Wonderfully Made

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. 

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, I may be in a dark cocoon, but one glorious day, I 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. 

You are wonder fully made.   

About Lyli

Lyli Dunbar loves teaching.  For 17 years, she mentored teenagers in the Christian school setting, and now she has serves as Associate Director of Curriculum at Trinity International University Florida. Lyli married her Prince Charming in her 40’s and has a heart for encouraging young couples and singles in God’s waiting room.  She enjoys road trips with her husband, connecting with women through Bible study, and reading way too many books. Lyli writes about life lessons and faith on herpersonal blog. You may also connect with her on Facebook,Twitter, and Pinterest.

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