You were fearfully and wonderfully made for a purpose

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

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Shortly after graduating from college I made a commitment to a 2-year discipleship group called Navigators 2:7 where I had a chance to be encouraged in my faith as I memorized scripture and held myself accountable to 6 other men and to God. One session we studied the topic of spiritual gifts.


Everyone completed a spiritual gifts inventory- out of all the guys in the group I was the only one who's gift was the gift of mercy. Others had more prestigious gifts like administration. When I shared my gift of mercy I could feel the patronizing comments from the others as though some felt sorry I had this gift.


I remember having a conversation with a work colleague and graduate school friend when I said to him that I wished I didn't wear my emotions on my sleeves. His words of encouragement were, "you were given those gifts for a reason and never wish you were anything different." That was life changing for me and made me realize that just as the verse from Psalms says, " I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;"


As I engage people in conversation I'm struck by so many who wished they were not made the way God made them. They look in the mirror and wondered, "Is this the best you can do God?" The reality is that when God made you, he made a unique set of genetic footprints and gave you unique DNA unlike anyone else. Just as there are no two snowflakes the same, there is not another person like you-you are uniquely and wonderfully made!


No matter what pain you have encountered in life, God has a plan for you. No matter what trauma you've experienced in life, God wants to use you to help others just now going through their own trauma.


This Easter season, we celebrate the risen Christ- He is not dead, but very much alive and living in those who invite Christ into their heart. I encourage you to watch the above clip because I believe you will be astonished by the evidence that Jesus Christ exists.


He is alive!