Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

What comes to your mind when you think of "special needs?"  Do you feel sorry for those with special needs?  Do you avoid eye contact with someone in a wheelchair?  Do you pity the parent of an autistic child who is struggling in the department store?  Are you overwhelmed at the sight of someone with Cerebral Palsy?  Do you think God made a mistake when a child is born with Downs Syndrome?  Do you pity the soldier who lost a limb serving our country?

What do you think God thinks of special needs?  Well, I happen to know the answer to that question after an adoption friend pointed it out to me (thanks Annie, for sharing what you found in the Bible!).  And it has flooded books I've been recently too, so I want to share this with you.

John 9:2-3

His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, 

this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

"Neither this man or his parents sinned," said Jesus, 

"but this happened so that the work of God 

might be displayed in his life."

This is how God sees those with special needs - a chance for Him to shine through their lives!

I'm so thankful for this verse!  I hope you don't feel sorry for my daughter, or your neighbor, or the guy wheeling down the sidewalk in his chair or the developmentally delayed gal bagging your groceries.  They are not broken.  They are not imperfect.  God created them just they way they are.   They are fearfully and wonderfully made so that God may work through them wherever they may go!

I can't wait to see how God uses our Quiet Tiger!  For more info on L's hands, here is a great website a friend posted (her son has a very similar hand).

10 fingers are overrated!

Could this hand be any cuter?  I love her little "fingers."
And when she waves this little hand "hello or goodbye" my heart just absolutely melts.