You may have heard the song “Even If” by Mercy Me. It’s a favorite of many and is often finding it’s way to me via the local radio airwaves.

What you may not know is the story behind the song. Listen…

“I know what [God’s] capable of… and even if He doesn’t come through, He’s still my hope because of what He’s already done, not what the circumstance is doing to me. It’s not gonna change what Christ has done for me long before this. If nothing else, He’s the only thing that prepared me for this circumstance.” -Bart Millard, MercyMe

Wow…

“He’s the only thing that prepared me for this circumstance.”

This is truly what Joel and I believe happened to us. We had no flipping clue what our life would look like post-June 2015. However, after Luke was diagnosed, we could clearly see how God was preparing us for this new norm.

Joel and I are both teachers. In the two years leading up to Luke’s diagnosis, we both had students with Type 1. We both learned what T1 was. We learned what happens to the body. We learned the basic ins and outs of caring for a T1. We were fully educated on what it is… and what it isn’t.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

We had just recently returned to my home church after attending a closer-to-us church for awhile. The biggest reason we made the move was because we wanted Luke to be involved in the youth group there. The youth pastor at our church has Type 1 Diabetes. That sure made it easier to send him to youth group where I couldn’t hover and make sure he was okay!

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 1:6

Almost two years before Luke’s diagnosis, Joel had made the decision to go on a ketogenic diet. He read about carbohydrates and the effects of them on the body. He learned to count carbs and create meals that were low in carbs, as well. We were already pros at figuring out how many carbs were in our meals! And while Luke doesn’t eat low carb regularly, he does love his low-to-no carb meals every now and then so he doesn’t have to bolus any insulin!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

I believe God had his hand in this situation, even going back as far as the summer after high school graduation. I had plans to go to nursing school, so what better summer job than to be a phlebotomist. I worked closely with needles (duh); I quickly learned to stay calm in emergencies.

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

These are just a few of the ways we looked back and saw how God paved the way for our new normal. You can’t tell me God wasn’t preparing us for what He knew was coming our way. I am so grateful that he kept planting these little seeds in our hearts (& brains!) so that when June 13, 2015 rolled around, we knew we had this.

“With God, everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26