This 1 Beautiful Truth will Transform Your Perspective
My dad lost 40 pounds the year I was born. He was young, so young. He’d fled his home country to America to find freedom – leaving behind his parents and all he knew. He met my mom, and they exchanged vows. Two year later, I arrived with unexpected challenges. My hip never fully developed. My right limb was deformed with two missing bones and a disfigured foot that was quickly amputated. I would walk, but with a prosthetic limb.
I always knew that I was different, but I never questioned why. Thankfully, my disposition is decidedly sanguine. Through most of my childhood, I limped along with a smile on my face and was unaffected by what my doctor’s called a congenital birth defect.
At age 12, God’s mercy reached down and scooped me up into His arms. I heard the Gospel – that Jesus loved me, chose me, cherished me, died for me, and had a purpose for my life. I asked Jesus to forgive my sin and become the Lord of my life. Just as I was reaching the difficult teenage years, full of angst about identify and appearance, God revealed Himself to me and filled me with His peace.
I will never forget the first time I read Psalm 139. I just knew that this psalm was written just for me. My birth was not an accident filled with defect at all. You see, God saw me – my unformed body in my mother’s womb. I am His workmanship — fearfully and wonderfully made. My ESV Study Bible explains this so beautifully: I am fearfully “set apart”…God “set His love upon” me at the moment I was conceived. Every molecule in my body was designed purposefully so that His glory might be displayed in and through me.
I am wonder fully made. And so are you, my friend.
I pray that today you may know that you are a beautiful creation. You are the very image of our omnipotent God. He makes no mistakes. He redeems every moment of your life. He has designed you purposefully.
Let this 1 beautiful truth transform your perspective: You are wonder fully made.
This week a good friend and mentor told me I need to let my little light shine & let you know “Hey, I am a limper.” I don’t just walk with a limp, but I live with one in my heart. Life is so hard sometimes, and on days when I am finding it hard to take one more step of faith, this sweet promise reminds me God doesn’t need me to be fabulous & perfect. I just need to be faithful. He is at work as I limp forward one step at a time. So I have added a new heading on my blog. Head on over here and read more about my limp — If you feel crippled by your circumstances, I hope it will encourage you to keep trying to walk. God sees you, and He is fighting for you.
I want to let you know that God never wastes our suffering. He has a grander purpose for your pain. Right now, He is at work in your life in ways you cannot see. If you choose to keep limping forward, you will discover His all-sufficient grace will strengthen you step by step as you inch forward in faith.
Never forget this: The God of wonder has uniquely designed you to reveal His wonder.
I’ve created a one-page printable with Scriptures to help you remember you are wonder fully made. Download a copy and read through these sweet promises every morning to help you keep limping forward in faith. Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library.
I’ve always loved the image of the butterfly. I am reminded that daily, as I walk with God, He is transforming my life. Right now, you may be in a dark cocoon, but one glorious day, you will break free of this fleshly shell and fly.
Choose today to spread your wings and fly for Him. You may be limping along, but His glory is revealed through you.
“This 1 Beautiful Truth Will Transform Your Perspective” is an updated version of a post that originally appeared at Missional Women.
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Thank you so much for sharing this testimony, Lyli. Blessings to you.
Thank you, Lyli, for leaning in to the identity God assigned.
I noticed the new heading first thing, and I’m happy to read about its origin.
Blessings to you!
Lyli, thank you for sharing so personally and honestly. I am praying that others who feel like their physical appearance is challenging will find your post and know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. Looking forward to meeting you at She Speaks!
Lyli, your vulnerability is beautiful. His strength is perfected in our weakness and it’s clear your testimony is changing hearts. Blessings, Tammy
Amen to this beautiful truth! You are wonder fully made! Blessings to you, Lyli.
Sweet Lyli! I just had a chance to click over and see your vlog about your limp. Such an inspiration you are to us all! God bless you for encouraging my heart.
I noticed the new heading and was intrigued; I’ll be reading. I too was meditating on Psalm 139 and because God’s word is alive I took away a different transformative truth.
Thank you for using your story to encourage others. It is beautiful. And so needed. laurensparks.net
Lyli, I thank God you are willing to share your beautiful story. You constantly remind me I am loved, just as I am, by God. And He will faithfully transform me into the woman He created me to be when I faithfully follow Him, limp and all.
My mother married young and had me just a few days short of her 18th birthday. They should have done a C Section, but let her suffer three days and I was laying crooked in the womb and had to be taken with forceps. My back wasn’t straight and one leg is shorter. I have always walked right on, knowing He was the healer. I do believe there are somethings only He can heal and maybe doctors have not been able to because He wants too. Walking by faith, he will gives us beauty for ashes, I pray for all who suffer, He is our hope.
Lyli – Don’t you just love how God places trusted truth tellers in our lives that love us and help mentor us along the way. Thank you for sharing your story and I am clicking over to check out your newly added section. Blessings to you and thanks for the linkup today!
I noticed “My Limp” in the heading, and thought, “I don’t remember seeing that before.” Now I know why. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your story and God’s grace.
“Every molecule in my body was designed purposefully so that His glory might be displayed in and through me.” God’s purpose – God’s plan – God’s glory. What a moving testimony! Thanks for sharing it, Lyli! Blessings.
thanks so much for sharing your story – we would never know! I’m a limper – or maybe more of a tripper – I trip up on so many earthly things that are just not necessary. Right now i’m going to limp and trip over to the grocery stores and see what God has in store – I do love to see how He brings opps to show others love and kindness even while shopping at 5 o’clock!. Blessings my friend.s
The hardships you’ve faced in life have resulted not in making you a bitter, hard person, but one who is filled with compassion and such an encouragement to all of us.
Lyli, thanks so much for trusting us with your testimony. It’s very powerful and I know God will use it over and over. You are an inspiration because we all have “limps” and need to be reminded that He created us just the way we are. Blessings!
Hi, Laurel (Franz of Heaven and Earth blog) led me here! And I’m so glad. I love your heart for Jesus! And you write for Proverbs 31? Do you know Denise Heidel? She’s a friend of mine. Anyway, small world… and great how we can meet one another through the blogging community. God bless you big time! <3 <3