Life With Autism

When it comes to autism, it is one tough challenge to handle.

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and I know autism is hard because Joni and Friends serves thousands of families affected by autism. Believe me, we empathize with parents who are raising kids on the spectrum, and it’s why I’m so grateful that one of our senior leaders is, himself, the father of three boys with autism. Greg Hubert is Senior Vice President of our Field Teams, and he and his wife Gina know a lot about autism spectrum disorder – that’s what it’s called, ASD. Now, what do they know?

Well, for a little background, Greg married his high school sweetheart Gina, and like any young couple, they were excited about starting a family. So they were thrilled when little Zachary was born. And less than two years later, along came Tyler. But that is when things got challenging. Because around that time, Greg and Gina noticed that Zachary, the firstborn – he was a toddler – and he wasn’t developing in a typical way. Plus, he was losing what little speech he had. It did not take long to realize that Zachary had autism. And just around that time, they also noticed that their second born, their little boy Tyler, was beginning to show the same signs as his older brother – lack of coordination, no eye contact, isolation, loss of speech. You can imagine how Greg and Gina were hit broadside when they learned that Tyler was also diagnosed with ASD – autism spectrum disorder. Raising these two little guys with all their behavior issues – it was hard.

Still, they hoped that they could move forward with their family. I mean, if they had another child, surely the odds were in their favor. No doubt, they’d have a typical, normal kid, right? So taking a deep breath and praying hard, they planned to try again. And three years later, little Tate was born. And need I say, months later, he, too, was diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Three sons, all with ASD – autism spectrum disorder. And I cannot begin to tell you, to describe the specifics – the challenges, the erratic behavior, the knocking heads on walls, the endless medical appointments, the isolation, the meltdowns, the problems at mealtimes, and always, always the lack of sleep. Day-after-day, year-after-year. But with all these hardships, oh, my goodness, Greg and Gina – it caused them to really grow in the Lord Jesus. I know Greg and Gina, and they are such amazing examples of Romans chapter 5 – how suffering produces perseverance and that, in turn, develops hope. You have never met two more hopeful people than this family.

Look, I’m only scratching the surface of Greg’s story and there is so much more to share. I mean, he and Gina, you know, switching off night shifts. One will sleep while the other watches the boys. The next night the other sleeps. This went on for years. So I want you to tune into the Joni and Friends podcast at joniandfriends.org. Because you will hear from Greg Hubert himself describing how he and his wife not only managed, but they built a godly marriage and a solid family. And please, if you know a parent of a child with autism, tell them about the podcast. They’ll be so blessed to see how Greg and his wife have persevered through the toughest challenges that autism can throw at them! Again, that’s our Joni and Friends podcast at joniandfriends.org! And one more thing, given that tomorrow is World Autism Day, seek out and find a way to encourage that special-needs family in your neighborhood or church.

Because I tell you what, there were many churches that refused to embrace Greg and Gina and their three boys. It was pretty painful, but God had a plan even in that. Find out about that plan on the Joni and Friends podcast. Find out more – visit us at joniandfriends.org.

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