God Bless The Broken Road

I have mentioned this in a post in the past but I couldn't help but revisit the topic. I just had a phone call with the Director of Eastern Iowa Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation on Thursday and she told me that there was 8 new kids diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes this past week. Disgusted.

When I hear this, I immediately go back to that day 20 years ago that I was diagnosed. How scared I was, how scared my parents were and the changes that happened in my life from that day forward. I think about the day that Micheala was diagnosed. The fact that I now had experienced a Juvenile Diabetes diagnosis myself and as a parent. I think about how scared I was on that day and the constant fear I have when Micheala is not within arms reach of Heather or myself.

The fear will never go away.

However as I have mentioned before, we have chosen to embrace our diabetes and have set out to change the world that we, and millions of other Americans live in.

Our pastor talked last Sunday about how things in life don't always go the way that you want them to. In our case, we never wanted diabetes and the continuous flow of medical related bills that go along with diabetes. He talked about how your plans are not your plans, they are Gods plans. He talked about how God chooses you to carry out his plans and it is up to us to embrace them and succeed. Gods plan for us involves advocating for a cure for Juvenile Diabetes.

I have mentioned before how I had gone through a period of time, when things were bad, that I questioned faith and why God was punishing me and my family. I searched for answers and tried to remember what it was that I had done in my life to deserve such punishment. I got depressed. I didn't know how I could ever muster up enough courage to get up everyday and watch my wife battle through thyroid issues, Micheala battle diabetes, Chiari malformation and thyroid issues, my own diabetes and Dylanne growing up in the shadow of everyone's illnesses. But I did.

One day it came to me that I our family was called on by a higher power to do something great. We gave up our plans and started living according to Gods plan.

This has led us to the beginning of great things happening and great things to come. I have been able to advocate for Juvenile Diabetes research at a level that I never would have imagined. I have met new friends through a company that trains people to be leaders and help others. We have been placed in peoples lives to help them achieve their goals. Our kids are now living a life in which they understand that People are more important than stuff. Our lives have been filled with confidence, spiritual fulfillment and happiness, just to name a few. We have direction and we are running forward...full steam ahead.

So today I think about those 8 families that had their world rocked this week with the diagnosis of diabetes. It will be hard. You will cry. You will worry. You will be stressed. Remember that this is part of Gods plan. You were chosen to fight this fight with us. Embrace it! We are in this together and will be until there is a cure. We will overcome and your child will someday have a "normal" life.

I will admit that I had lost faith, but now I say God bless the broken road because through all the hurt, there came an incredible sense of peace and purpose.

I am always available to talk. I am always available to listen. I am always available because I care and that will never change.

You have a decision to make today.......You can change the world in which you live in but it's up to you to embrace it. That is the decision that I make and I make that choice every morning.

My thoughts and prayers are with those 8 families. We will overcome!