Caring for the Mentally Retarded from a Spiritual Perspective

By Margaret Gibson

Margaret Gibson is an evangelist seeking to promote the Word of GOD through writing and broadcasting. Caring For the Mentally Retarded From a Spiritual Perspective is designed to help families create a positive environment to nourish the growth and development of their love one. GOD is the source who facilitates change in our lives. GOD is the creator of all things. We must seek HIM more to solve matters that we are unable to resolve.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 31, 2013
• ISBN: 9781479766819

Margaret Gibson

I earned a Bachelor Degree in Sociology and a Juris Doctor Degree in Law. I was a 1985 candidate in Who’s Who in America and 1986 in Who’s Who Among Professional and Business Women International. Presently, I am walking in the offices of a prophetess, apostle, evangelist and teacher. I am the President and Founder of Serving Others, Inc., Youth Possessing Greatness, Inc., and Rhema Word Discipleship Studies Association. I am an intercessor and builder in GOD’s Kingdom. In 2010, GOD told me, “I have called you to be a mother to the nations.” My greatest passion in The Kingdom is teaching the WORD because it is the Power of GOD unto salvation! Whatever, I achieve in this life I will always say, “To GOD is the Glory!” How Great Is GOD’s Mercy reminds us that many blessings that we receive from GOD is not because we prayed for it but rather because GOD is merciful.

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Copyright © 2013 by Margaret Gibson.

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Contents

Dedication

Introduction

I.        Divine Compassion

II.       Why Me?

III.      Spirit of Discernment

IV.      The Power of the Word

V.       The Power of Prayer

VI.     Understanding Mental Retardation

Reasons parents deny the disability

Looking into the world of others outside of the mentally handicap arena

Society’s acceptance and rejection of the behaviors of the mentally challenged population

Obsessive-compulsive Behaviors

Sexuality Challenges

Complaints made by neighbors to CPS or police

Supervision of the mentally challenged

Community Resources

Celebrating Your Love One

VII.    Sexual Abuse of the Mentally Retarded

VIII.  Rules For the Caregiver: Celebrating the Assignment

Dedication

This work is dedicated to GOD because HE has revealed to us through HIS Word every solution to every situation that is present in the earth. We tend to lean to our own understanding about many things rather than asking GOD for the answer to our problems. HE has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness. GOD is JEHOVAH JIREH and EL SHADDI. Whatever we need HE has it.

Introduction

Let us pray:

MOST HOLY and RIGHTEOUS FATHER, I come to YOU in the beauty of YOUR holiness to seek YOUR face with my whole heart. What a MIGHTY GOD you are, how excellent is YOUR name, YOU are the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, EVERLASTING FATHER and the PRINCE of PEACE!!! I beseech YOU to look upon me with much mercy and compassion for I desire to care for _____________ in the spirit of meekness. I humble myself under YOUR LORDSHIP to teach me how to be a blessing to ______________. Show me my secret faults so that I can confess them to YOU and ask for forgiveness. Please enlighten the eyes of my understanding of the challenges and fears that ______________ faces so that I can assure _____________ that he/she was wonderfully and marvelously created by YOU. I ask you to give me the spirit of discernment so that I can identify demons and how they operate, give me the gift of helps, teach me how to pray for _____________, help me to understand mental retardation both naturally and spiritually in JESUS’ name, reveal to me what YOU want me to do for ___________ and cause me to be slow to speak and slow to anger. Hide YOUR Word in my heart so that I will not sin against YOU. Thank you for choosing me to care for _____________ and I promise you that I will do my best to love ____________ as you have commanded me to do. I love and adore YOU. YOU are worthy of all the power, dominion, worship and praise. How great THOU art!!! Give me ears to hear what the Spirit of the LORD is saying to me as I undertake this task of caring for ____________. In JESUS’ name I pray, amen!

GOD continues to amaze me with HIS mighty acts and revelation of HIS purpose for creating me. This spiritual literary project was revealed to me on August 9, 2012. Presently, I am the caregiver of a granddaughter who has been diagnosed with mild mental retardation. Caring for her has been very challenging because I have no significant training in this arena. As a result of the same, I have made many mistakes in addressing her needs. While I have relied upon the professional community to provide me with information and skills to help my granddaughter I have discovered that their program will not solve the problem. I began increasing my intercession on her behalf and I see change in her. I also pray for GOD to increase my understanding of how to respond to her behavior in a more excellent way because I knew that I was a part of the problem. I discovered that when I responded to her in a more loving and forgiving manner her behavior was not as rebellious as before.

As simple as it may seem, you must accept the diagnosis of your love one and learn as much as you can about the condition so that you can engage in meaningful dialogue with the medical and social providers. Being in denial about the condition will cause you grief and chaos so be in touch with how you really feel about your love one’s condition. Remember, the Bible says natural then spiritual. You must address what is going on with your love one as you observe the behaviors. GOD has allowed the disability for a reason. Please do not waste a lot of time trying to figure it out because GOD does not reveal everything to us.

Deuteronomy 29:29

²⁹ The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

The purpose for this work is to enlighten the eyes of our understanding so that we will not be overwhelmed when caring for the mentally challenged. The fruit of our lips will have more power in overcoming the challenges that we face from day to day. You must first be a doer of the Word. You will find that addressing your love one’s need in a productive fashion will be determined by your walk with GOD. We have been given power and we must walk in spiritual authority. Too often we address spiritual problems with carnal weapons.

In order for you to be successful in caring for your mentally challenged love one you must change. That is absolutely correct. Get ready to discover who you are in CHRIST. You must be a lover and student of GOD’s Word. The answer is in the Word of GOD. Let us mortify the deeds of our body, crucify our flesh, and cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh and the spirit. Yes, we must decrease so that the Holy Spirit can increase in our lives. If you want power to help your love one you must die.

We are embarking upon victory over our flesh and discovering how powerful GOD has made us. I am excited about how mindful GOD is of us to want us to know that we are over comers in everything. This journey is not for cowards. How bad to you want the victory? We will soon find out. Gird up your loins and pursue the greater works.

Esther 4:14

¹⁴ For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Daniel 11:32

³² And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

Mark 9:23

²³ Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Mark 11:23-24

²³ For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

²⁴ Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Acts 5:16

¹⁶ There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

Romans 8:28

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

GOD has assigned you to be the caregiver of your love one who may have abused you in the past or is presently doing the same. GOD has