Temple Grandin was diagnosed with brain damage at the age of two in 1949. But her mother found an article on autism symptoms and felt that diagnosis fit Temple better (Temple was formally diagnosed as autistic as an adult). At that time, doctors advised that children like Temple be institutionalized. Her father wanted to follow the doctor’s advice, but her mother did not. Her parents divorced a few years later.
Temple’s mother took her to special needs researchers and neurologists, hired speech therapists and nannies to work with her, tried to make her school environment accommodating, and eventually enrolled her in a specialized school. She taught Temple social rules to help her remember how to interact with others. She emphasized that Temple was “different, not less.”
When Temple was a teenager, she worked at an aunt’s farm one summer. She noticed that the cattle mooed in different ways. When she mentioned that to others, they dismissed its importance. But Temple kept observing. She also noticed that when left to themselves, the cattle would herd themselves in circular patterns away from their handlers. She saw that they got upset by shadows, clothing dangling from a fence, and other distractions. When they got upset, they’d try to get away, causing damage and sometimes death to themselves and other cattle in their panic.
Years later, Temple designed a circular ramp system for cattle to go through the dipping process to protect them from insects. Many didn’t believe her or take her seriously at first. But when they took her suggestions, they found the system was not only more humane and calming for animals, but it saved the ranchers from loss due to animal injury. She went on to revolutionize the cattle industry with other suggestions and inventions.
In the movie Temple Grandin, Temple and her mother attend an autism conference by a leading “expert.” The parents in the audience shout questions to him which he can’t seem to answer. Temple stands to address some of the questions. Someone asks her how old her child is. She says she doesn’t have an autistic child, but she is autistic herself. When she mentions her degrees and her career, she’s flooded with questions until the moderator asks her to come forward to address the group. The parents are filled with hope while hearing someone who understands their children and has successfully navigated her life with autism. She went on to speak and write books about being autistic.
While autism is a different way of thinking and not a problem in itself, from what I understand, it can lead to misunderstandings and even bullying. Though Temple faced a lot of hardships growing up, her different way of perceiving things eventually became her greatest gift. She saw and understood things others didn’t. Her experiences became a beacon of hope to others.
In a similar vein, Joni Eareckson Tada broke her neck in a diving accident as a teenager. She has spent more than fifty years as a quadriplegic, encouraging and ministering to others, advocating for the disabled, supplying wheelchairs to people around the world, writing books, hosting a radio program, and speaking at events. Her words carry weight because of her experiences. We know she doesn’t talk about suffering only from a theological standpoint, but an experiential one.
Pastor John Vaughn’s wife and two-year-old daughter were severely burned in a fire in 1978. Neither were expected to survive, but they did. A few years later, when Vaughn sought for a Christian school to accommodate his daughter’s special needs, he couldn’t find one. He ended up starting Hidden Treasure Christian School, which grew to educate children with a variety of special needs for more than forty years now. One of their mottoes is “God has given each child what they need to accomplish His purpose in his or her life.”
Sometimes the areas in life where we have suffered or experienced pain or problems are the very things God uses in our lives to minister to others. That makes sense. Second Corinthians 1:4 says God “comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” The areas where we have struggled are the areas where we have learned to trust Him, to depend on Him, to function within the parameters He has given us.
Most of us have not experienced trials this severe, but we’ve all experienced problems. Family issues, death, illnesses, financial situations–whatever God has allowed in our lives, we can empathize with others in those situations and help them with what we have learned. De Witt Talmage has written that our work may be “to stand a lighthouse at the mouth of the bay to light others into harbor; perhaps to show how glorious a sunset may come after a stormy day.”
A poem that I have quoted often here is from an anonymous author and first came to my attention in Rosalind Goforth’s book, Climbing: Memories of a Missionary Wife. The first stanza says:
If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back;
‘Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track;
And if, perchance, Faith’s light is dim, because the oil is low,
Your call will guide my lagging course as wearily I go.
From our experience with the Lord along the way, we can testify to others, as one song says, “All my life You have been faithful. All my life You have been so, so good.” And we can encourage them that He will be faithful and good in their lives, too, as they trust Him.
(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)
Stray Thoughts 
The story of Temple Grandin is so inspiring! This post brings to mind the story of Thomas Edison as well. His school teacher said he was “addled” because he thought differently, so his mother took him home and educated him.
As a homeschooling mom, these stories of unique thinking are so validating, showing how education can be tailored to these differences.
A beautiful thought to start the day!
I had read that about Edison but forgotten about it. It’s sad that people are often ostracized for their differences when those differences are really gifts.
Great post. God can use our lives, no matter how flawed for good.
Amen!
My first born son, was born with a bone dysplasia that resulted in dwarfism. Undiagnosed, with orthopedic issues he is the one who pointed me to Christ at age 8. And to think when he was born I thought God was punishing me for my sin.
It’s so neat to hear how God worked in your life!
I love this perspective. So often we miss the blessing and the platform our “problems” provide to us. Like Paul, God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.
That’s true–we often don’t realize our problems give us a platform to show His grace. Too often I am focused on “Please make it stop!” in the moment.
Yes, our weaknesses are often our strengths in God’s economy! I love the “stand a lighthouse” quote and also the Goforth poem (I know I’ve loved it before when you have shared it). The Jen Wilkin book I just finished discussed it being better to visit the house of mourning than of feasting (Ecc. 7:2) — more depth and wisdom there.
That verse in Ecc. has always stood out to me, too. We sure like the feasting better–but we do learn more from the mourning.
Thank you for sharing about Temple. God has a plan for all of His creations. Blessings. 🙂
He does!
Amen, sister.
Spot on. I thank you for resharing this poem:
Spot on, sister. Living this in my Achilles rerupture.
Thanks for sharing this:
“If you have gone a little way ahead of me, call back;
‘Twill cheer my heart and help my feet along the stony track;
And if, perchance, Faith’s light is dim, because the oil is low,
Your call will guide my lagging course yas wearily I go.”
Glad it was a blessing to you! Hope your foot heals quickly!
Barbara, I was not familiar with Temple Grandin before reading this. What an amazing story! God has used some hard seasons in my life to develop empathy and open doors for ministry, which gives me hope that more recent challenges have purpose too. I once heard the phrase “God never wastes a hurt,” and I’m so thankful for that.
We had not heard of her, either, until finding this movie and then a documentary about her life. Both were very good. I like the saying about God not wasting a hurt.
One of my sons has Auditory Process Disorder. People with this don’t innately see patterns, but patterns can be broken down–in math, in language, in art, in quilting, in life. When he was diagnosed, I understood why I taught the way I taught–and it has encouraged me when I try new things and don’t “get it” as quick as others. I realized I learned that way. All the students in my class (college composition) benefited from learning “the science of writing.” Three of my children’s books are about opening eyes to a pattern in behavior. Growing up with this, I didn’t feel very bright, but it taught me the importance of not giving up–because I got there eventually.
That’s inspiring. I have heard of people realizing they have disorders that there was no diagnosis for back when they were children. It’s neat how God guided them, and you.
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Barbara, I loved this story as I had never heard it before. It is amazing how the Lord uses all of us to come alongside of one another.
We had never heard of Temple, either, until my husband saw something about the film of her life and we watched it. That was excellent, and then we saw a documentary about her that was also good.
My husband and I enjoy a show on PBS called Patience that follows and autistic woman who helps the detectives solve cases. She sees, hears, and smells things others can’t pick up. (If this is a duplicate comment, you can delete it. 🙂 For some reason I have a hard time leaving comments on you site.)
We just finished that series! It was really good. I love how the things that made her different are the things that gave her more insight. And I liked how the other characters, especially Bea in the first season, kept reaching out to her even when they hit bumps in the road in their interactions.
I’m sorry about the commenting problems. 😦 I don’t know what causes that.
I LOVE Temple Grandin. As a retired special education preschool teacher, I of course have had students who were first diagnosed with mental retardation but it was actually ASD (Autism Spectrum disorder). It’s just that the brain is wired differently….a neuro issue that we still don’t have a cure for and honestly, most people on the ASD can do well given early intervention. yes, some are more severe than others and might have to go into a group home as an adult. But many of my students are now in college and doing well! The bulk of my students though were ED (Emotionally disturbed) with severe behavioral disorders due to neglect, abuse, domestic violence. It’s been a challenging career yet I have seen God’s Hand in all of them.
This is a great post! I’m going to send it to my friend who complains constantly about her trials ….she really needs this post. I will do so once I am back from vacation.
I had heard of Temple Grandin, but before reading this I didn’t know (or remember) anything about her. What a wonderful perspective on learning differences. I’m so glad God gifts us differently, because it can help us learn to work together and how much we need each other to overcome our challenges and find out how God can use them or work through them.
My youngest brother has an adult son with severe autism and has head Temple Grandin speak at conferences many times. She was very inspirational and comforting to to my brother that an autistic person enjoys life in their own unique way.
So true, the deaths of two of my children led to my professional career as a Clinical Counsellor which entailed Grief counseling.
Visiting from Joanne’s today.
Blessings, Jennifer
Barbara, thank you for sharing this wonderful post about how our challenges can become blessings. Each story is so inspiring. I have served individuals with disabilities in many ways, and have shared some of my experiences in this blog post, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” …
https://bethwillismiller.blogspot.com/2024/08/he-aint-heavy-hes-my-brother.html
Many blessings to you!