You truly are special, but do you believe it? When you looked in
the mirror this morning, did you notice a new wrinkle and dark
circles under your eyes or did you say aloud, "WOW! I am
beautiful!" If you are anything like me, you probably groaned and
went to work to make yourself a little more "presentable": curling
your hair, applying makeup and vowing to start your diet today.
Sometimes it's easier to tell a friend,you are special," than to
say it to ourselves. But God wants us to see us the way He see
us-as the most beautiful creation He made!
"You are precious in My eyes and honored, and I.. . love you,"
declares the Lord! (Isaiah 43:4)
Say aloud: "I am special." Say it again with an exclamation point!

1. I am created in God's image.
There are no two people exactly like me.
God created all things, and all things were very good including
YOU. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, knitted by hand by the
Master Creator himself! Delight in His masterpiece!

2. God loves ME.
Of course you know that! But do you sometimes feel that or wonder
if God really has you personally in mind? After all, He has created
more than several billion people through the centuries. Could He
possibly love little me with all my faults and sins? Feast on God's
Word when you wonder if God really loves you. He'll tell you over
and over again how much. Recently, I noticed something new as I
read I John 3:1: How great is the love the Father has lavished on
us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we
are! What I noticed for the first time were the exclamation points!
This is something that John wanted to shout from the rooftops! God
loves us so much because we are His own dear children! He knows ME.
He loves ME! He knows I'm not perfect,that I sin and fall short of
His expectations, but He loved me so much He sent His own dear Son
to this world to show me just how much! Think of the familiar John
3:16 verse: For God so loved the world... Replace "the world"that
big, abstract thing with your own name. God so loved ME. Claim His
love for you today. Look up and read out a favorite Bible verse
that speaks directly to your heart, reminding you of God's great
love for you. Here are some of my favorites:
Jeremiah 31:3, 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 46:1,
Jeremiah 15:16, John 14:27, Romans 8:28.
Write out several others and place His loving promises all around
you: tape them to your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator door,
your computer screen at work. Remind yourself daily that God loves
you and rejoice!

3. You count! You are talented! You are average!
Now that you are reminded that God created you, that He loves you,
do you know that you have special gifts? You may think you're
average when you compare yourself to others who sing better, lead
with more confidence or socialize effortlessly with everyone.
Should we not compare ourselves with others? Well, no and yes. No,
if we are putting ourselves below others in a way that makes us
feel like we got "short-changed" when God was passing out talents.
We may sometimes wish God had given us naturally curly hair or
singing talents like Sally in our church choir who seems to be just
perfect. But be careful. Paul warns us not to allow our differences
to divide the church, to compare ourselves with each other in a way
that exalts too high or diminishes too low one another's unique
appointments in God's kingdom (I Corinthians 12:12-31). God has
given each of us our own unique set of gifts to expand His
kingdom.If we put ourselves or others down,we are putting down the
very thing God created and sees as beautiful and purposeful. If we
give glory to our-selves, we display sinful pride. When we
recognize our talents and appreciate those gifts as coming from God
rather than our own merit, with confidence we can rejoice. When is
it ok to compare ourselves to others? When we can look at another
person's gifts with praise to God. For example, we can say,"Praise
God that He gifted Sally with a beautiful voice. Her music lifts my
soul!" When we rejoice with each other, rather than compare what we
have or don't have that others do, we can have so much fun
spreading God's love to others! That's what unity in one body
means.

4.You are joyful!
When you look at all God has done for you and all He's given
you,can you help but smile? Sometimes, it's hard to feel the joy we
know we should have. I have always loved the song, "A Few of My
Favorite Things," from the musical, "Sound of Music." When I'm
feeling sad,remembering a few of my favorite things can make all
the difference. I have a Thanks Giving Jar on my kitchen table
where I write out blessings as I receive them from the Lord. Every
now and then, I pull out some of the slips to remind me to laugh
and give praise.

5. I can be all I can be!
Even after an inventory of all our gifts and blessings, we still
can't ignore those things in our lives that need improvement. Do
you know the Serenity Prayer?
"God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference."
Recognizing our faults and shortcomings is just as important as
recognizing our gifts. But rather than allow those things to
defeat or discourage us, turn them into positives. Either
accept them, or change them and move on. If you really want to
change a habit, rather than throw up your arms and say,
"I can never change,"tell yourself that you can.

6. I am my own friend!
If you're single, you've learned this one well. You know that if
you want to be happy, you have to do it yourself. Sure, it would be
nice to have someone to come home to and eat dinner with, but
rather than cry in your soup, you either make a new recipe or call a
friend. If l have learned anything about being single, I have
learned to be my own friend and to buy my own yellow roses. That
doesn't mean I don't need or want to be around other people.Rather,
it means, learning to enjoy my time alone and be content with God.
Even in our busy families, wives need to learn to be.

7. I am a blessing to others!
When we help others, we often help ourselves, too. I am a
gift-giver. I have more fun sometimes choosing the perfect gift for
someone and watching them open it than I do receiving gifts. When
those gifts are appreciated and have made a difference to that
person,I am elated. Gifts do not have to be purchased. Kind
words,compliments, an offer to baby sit, a meal delivered to a
grieving family, a letter, a phone call, a personal visit, a
prayer, a hug are all gifts that not only bless the person we love,
but also boomerang right back to us. Can you recall a time when you
were filled with new joy after receiving an unexpected "gift" from
a friend at just the right time? Give someone you know that gift.

8. Personal Prayer
As you take the time to love yourself and rejoice with God for
making you the wonderful person that you are, remember to include
God in each step of the process with faithful prayer and
petitions.Ask God to forgive your sinful pride, for the times
you've put yourself down unfairly or thought of yourself too
highly. Ask Him to show you how to see yourself the way He sees
you, to learn to be humble while appreciating the glorious gifts of
His creation. Ask Him to help you in your personal struggles of
self-worth and ask Him to help you help others.

And finally, praise Him with exclamation points!
You are a child of God! A member of His royal Kingdom! You really are special!

Taken from The Lutheran Woman's Quarterly