Episode 236 — Faith > Hope
Date: December 26, 2024
Episode Overview
This week’s quick listen dives into why faith is greater than hope and how embracing it can transform your parenting journey.
Referenced in This Episode
Full Transcript
Len Arcuri | 00:00
Welcome to Autism Parenting Secrets. It's Len and you're in for a treat because I have several Dynamite episodes coming up from my conversations with presenters at last month's Documenting Hope conference. And if you're not familiar with Documenting Hope, I strongly encourage you to support their mission. And you can access all the videos and presentations from this conference if you weren't able to attend in person at a really reasonable price. And I will include a link to their site where you could look into that. But in the meantime, it's holiday season when this episode is coming out.
So I'm going to keep it to another short yet impactful episode. The secret this week is a powerful one. Faith is greater than hope. And the importance of that concept is that With a shift. Towards Faith. This is how you get closer to true empowerment. It can help you shift from fear and uncertainty to peace and confidence. And so that's why this one concept of how faith is even greater than hope is a powerful one. Now. Hope is beautiful.
So I am not in any way diminishing the power of hope. It's energizing and it's often what keeps us moving forward during really challenging times.
So do not stop hoping. And as a matter of fact, get your hopes up. Go bigger. Dream bigger. But hope on its own. Can often feel fragile, almost like wishful thinking. It's something we want, something we long for, but at least within myself, hoping sometimes just feels like it's out of reach. It can feel a little bit apprehensive, unsure, hesitant comes to mind. In many ways, if you're hoping for something, you're kind of hedging your bets. The concept, while absolutely useful. When you compare it to faith, You know, faith on the other hand is more certain. It's rock solid. Faith is an unwavering confidence and trust. Particularly self-trust. And it's a certainty that doesn't require evidence.
So many times on this podcast, the concept of beliefs pop up and it's no different here. Because we're talking about the belief that even if the road ahead is unclear, you don't know how it's going to unfold. You don't know what the steps are going to be. Even if that's true, that it is unclear, You can have a belief that there is some greater plan unfolding for your child or for you or for your whole family. With that faith that there is a greater plan than With that faith, you can weather any storm. And it may seem to defy logic and even common sense. I love holiday movies. "Miracle on 34th Street" is a classic and there's one very powerful line in that movie. That is when the Santa Claus character says to the girl in the episode Susan. That He says to her that faith is believing in things. When common sense tells you not to. And even though that's a quaint holiday film, that's a powerful message, a really powerful message. Because faith is something that you actually have control over. It's about choosing trust, self-trust, trust in some higher power. It's about choosing trust over fear. And about accepting that things will not work out, not necessarily the way you want, not in the timeframe you'd like, but the way they're destined to, you know, according to the universe's plan, the creator's plan, God's plan, whatever you're believing in, if you do believe in a higher power of some form, whatever you call that higher power, That's... The shift here. To have humility that We don't have all the answers and can't control everything. There's a higher power at play. To faith requires that trust, that it requires that humility. And the letting go of the need to control every outcome.
So the shift here is about You having the opportunity to step into more certainty in yourself and in your child and in the universe and what's happening. So how do you shift from hope to faith? First, recognize that faith is twofold. It begins with an acknowledgement of what is true right now. And that is what's true right now about your unique power. And capabilities as a parent. And the resilience as well within your child, acknowledging that your child has that resilience, has an incredible capacity and potential to thrive.
So with that initial acknowledgement for yourself and your child, the second step is about letting go of the need to control. Exactly how things are going to unfold.
So faith is really trusting the process. And releasing that anxiety of trying to micromanage every outcome.
So simply put, faith feels very different. It's a bold yet humble trust.
You know, faith says, I've got this. Even if there's no immediate evidence to prove it. And that faith radiates to your child. It's a certainty. That their potential will unfold even if you can't yet see it.
So faith is about acceptance, not hiding or pretending, but fully embracing what is. And that... Is the first step that allows a greater peace to take hold. And if your beliefs aren't aligned with faith, then automatically, you know, as parents, we generate fear of the future, shame and guilt of the past and just a miserable journey overall that feels really hard. But when you have faith, sincere faith. In yourself, faith in your child and faith in some higher power you will feel a greater sense of calm and clarity. Faith. Quiets that noise in your mind and replaces chaos with confidence. This diagnosis in one way or another is a wake up call. It's a call to action to make changes in how we live. How we think, and how we care for ourselves and our child. Our kids are the canaries in the coal mine, showing us where the world needs to change from what we eat to how we live and minimize the toxins in our environment.
You know, this wake up call demands that we take inconvenient but necessary action. So the question is, how will you respond? Will you respond powerfully by equipping yourself to make great decisions? By trusting your intuition and seeking support. By stepping out of isolation and allowing others to help.
So humility and faith go hand in hand. Faith is bold. And trusting. But it's not brash or arrogant. It's grounded in humility. And with a deep sense of purpose. And right now that purpose is to make great decisions for your child, to be the parent you want to be for your child, to be the parent your child dreams of. And you simply can't be at peace without faith. More hope alone won't get you there. And hope without faith just creates the chaos. One recent mom shared with me that she felt like she was trapped in a prison of her own mind. It totally resonated with me what she was expressing. The only way out of that prison is faith. Faith in yourself, faith in the Creator, faith in your child. Faith is the key to moving forward. With clarity and confidence. With that message, how do you put this into practice? Step one, acknowledge your hopes. Dream big, aim high for your child and for yourself.
And then build your faith. That's step number two. Trust. In your capacity, your capabilities, and in the incredible potential within your child, even if you can't see it right now.
And then the third step is to let go of control. Release the need for things to unfold exactly as you expect. Trust that there is a greater plan at work. And if you're looking for ways to build that faith, I humbly suggest you consider one-on-one coaching. I've dedicated my life to helping parents like you see what they can't see, to uncover their blind spots, and to make decisions with clarity and confidence And it's not about doing more. It's about doing the right things that move the needle for your child and for your family. That faith You don't need anyone's permission, but it's hard to do on your own. Faith isn't just a mindset. It's a superpower. And it's already within you.
So grow your faith, step into your power, and watch as your child's potential unfolds in ways you never imagined. So thank you for listening to this. And until next time. Say yes to yourself. Trust yourself even more. Preston your child's capabilities and embrace this journey with faith.
