake when He formed a person with dyslexia and/or ADHD.
Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For You formed my innermost parts; You knit me [together] in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are your works, And my soul knows it very well.” (AMP)
Katie Sullivan lives in North Kingstown, RI, and serves alongside her husband as a missionary with the North American Mission Board.