Why Bethel Church’s Stance on Autism is Harmful

Before I begin in my explanation of Bethel Church’s recent Facebook post and why it’s harmful to autistic people, let me make a disclaimer. I am a follower of Christ. Have been my whole life, and I have a very strong foundation of faith. I have loved Bethel Music’s albums for years, and this is…

An Anecdote from an Awkward, Anxious, Autistic Adult

As a soon-to-be-twenty-one-year-old adult, I was recently asked about my behavior as a child. It took quite a few moments to recollect my thoughts, as twenty-one years is a long amount of time to sift through. They asked me if I was an introvert or an extrovert, and how I behaved in friend groups, and…

The Top Ten Worst Things to Say to an Autistic Person

1. I didn’t even know you had it! This. Is. Irritating. Beyond all understanding. You have no idea if you’ve never experienced it yourself. Yes, I may seem “normal” and neurotypical on the outside, but I do that on purpose. I make myself appear that way on purpose. Not just because I’ve been made fun…

“Do You Trust Me?”

The aspect of pretending is an act that humans participate in for most, if not all, of their lives, starting from infancy. Humans have a fascination with being someone other than themselves, as is evident in the popular movies, tv shows and musicals of the present. But this can also be translated into our personal…

“You do not need just any man…”

Over the past few weeks (and months. And years.) I've been having similar conversations with God. Well, most of the time it's just been me ranting. Wondering why God has yet to provide. Begging Him to show me what I need to change. Searching for the answers to my issues. A few days ago, as…

Removing the Mask

As an autistic person, there's one thing, above all else, that you should know about me: I have the habit of masking. Masking, in general, is where an autistic person picks up mannerisms and behaviors from others and weaves them into their own mannerisms to appear "normal" to the outside world. They copy how others…

Asperger’s Syndrome 101

Welcome to Asperger’s Syndrome 101. Today, which is, unfortunately, the only day the class is available, will be completely about this form of autism and nothing else. I hope you leave today with more knowledge than you’ve ever had before about this mental condition, and that you can find the right questions to ask and…

I Found Love

'I found love'. Such a simple phrase that has echoed through my earbuds multiple times throughout the past few days. 'And I found love where it wasn't supposed to be Right in front of me, talk some sense to me' -I Found by Amber Run 'Cause I found love in you Doing it right, doing…

A Future & A Hope

While I was reading Chapter 12 of one of my Global University books the other day, I stumbled upon this statement that felt like a slap in the face: 'One young teenager confided tearfully to her mother, “I do not want Jesus to come until after I get married and have a family.” The truth…

The Failure to Change

Whenever you ask someone how they feel about the word ‘failure’, it usually brings about negative connotations. It’s understandable, of course, as failure means the absolute. The opposite of winning. The absence of good things. The loss of something you strived for. Failure is a word that scares people. But change can also be a…