The family is the first human institution given to us by God. Think about that for a moment. A family was created before the Church, a social group, or form of government; it is the essential building block of human relations. Sometimes family dynamics are good, and other times dysfunctional. But a family functioning as closely as possible to the guidance God gives us in Scripture has the best chance to flourish.
That is not to say families can avoid challenges, bad dynamics, and pain. We all inevitably experience those things as the result of living in a fallen world. But the decisions we make determine whether, and how well, we will go through life’s trials. Parenting one or more children with special needs or special gifts children is an all-too common challenge and parents need the tools and wisdom from those who have gone before them. They also need our prayers and understanding, as will be made clear in this chapter.
Cody’s story would not be what it is without his dedicated family, community and state resources, and much, much loving patience and grace. His parents, Matt and Glori, are willing to share their trials and lessons, and how their marriage and family stayed strong through many challenges. Here is part of their story, in an interview. (There will be more to come later in this book on available resources for parents with children with special gifts)