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From Diagnosis to Empowerment: A Parent's Perspective on Autism · HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN®

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  Good morning, my name is Angel, and I am the host of Have Faith, Let It Begin.
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  Today is April 2nd, 2025.
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  The United Nations designated April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day back in 2007.
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  In the United States, President Ronald Reagan issued the first official proclamation
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  to declare April as National Autism Awareness Month in 1988.
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  Here at Have Faith Let It Begin, for the very first time, we will make us all
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  aware of National Autism Awareness Month.
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  It is a time to raise awareness, promote acceptance, and advocate for the rights
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  and needs of individuals with autism, culminating in the World Autism Awareness Day.
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  Please join us as each week, we'll invite any of you that'd like to come on
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  to the show, maybe as a parent, as an educator,
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  perhaps maybe a physician, to share with us your stories, your commitments,
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  your dedication, and most of all, what we're going to do to make autism more aware to the public.
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  Thank you. Have faith, let it begin.
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  Starts right now.
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  Good morning, and welcome to a special edition of Have Faith, Let It Begin.
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  As a parent with a child with autism, I've learned that autism is not a burden or a curse.
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  It is a journey, and we are blessed to be on it.
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  And every small step is a victory, celebrating every milestone, no matter how small.
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  A lot of quotes from parents have come in, and they are as follows.
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  We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.
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  I didn't know how strong I was until I had to be.
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  I never planned to be a special needs parent, but I'm glad fate chose me.
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  Autism is not a roadblock. It's a detour.
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  It's a very, very difficult subject for me today. I have been keeping that from
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  everyone because quite honestly, I didn't know how to take it for a while.
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  But to share with all of you, yes, my son has been diagnosed with autism.
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  And I wanted to do this special edition because number one, it is Autism Awareness
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  Month and it starts today.
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  But I wanted also to share some inspiring autism quotes about attitude,
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  acceptance and empowerment.
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  These are autism parents who quoted and have been quoted with a firm of their
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  faith in their children's unique abilities and offer the words that all of us
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  need. And this is all the responses.
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  Autism is not a tragedy. Ignorance is a tragedy.
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  Autism offers a chance for us to glimpse an awe-filled vision of the world that
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  might otherwise pass us.
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  If they can't learn the way we teach we teach
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  the way they learn it takes a village to raise a child it takes a child with
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  autism to raise the consciousness of the village autism is not a choice acceptance
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  is imagine if the opposite was true and these are just a few quotes as a parent,
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  you get that diagnosis it's something you you take in i was not upset i wasn't angry but you know,
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  it's a little bit it's a it's a gut punch to a certain extent but it's one of
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  those punches that doesn't hurt you it doesn't bring you down it just makes
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  you realize okay what do we need to do to step up?
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  What can I do to make things better and suitable for my son?
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  My faith, my strength keeps me going.
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  Working well, hand in hand with my wife and dealing with that day by day is
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  truly a gift and it strengthens me.
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  You know, when you hear about families that deal with the same thing you're
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  dealing with, you feel like, you know, family's focus is, the family focuses
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  on the ability instead of the disability.
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  All things are possible. Okay.
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  And love and acceptance is the key. I've read that.
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  And also we have to interact with those that have autism by taking interest in their interest.
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  So, you know, this is a very short episode, but I wanted to clear the air and
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  let people know what was going on.
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  We have a lot of things going on today at Have Faith, Let It Begin,
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  because it is Autism Awareness Day.
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  We're also doing a double whammy, which I used to like to call.
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  We're doing a double show today because Clinton Knapp is back.
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  So I want to welcome him back. If you heard yesterday's episode,
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  you know that we are doing a Clinton Knapp, but it's a prime time of edition
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  because it's personal testimonies.
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  So tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, not only are you going to get the
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  audio version, but if you go over to our YouTube version, you're going to see
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  the video audio version.
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  That's right. For the first time, you're going to see us on the video format.
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  So if you want to see us do the podcast, you'd have to go to the YouTube special.
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  If you'd like us to email you a copy, we'd be more than happy to do so.
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  And that's where I leave you. I'm going to read a couple more quotes and we'll go into a prayer.
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  Again, these are quotes from parents that have children with autism.
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  Every small step is a victory.
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  Celebrate every milestone, no matter how small.
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  You're not alone. You're a part of a community of parents who understand and support you.
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  Sometimes the toughest moments are the ones that make you the most proud.
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  And again, autism is not a burden or a curse. It is a journey.
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  And we are blessed to be in it.
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  Today, on behalf of all of us, we ask you to take a few minutes to pray for
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  the families and the children and those that are honoring today and this whole month,
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  as we celebrate and honor the awareness of autism.
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  Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you. Lord, a lot of times I say this and I mean it.
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  You know, we celebrate you on the good days and on the bad days.
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  And this is certainly not a bad day. This is a good day.
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  We are aware of all of our journey ahead of us.
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  We are aware that we have our faith to rely on, and we put our trust and faith in you.
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  We also lift up in prayer our half-faith, let it begin, family.
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  And I know that all the prayers and thoughts are going to be coming in,
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  so in advance, thank you.
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  I'm fine, we're fine, and we're moving forward. We ask this of you,
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  Lord, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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  May God be with you. may he shine his light upon you and grant
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  each and every single one of you peace on earth
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  and never forget to have faith
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  and let it begin don't forget
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  everyone that tonight at 7 p.m eastern standard time personal testimonies returns
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  with clinton knapp in chapter two episode number one and we are back with another
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  powerful uh continuation and we hope that you will join us because now it is
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  not only on audio, it is on video.
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  You get to see us do it. So if you want the video format, go directly to YouTube
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  and click on the link description on this page.
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  And you can even find us at our website, halffaithletitbegin.com.
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  Thank you and enjoy the rest of your day, which is two episodes starting from
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  now every Wednesday while personal testimony is on the air. Take care.
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  Hey, Have Faith family. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share the podcast with your friends.
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  Visit our website, havefaithletitbegin.com. We would love to hear your feedback.