Go change the world- not your uniqueness.

You are uniquely wonderfully made.
This hurting world aches for those willing to let His love shine through our redeemed brokenness-
And through our unique and beautifully diverse differences.

"You are ugly." 

I heard that often as a child.

 "RBU," short for "Redhead Bucked-tooth Ugly," 
became my childhood nick name at school. 

Now I'm a 49 year old mom of my own 7 children-

Each uniquely designed by the Master of Creation.

 

Yesterday was "Red Head Day" and our precious oldest two- who have red hair- playfully posted this photo to instagram on behalf of kids who feel different. 

As a mom, I long for our 7 kids to be grateful for how they are each unique
 in a world that idolizes sameness.

Actually, I long for all to embrace the
beauty of diversity that weaves us into a work of His art. 

As a child, some peers were mean. Some were cruel.
In that season, I'd accepted that belief that I was ugly.
I was a white, Christian girl in a culture where Islam was the mandated religion and most had beautiful olive skin.
It often felt "normal" to be on the outside.
My coloring was different and stood out loud.
My love for Jesus was different too- dangerously different.  I knew that others had died and many were severely punished in that beloved land because they believed an illegal religion.

Yet,
because of being different, my eyes were refocused-
I still recall those healing words:

"Stop seeking Love. Because you are already loved beyond measure by the One who gave all for you, 
instead, 

seek to give love."

These words changed my life!

I do not need human approval. 

Neither do you. 

His love for you

AS you ARE

is perfect-

Therefore,

we are free to

seek opportunities to give this love away-
with no strings attached. 

Seek to give His love to others in a hurting world.
With His love of you as you are, let Him turn your pain into purpose and then

Rock your differences- all of them- no matter the shade, shape or design or challenge or scar you have been gifted with. 

Don't fall for shame or fear or striving to please people- not peers, not professors, not pastors, not the public, not even parents. 

Don't compare.  

Instead, 

look up and know you are
Loved beyond your capacity by the One who designed your unique DNA.   

Through awareness of His LOVE for you,
 you will come to understand that different is an incredible gift.  

Don't miss out on the unimaginable gift wrapped inside your differences.  

Don't miss out because of what you think others want you to be.  

Rock who you really are.  

 

(Mohale's first trick-or-treat- they had a blast)

You are God's beloved gift. 

There's someone out there with a hurting, cast-off, heart who needs you to be different. 

 Go change the world- not your differences. 
Rock your differences.  They are beautiful in His hands. 

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:13-14, 17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

And because you are so deeply, perfectly loved as you are,

YOU can be real,

broken,

and unafraid.

Let's take our unique gifts and run towards Him- the One

who runs towards the hurting.

Because we are so loved, we can now give His love away...

And I've got to say,
fear not a broken heart.

We can walk after Him into places where others suffer...

We can be willing to walk into places where our hearts will hurt because of the suffering of vulnerable others.  

BROKENNESS, IN HIS HANDS, IS A GIFT!

It is only through our cracks, that HIS hope shines out for desperate others-  

Light cannot shine out of unbroken vessels.

You are radiant when His radiance is pouring through those cracks-

shining hope into the hearts of hurting others.

Dare to walk after the One Who walks into the places where hearts are broken.
He will be close.