You Are In God’s Hands And He Has a Plan For You With Laney Wootten

Laney Wootten is a remarkable individual. As a mother of seven, including a son with severe autism and a daughter with Down syndrome, Laney's experiences attest to the power of faith, resilience, and unwavering love.

In the most recent episode of Conquering Your Clownfish, I had the opportunity to sit down with Laney to explore her family's raw and inspiring story. From the early days of diagnosis to the heart-wrenching decision to seek residential care, Laney's narrative is one of courage, faith, and finding purpose in life's most challenging moments.

This blog post expands on insights from Laney's experiences, offering hope and guidance to families facing similar challenges. We'll explore the reality of living with severe autism, address the fears and grief that come with it, and discuss the transformative power of faith and community support.

Understanding the Reality of Your Situation

Accepting the diagnosis of severe autism is hard. For Laney and her husband, this reality unfolded gradually as their son missed developmental milestones and displayed increasingly challenging behaviors. The Woottens found themselves navigating uncharted waters.

As Jude grew older, the gap between him and his peers widened. The family faced escalating challenges, from aggressive behaviors to safety concerns that affected every aspect of their daily lives. They grappled with the increasing difficulty of managing Jude's behaviors at home, especially as he grew bigger and stronger.

A turning point came when the family realized that their current setup was no longer sustainable. They began to consider options they never thought they'd have to face, including residential care. This process of understanding and accepting their reality was painful but necessary, allowing them to make decisions based on what was best for Jude and the entire family. 

Addressing Fear

Living with severe autism can lead to feeling some uncomfortable emotions. There can be fear and sorrow felt often and its uncomfortable to feel those things about your child. Laney brought up these debilitating fears - fear for Jude's safety, fear for the safety of their other children, and even fear for their own lives, that dominated their lives for years. She said that through building their faith through action and prayer, these fears have lessened and they have let God further shape their lives.

Addressing these emotions head-on is crucial to the healing process. Choosing to acknowledge your fears and grief, to allow you to feel these emotions fully. It's through this process that they can begin to find hope and purpose beyond their immediate circumstances.

Dependence on God and His Ability to Take Care of You

Throughout their journey, Laney and John's faith has been their anchor. Their dependence on God grew stronger as they faced challenges that seemed overwhelming. Specific prayers were answered and moments of divine intervention occurred that reinforced their faith.

Laney asked a very impactful question: if more people would come to know Him through Jude's disability, would she still pray for healing? This perspective shift allowed Laney to see a greater purpose in their struggles. She began to view Jude's life as part of God's larger plan, one that extended beyond their family and into the lives of others they could impact through their story.

This dependence on God doesn't mean an absence of struggle or pain. It provides a framework for understanding experiences and finding meaning in them. Laney encourages others to lean into their faith, to trust in God's plan even when it's difficult to see, and to remain open to the ways in which their challenges can become catalysts for growth and positive change.

Finding Purpose in Pain

As the Woottens navigated their life, they discovered an unexpected purpose emerging from their pain. Laney began sharing their story on social media  as a way to process her own experiences.She soon realized the impact their transparency was having on other families facing similar challenges.

This realization led Laney to focus her social media presence on supporting special needs families. Through this platform, Laney found a way to turn their family's struggles into a source of hope and encouragement for others.

Sometimes, the greatest miracles happen not through the removal of challenges, but through the strength and inspiration that emerge from facing those challenges head-on.

Find Your People, You Are Not Alone

Laney underscores the crucial importance of community support when facing the challenges of severe autism. She emphasizes that while the path may be difficult, you don't have to walk it alone. 

Laney's experiences remind us that even as we face severe challenges, hope persists. By understanding our reality, addressing our fears, leaning on our faith, and finding purpose in our pain, we can let God make the most of our lives. By surrounding ourselves with supportive communities, we can turn our individual journeys into beacons of hope for others. You are not alone in this, and your story has the power to inspire and encourage others facing similar challenges.