What do you do when you’ve prayed for a miracle … and the miracle never comes?
Jason Hague faced that situation after his son Jack was born. Like any father, Jason had dreams for his relationship with his son – the games they’d play together, the conversations they’d have.
Around age two, Jack started to regress developmentally. He struggled to walk. He lost his vocabulary and his ability to communicate. Jack was soon diagnosed with autism, and everything in Jason’s family changed.
Jason cried out for a miracle, praying that Jack would regain his ability to connect with the family and engage in all the ways that Jason had first dreamed for Jack – conversations about sports, about Star Wars, about God.
The miracle never came.
And in the absence of a miracle came confusion and doubt. Jason wrestled with God for some time until he finally came to the end of himself. When he did, his prayers changed. Instead of praying that Jack would connect with the family in a way that was meaningful to them, he began praying that Jack would connect with the family in a way that was meaningful to him.
And he did. Through penguins.
April is autism awareness month, and Jason Hague is with us to share his family’s story – including the penguins – on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Fighting for Joy as a Special Needs Parent.” Listen to our full conversation on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or on our free phone app.
Jason thought his faith was strong. But in the face of his son’s challenges, he began to question everything he knew about God. Jason shares how God desires to walk with us through our broken moments more than helping us find the “right answers.” He also shares what it’s like to live with a constantly unanswered prayer – and unpacks the joys and challenges of parenting a beautifully unique child.
Jason has written a book called Aching Joy: Following God Through the Land of Unanswered Prayer which is available for a gift of any amount. For more information, visit our website.
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