We celebrated the life of one of our children.  And we gathered a group of her sweet friends to celebrate with us.
I wanted to celebrate each of their lives.  I wanted to speak truth over every single one of them.  So we decided on a Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Art Party.
My little lady loved the idea.

I read Psalm 139 with this group of girls:

O Lord you have searched me and known me

I look around the room as I read:

Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.

There is a hush; they are captivated as they take in this truth:

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.

We breathe.
This is truth.  This is beautiful truth.  Every time I read this Psalm, my heart leaps within me.  My hands tremble at the majesty and beauty and amazing reality of what I am reading.  I need to dance!
I look into their eyes.  My own girls’ eyes.  Their friends.  These earnest hearts.  Father God created you!  You are image bearers, dear ones.  The One who created the universe and everything in it, created you.  And His works are wonderful; oh, they are so wonderful.  You, dear ones, are full of wonder!   You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  And you are an image bearer, created in the image of the Most. High. God!

My hands tremble again.  I want to scoop each girl up, hold each one close and whisper truth to them.  I want to reassure their future hearts; hearts that are now believing but one day might doubt and forget…and I sometimes want to freeze time, if I could…

These precious souls who are growing up, the years, passing by so fast…my heart wants to shield them from every twisted lie in the world, from every scrutiny, every perversion, every objectifying comment, every instance that will cause them to in any way question that they are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made…I want to shield them from it all.   And I know I can’t and I know that’s not what I am called to do.  My call is to prepare them well and help launch them into this world, strong, shining bright…

You are fearfully and wonderfully made, I whisper it over them.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made, I shout it over them!   You are fearfully and wonderfully made, I pray it over them.

Remember! Oh, please, remember!
Father-God will help you remember

Father-God, please help us remember

Oh you daughters, sisters, artists, scientists, dancers, actresses, writers, dreamers, athletes, poets, and more… you brave risk takers: you are image bearers.

And you will change the world.

Tags: Art Party, daughters, Father-God, fearfully and wonderfully made, image bearer, parenting, Psalm 139, Truth, wonderful are your works