Hello everyone!
I hope you have been having a great week?
Today’s post is one that tugged at the strings of my heart and still do…
I wish Z, the lady who wrote it came out with her full identity but it does not matter.
What I would say though is here is a woman who has discovered her identity in Christ and she isn’t going back!
She knows she is beautiful with or without her being physically challenged and she is simply blooming like her Father wants her to do on earth.
As you read, I hope you realize that fat or slim, short or tall, long legs or short legs… all those don’t matter with God.
He loves you and calls you His master piece and the sooner you realize this truth, the sooner your blossoming begins to draw even those who despised you to the beauty in you… a beauty that our identity in Christ gives us.
Thank God for the day I realized that I am Imperfectly Perfect in Him.
Read Z’s words below and be as inspired as I was… or even more so.
I am posting unedited so you can get into her heart even as she typed this…
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Good morning. This will not be as composed and as lengthy as the first one. In fact didn’t know I will be able to send or compose this mail again until it happened again just now. Right on my bed. And I decided to put it down as you advised or said.
I was just going through my pictures when I realized again, the truth of God’s word for the second time on a particular issue.
I am wonderfully made. Beautiful in His sight. Just as He wants me.
Sincerely Frances, I won’t have it any other way. In spite of being physically challenged. Yes, physically challenged and not disabled… And I know I’m unstoppable.
I’ve come this far and I will go further.
Way back, I didn’t see myself as beautiful.
I mean I couldn’t even stand in front of a full length to look at myself because I didn’t want to be reminded of my challenge.
I didn’t want to see it.
I remember when I was in secondary school, I was hiding the challenge on my left hand with a sweatshirt.
After school I was always using a black shawl, you would never guess I have a challenge on my left hand.
I remember a teacher calling me and saying to me, my dear you are beautiful, stop hiding it. Of course I didn’t believe him then.
Fast forward to university days. It continued. Low self-esteem, self pity etc.
Friends didn’t want to go out with me. I mean some ‘friends’ will be like “I want to go on a date, I need a friend to accompany me but no one is available”.
And I’m like what is wrong with me (in my mind of course).
Then it dawned on me. They can’t go out with a physically challenged gal.
It was painful I swear.
It hurt.
But I always wore a smile.
I tried so hard not to lose that smile.
I also couldn’t snap a full length picture. I was ashamed of how I looked… didn’t want to see it, didn’t want to be reminded… talk about living in denial.
It was painful, difficult.
Growing up my mother would even say I shouldn’t come out of my room when her colleagues came visiting.
I understood.
I forgive her.
That was her own way of dealing with having a physically challenged child.
Truth be told, at all these stages of my life, I didn’t know God was taking me through a process.
I didn’t understand it.
Then it happened, a guy I was dating and had hopes of marrying came and said his family rejected me, one of the reasons being that I’m physically challenged.
Frances, I almost died.
I cried.
I mean I didn’t create myself.
So I understand what persons going this kind of challenges are really dealing with.
I understand the pain, hurt, refusal, rejection and all.
But never forget… we can do all this through Christ who strengthens us.
Always remember you are beautiful just as you are.
I also got the revelation that you are beautiful and wonderfully made in the eyes of those who are meant to stay in your life, and the wrong persons will see you as fearfully made in their sight. Let such people go. it’s their loss. Never let them get to you.
If for anything let it affect you in a positive way.
Life is too short to live in self pity and unhappiness.
Do away with all the negative vibes. Draw strength from the Word (bible). Know that you are unstoppable.
Do not let what you see now or look like now discourage you. It will only make you lose sight of who you can become or what you can achieve.
Trust me when I say you can do all things. Whatever kind of physical challenge or disability you are dealing with. You can always do all things you set to do and achieve.
For instance I work with someone else’s hands at times, because of the challenge on my left hand.
But I still achieve what I want to achieve.
I am unstoppable as far as I’m concerned.
There’s no limit to what I can know or achieve.
Even when I get weak and want to quit or give up on a lot of things.
The word hits my spirit Frances “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” … and with that I run with my vision.
I don’t let how I look get to me no more.
I’m wonderfully made, beautiful in and out. I love me Frances, I’m in love with me. Sincerely Frances I won’t have it any other way.
To those friends who were ashamed of been seen with or around me, I forgive you.
To those who have been and are still around me, I say thank you. I love you all from the depth of my heart because I sure learnt something from all of you.
Frances I don’t know if this will help someone, I just put it down as it came to my mind this morning.
Thanks
God bless you
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When I got to “sincerely Frances, I would have it no other way…”
My heart did another back flip!
Z…
Z…
Thank you for sharing this with us… I know it would inspire even many more women to find and walk in who they are in Christ Jesus.
Beautiful.
Unstoppable.
Wonderfully made.
Beautiful… just as they are.
You can please share this post via the social media buttons below.
Someone needs to read this, I am certain of that.
And if you would like to bless us with the words in you, you can send your article to me at okorofrances@gmail.com
Till Next Time On Guest Post Segment,
Love,
Frances.
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6 Comments
Sharonifeoma
February 19, 2016 at 4:38 pmAwww I feel you Lady Z! I know exactly how you feel my dear. I live with a visible permanent disability myself and truth be told, I am over it. I do not see it anymore…. I do not let it get to me. I only see what God sees and say what God only says to me. He says I am whole, beautiful, Strong, PERFECT! ………….. To everyone struggle and still on the road of self acceptance, Psalms 139:13-18 and a host of other scriptures says it all. Love yourself…… Look after yourself…… Love God because Him alone makes it all easy. Kisses
http://www.sharonifeoma.blogspot.com
Frances Okoro
February 21, 2016 at 2:31 amAwww Sharon…thanks for sharing this with us also. thank you!
Psalm 139 is a great Psalm to get God’s thoughts on how He sees us even for those who feel they are “perfect” (everyone is perfect as they are)
I’m glad at your growth into knowing who you are..so glad.
God keep you strong even as your life also inspires others.
*love*
Mobolaji
February 19, 2016 at 7:57 pmOh my! This super blessed me!
I’m just leaving a women’s submit and one of the guests is a woman with cerebral palsy. She needs someone to hold her while she walks and shakes her head frequently while she talks. But she’s a CEO!
She’s a software developer and oh so beautiful!
Guess the title of her speech, “It’s more difficult to be a leader, but it’s worth it!” (Paraphrased.)
This is someone who didn’t let anything stop her and now she’s doing better than some of the ‘abled’ people who taught she’d never amount to anything. Her name is Farida Bedwei, you can Google her name.
Z, God is for you! Therefore, no one can be against you. Thanks for encouraging us!
Plenty love!
Frances Okoro
February 21, 2016 at 2:43 amThank you, thank you for inspiring us with this B!
Unstoppable women…physical challenges or no challenges!
Woah!
I know Z’s story will be heard even on a much bigger platform someday soon in Jesus name, amen!
God’s lifting her up…
Thanks for this again B!
Tope Ogunyinka
February 21, 2016 at 2:11 pmThis is a beautiful post Z… God bless you for sharing this with us. I could relate with your words. I’m learning and would keep saying and thinking it till it sinks deep within me that no matter what people think about me… what God thinks about me is way more important. I’m not what other people say I am but what God says I am. I’m not even what I think I am (especially when I think negative thoughts about myself) but I’m what God says I am. God bless you Z. Thanks for sharing this with us Frances . Much love.
Frances Okoro
February 22, 2016 at 4:39 pmStrong truths you’ve shared here Tope!
“We are not even who we say we are.”..more especially when who we say we are is wrong and negative through and through…
God is the one who determines our identity and may our worth always stem from Him in Jesus name, amen!