I spent a long weekend in Nashville a couple of weeks ago and while I was there, I made a new friend. Her name is Ann Christine and she is AMAZING! You should check her out and definitely get to know her.
I found Ann Christine on Twitter. Actually, she found me, and I’m so glad she did. We met for brunch after church and had the best conversation. This girl blew me away. Her heart for other people overwhelmed me and her story about her diagnosis truly touched me . She was diagnosed in December with type 1 diabetes. Barely a college graduate trying to decide what road to travel next, everything was put on hold after slipping into DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). I can only imagine what emotions must have poured over her. But the grace she handled everything with blew me away.
She didn’t hold onto anger or resentment. She didn’t question why or how. She didn’t even ask for a reason or an explanation. She simply turned it over to God and accepted the diagnosis as part of His plan. What unbelievable humility that takes. Not long after developing diabetes, Ann Christine started managing it through an insulin pump. She traveled a few months later to Saba, an island in the Caribbean. While there, a young child saw her checking her blood sugar and shared about another kid on the island who did the same thing. Turns out, there were several children with diabetes. During that week, Ann Christine’s diabetes touched the lives of others — it became a positive thing. What a tremendous blessing.
I am in awe of this beautiful young woman and the path she is on. She is an inspiration and someone to be admired. On top of that, she’s adorably cute, funny and loves barbecue. She’s the perfect Southern belle, and I am so thrilled to call her a friend. I hope we’ll be able to hang out more in the future as our paths continue to cross. (I LOVE meeting others with D in real life).
Be sure to keep Ann Christine in your prayers as she heads back to Saba in a week!