Encouragement as We Begin the Journey

We're on a journey with about 15,000 other families this year.  Since getting over the shock of my three year old daughter's type 1 diabetes diagnosis I've asked myself a million times what did I do wrong.  Thankfully, everything I've read has reminded me that its not about my "errors" as a parents that have caused this.  I'm even more grateful that the Bible has reminded me of God's goodness throughout tough times.  While we were in the hospital one of my best friends emailed me John 9: 1-3 "As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.  And his disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'  Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."(ESV)  It brought tears to my eyes when I read it sitting in the hospital and it still gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes.  What comfort from God in the moments when I'm asking "why, did I cause this suffering for my little girl?"  Also did I mention I'm a perfectionist...so this little sin doesn't help. 

The second verse my friend sent us was for our daughter, Marian.  2 Corinthians 12:8-10 "Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." (ESV)  What a wonderful encouragemnt for our daughter as well as for my husband and I!  The apostle Paul knew what is was to suffer yet God used his suffering to glorify himself and for Paul's good.  We heard about an 8 year old boy that told his mom he was glad he knew how to give himself insulin because someday someone might need it and he'd know how to do it.  I pray both Mark and I can help all of our children look at our weaknesses and see ways that God can use them for his glory.