We're All Special-Needs Children To God

In a Preaching Today article entitled “We’re All Special-Needs Children to God,” the author stated, 

We may not want to admit it, but each of us is a special-needs child in our relationship to God. We may not have any significant disabilities in the eyes of this world, but we are often spiritually blind and sick, disobedient, and willful. How can it be that God is there, always waiting, always loving, even when we are unlovable? I am thankful to know and experience God’s loving care during seasons of spiritual maladies.

God’s loving care provides hope for those with special needs. As God patiently ministers to all His special-needs children, His divine care can encourage and uplift those often marginalized, undervalued, and mistreated.

Through my exploration of special needs, I am reflective of three vivid experiences where I’ve had to embrace my own special needs. My first experience began with a chronic condition called asthma. As a kid, I needed restrictions to limit the potential for an asthma attack that could be debilitating or even life-threatening. I remember watching a Public Service Announcement where children commented about their experience with asthma. One said, “When I have an asthma attack, I feel scared.” Another said, “Sometimes my parents have to take me to the hospital.” And a third described his experience with asthma metaphorically when he shared, “I feel like a fish with no water.” Even though I have learned to manage my asthma, I can relate to each child’s testimony about their experience. As a child, an asthma attack would create fear and anxiety because I felt like a fish longing for water. I also remember short stays in the hospital due to an asthmatic crisis (in the early seventies, asthmatics didn’t have many of the options that are available today, like breathing machines and prescription rescue inhalers). Therefore, I can relate to people who have special needs because of asthma.

Another instance of special needs began in 2015 when, during a morning run, I incurred a herniated disc that caused chronic pain in my lower back. The pain was so excruciating that I traveled to the Laser Spine Institute in St. Louis, MO, for evaluation for surgery. When the surgeon shared the 50/50 chance of success, I chose to forgo the surgery and live with chronic back pain. Thus, I can relate well to people who speak about their experience with lower back pain. I’ve worn a Tens unit (TENS 7000TM) daily since 2015 for pain management, and it has worked well (however, please consult your physician).  When led, I share my testimony and encourage others to do their part in managing chronic back pain through exercise, a healthy diet, therapy, and, if needed, medication and/or surgery.

An additional special need occurred on December 13, 2023, when I was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes. I have a family history of diabetes in that my mother is diabetic and her mother also lived with Type-1 diabetes. I can remember watching my grandmother receive insulin injections. Prior to my diagnosis, I didn’t understand the difference between Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes. However, I have since committed to reading and learning about diabetes so I can live my best life through an informed approach that minimizes or eliminates some of the potential risks involved with the special need disease. 

As previously stated, we are all “Special-Needs Children” to God, and I’m thankful God cares for His special-needs children through love, grace, and tender affection. Through my interactions with other diabetics, I’ve learned that some prioritize soul care, but they lack proper self care because living with diabetes can be difficult. Bryan Adams shared, “Trying to manage diabetes is hard because if you don’t, there are consequences you’ll have to deal with later in life.” Even though diabetes has some severe consequences, people can overlook or ignore them until they become a personal reality. Actor and filmmaker Tom Hanks (A.K.A. “Forrest Gump”) shared the following testimony: “I have high blood sugars, and Type-2 diabetes is not going to kill me. But I have to eat right, exercise, lose weight, and watch what I eat, and I will be fine for the rest of my life.” In an interview with Radio Times, Hanks admitted that he incurred diabetes because he was “a total idiot.” He shared his reluctance and refusal to follow the doctor’s advice about changing his lifestyle to prevent transitioning from pre-diabetes to being a full-time diabetic.

I’m in the same boat as Tom. I was an idiot about the reality of diabetes and consistently ate the kinds of foods that contribute to Type-2 diabetes. However, even though I have been given a diagnosis of Type-2 diabetes, I don’t have to allow diabetes to control or stop me. Chris Olson rightly pointed out, “We have diabetes; it gets to come along with us, but it doesn’t get to stop us.” That’s my testimony. I know I’m a diabetic, but I’m determined never to allow diabetes to control or stop me. I’m thankful for a self-care plan that can ensure my goal of living with diabetes.

First, my plan includes education. Since my diagnosis, every week, I search the internet for articles and read something about living with Type-2 diabetes. In the various articles, I have learned ways to potentially reduce or eliminate the need for diabetic medication. Application of that knowledge contributed to my doctor taking me off Farxiga! The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases “shows that diabetes education improves the quality of life, self-efficacy, empowerment, healthy coping strategies, self-care behavior, and adherence to” a good food plan.

Second, my plan includes healthy eating. Increasing my knowledge of healthy eating habits for a Type-2 diabetic has been a game-changer in my journey. Ann Wigmore opined, “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” Education is critical to learning how to eat foods that are like medicine and can help people with diabetes refrain from foods that are like poison. In contrast to the plethora of fast foods and sweets I ate for many years, now my meals are mostly prepared at home and require meal prepping, during which I often reflect on my present and pre-diabetes food choices. I have concluded that my present eating habits should have been implemented and maintained years before my diabetes diagnosis. I’m committed to sharing my change in eating habits and the benefits of meal prepping as well as learning how others successfully navigate their diabetic journey.

Third, my plan includes exercise. During a conversation with my physician, he said, “One of the keys to managing Type-2 diabetes is exercise.” American actress, comedian, author, broadcaster, podcaster, and host of the Sherri (Sherri Shepherd) daytime talk show shared, “I am a Type-2 diabetic, and they took me off medication simply because I ate right and exercised.” A healthy diet combined with regular exercise can be a game changer. It’s true that I exercised before my diagnosis. However, now I prioritize it because it is part of a daily routine that can help promote diabetes management and quality of life sustainability.

As I stated previously, I appreciate God’s divine care for His special-needs children. In working with God, I will continue with my three-part plan to ensure the attainment of my diabetic goals. No matter the special need, I encourage everyone to live by a plan to reach the goal of living with their special need.