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#82, Blog, Dreams, football, football and diabetes, God, Holly Michael, Jake Byrne, juvenile diabetes, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Draft 2012, Novels, Pro Day, sports and diabetes, tight end, type 1 diabetes, Wisconsin Badgers, Writing, Writing Straight
I don’t remember the dream, only the worried face that popped into it. Jake. My four-year-old. Why was his face in my dream? Minutes later, a tap on my shoulder woke me.
“Had a bad dream, Mom,” Jake said.
I lifted the covers, pulled Jake close, and kissed the top of his head, amazed at this strange connection that allowed my son’s fears to travel from his dreams into mine.
Mom’s have connections like that with their children. Sometimes a prickle of worry regarding one of my kids will flash in my mind like a sudden rainstorm pocking up a calm lake. I stop, drop, and pray. Most times, I discover those feelings were on the mark, and my child needed prayers.
Jake had dreams of becoming an NFL player. What little boy doesn’t? Then as a sophomore in high school, he was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. Jake refused to accept it as an obstacle. He wanted to play football on a college scholarship. He pushed himself hard: extra workouts, more discipline, never missing a practice. Jake gave his diabetes and his football dreams to God.
“Maybe God want’s me to have diabetes for a greater purpose,” Jake often expressed.
For the last last four years I’ve watched Jake start as a tight end for the Wisconsin Badgers. (Jake Byrne #82) Now, Jake has an agent and a good shot at the NFL.
Like my son, I proclaimed lofty dreams when I was a child. I wanted to be a novelist. I held onto that goal, learning and improving my writing skills in spite of rejection letters and self-doubt obstacles along my path toward publication. Now, an agent is reading my novel.
Jake and I aren’t sitting back, biting our nails as we wait for our dreams to happen. I’m working on my second book, blogging, and preparing to become a novelist. Jake’s preparing for the NFL draft.
If a boy with type I diabetes can work hard and become an NFL player, then his mom can be a novelist. Lofty goals? Fairytales? NFL player and Novelist. Sometimes we just know what we want and with God’s blessing, hard work, a little God-given talent, and support from others, it can happen.
Mother and child connections. Funny we’re both, at the same time, standing at the cusp of our dreams becoming reality, ready to wake up and be the people we were meant to be.
Follow my blog as I share about connections, hope, and writing. I’ll keep you posted about my book and other books to come and how Jake fares in the upcoming draft.
Well written Holly….I will keep reading as you post. Congrats to you both! We all have dreams to follow.
Thanks Jen, exciting times!
Great post, Holly.
I am so proud of you both! It is an honor to have someone as you both be a part of my family! I love you both!
Thanks Annette!
Ola! Holly Michael,
On a similar note,, Aspiring authors just received an early Christmas gift with the opening of Barnes
Cheers
Thanks Holly for giving me the privelege of reading your very well written piece. Best of luck with your novel.
Carmel
Thank you Carmel!
Beautiful post, Holly, and beautiful blog!
Thanis Heidi, Nice to see your blog, too!
Best of luck to both of you Holly.
You both are determined and talented, you
will be great.
Thanks Julie! Appreciate your visiting the blog.
That is so awesome! If we take the first step, God will order the next….
Wonderful blog, Holly. I look forward to following it.
Thank Bill. I look forward to reviewing your new book
Love your post and your site and have ‘followed’ you. Best wishes to both of you in your dreams 🙂
Thanks Sherry!
Great story, Holly, and a great blog.
What a wonderful blog post, Holly! Great blog!!
Great post! At 54 I am a 45 year veteran of type 1 diabetes and still going strong. I have run regular camps and adventure camps for those with type 1 diabetes. Luckily got to know many elite athletes with type one diabetes along the way. That great attitude will go far in whatever Jake does. Anyway you go Jake and Holly!
Steve, Jake feels as if he has diabetes for a reason and that is to help kids with diabetes. In college he mentored diabetic kids and hopes to continue to have a platform to speak about kids and diabetes and staying healthy when he’s in the NFL. Many parents worry about their children with type 1 playing sports, but Jake’s done very well. While playing for the Wisconsin Badgers, he had a special pack built into his pads to contain his insulin pump. Please come back to the website as I post about what happens next for him. Thanks for the comment. Holly
Great article, Holly. I had no idea Jake had diabetes. Keeping him in prayer for the draft! Melissa
Thanks for the prayers for Jake. March 7 is Pro Day. He got diabetes at the end of his sophomore year of high school. He’s handled it well.
Love this, Holly! Glad to have found you. Hoping all the best for you and your son.
Wonderful! Keep pushing on!
Prayers up to both of you hard workers. Beautiful article Holly!
Thanks Becky. I heard from him today that it went well. Now we wait for the draft in April.
Lovely, Holly. Thank you for inviting me to your blog, and may God bless you and your son as you reach for (and attain) your dreams.
Thanks Jean! God bless!
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Inspiring post! I’m glad I found it today. Over the past few years, a lot of obstacles have hit my husband and I whenever we have actively pursued hopes. Most recently, whenever I’ve squeezed in a precious few minutes to write between work and studies, life has thrown me a curve ball. Stories like yours encourage me to stick to my lofty goals. 🙂
Allison, Don’t give up on your dreams. I have had a ton of obstacles and difficulites come my way. Hold onto that dream. If you want it to happen, it will.
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Reblogged this on Holly Michael's Writing Straight and commented:
Just over two years ago, I published this blog, one of my first blogs. Jake and I had big dreams. NFL Player and Novelist. We’ve held tight to those dreams and we made it. Jake’s an NFL Player (Please pray for him. He starts camp today). Though as dreams go, it’s not always an easy pathway. He was on a few practice squads and cut a few times before getting on the regular roster with the San Diego Chargers (#81). And me? Yes, I’m officially the author of a novel, now published. Check out my Crooked Lines Page to the left. And for a bonus, Jake and I got a contract from Harvest House to write a devotional. More updates on that later…final stages of edits now. It’s been a lot of work and we’ve come a long way and have a lot of work still to be done, but we’re pushing onward! Thanks for coming along with us on our journeys.