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“You are the light of the world-

-like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”

Matthew 5:14 NLT

 Jesus tells us- “we”- as His children- are to be LIGHT in this dark world. He is the perfect light & He lights our spirit so we may shine for Him.  It’s not about physical beauty or perfection.  It’s about His Spirit igniting our Spirit so we can dispel  darkness with His presence.

I see the joy and blessing of God every time I look in her face.

Sadly, this was not always true. When Bethy was born almost 13 years ago, I had conflicting emotions.

Foremost, I loved this little bundle God had gifted us with, but I wrestled with grief that she had come “broken”. 

I would look at her & wonder- “You’re so beautiful- but just how broken are you? What will your future hold? What if I don’t have what it takes to be a great mommy to you?”

I know there’s people that say that people with downs syndrome are “perfect just they way they are” and I get that.

But let’s face the facts- to say I wouldn’t change anything about her? That extra chromosome does some nasty damage and I’d be lying to say I’m not bouncing up & down with joy that one day she’ll get a new body- perfect and whole.

But what I wouldn’t change?

I would not trade the gift of Bethany- down syndrome and all- in this life journey- ever- period.

When I was expecting a child, THE question seemed to be, “Do you want a boy or a girl?”

My answer was always, “I don’t care as long as they’re healthy.” (never dreaming it wouldn’t be so.)

 [Tweet “We’re all born with broken DNA- only God can undo that damage. #death #hope #Brokenness”]

Even the most brilliant- beautiful- gifted person has damaged DNA.

And the only answer for us ALL – is redemption by our Creator!

Our spirit is being renewed and our body will be exchanged! STOP! Read that truth again!  Do you get that- I mean down in your soul understand that life will not be this way forever???

Our bodies may be damaged, sick, punished, disabled, worn down, worn out, and age- but we are more than our bodies! II Cor. 5:1-5 tells us- as children of God- our outer man is perishing but our inner man is being renewed!

[Tweet “One day- our perishing, degenerating body will be exchanged for a imperishable body! #life #hope”]

We have to stop being afraid of brokenness.

We have to stop wanting to orchestrate our life to perfection.

So what, if our child isn’t born perfect? 

We can’t maintain perfect anyway.

Because perfect isn’t here yet- He is coming and will make all things glorious- but He hasn’t ended the suffering of the fall of man- yet!

[Tweet “Even a #broken candle can shine when lit by the Spirit of God! #light”]

We do strange things when we’re afraid of people who seem more broken than us.

We avert our eyes- trying to avoid acknowledging their existence. 

I’ve seen people turn the other way, ignore the person with a disability, or even worse is the bully. Weakness seems to ignite an unexplainable hatred and meanness in some people. 

Why people ever tolerate a bully is beyond my understanding. And yet sometimes, those bullies come in white coats and scientific data. When prenatal testing reveals a child happens to have an extra chromosome, 95% of parents are pushed & compelled to get rid of the “damaged mistake” through abortion.

  [Tweet “In God’s eyes- not one person is a mistake! #GodsLove “]

He is the Author of life and He has a plan to bring wholeness to the most broken of us!

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So instead of being embarrassed by brokenness-

there should be rejoicing! We’re all broken but the promise is wholeness.

I’m as broken as Bethany- and yet I see the glory of God shining through our cracks! Because here’s the thing- the more broken you are- the more His light can shine through you!

[Tweet “Light shines more brightly through a broken vessel! #SHINE #light”]

5 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. ² We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. ³ For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.^{[a] 4} While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. ⁵ God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

Hide it under a bushel NO

Won’t let satan blow it out!

Let it shine til Jesus comes!

Proverbs 20:27 tells us the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord