WHEN MY SON RAISES HIS HANDS

Long before I ever watched those little hands rise in worship, I felt those little feet move.

While I was pregnant with my son, Gabryel River, named after the messenger angel Gabriel, I happened upon K-LOVE while flipping through radio stations in my car. I began noticing how active he became when Christian music played. I noticed it at church, too, and even when I quietly sang “Jesus Loves Me” or “Amazing Grace” to myself.

I didn’t know then what those moments would eventually mean to me.

Four years later, I do.

River is autistic and has sensory processing differences. The everyday world can easily overwhelm him with its noise and movement, and there are times I wonder how much of a particular moment he understands or how he is processing it all.

But when River is praising God, I never have to wonder.

K-LOVE has been his favorite station since he was a baby. When worship music begins, something shifts. He sings. He becomes completely engaged. And sometimes, without anyone prompting him, River simply lifts both little arms straight toward heaven.

Those moments stop me every single time.

What moves me even more is discovering that I am not the only one who sees it. Complete strangers who know nothing about River’s autism and have had no prior interaction with us have approached me simply to say that something about my son touched their spirit.

River doesn’t know he is affecting anyone. He isn’t performing or trying to inspire a crowd.

He just knows how to praise.

Motherhood has taught me that understanding my child often means paying attention to what he shows me rather than waiting for words. What River shows me during worship needs no translation. His hands go up, his voice joins the music, and his joy becomes undeniable.

As believers, we can make sharing our faith complicated. We worry about having the right words, enough biblical knowledge, or a visible enough platform to make an impact.

Then I look at my son.

River has never preached a sermon, but like the messenger he was named for, his pure, unprompted adoration quietly points others straight to Jesus.