Have you ever seen photographs of individual grains of sand under a microscope? You would never know you were looking at sand unless someone told you.  Some grains look like bright colored stones and others look like delicate icicles. Some look like tiny corncobs, snowflakes, and precious gems. Some grains are square, others are round and some are flat.  No two grains are the same.

My family and I took a vacation to Hilton Head last week. I’m always amazed at God’s creation when I’m at the beach. Walking along the shore I was thinking about sand and how mind-blowing it is that God artistically fashioned even the tiniest pieces of earthy we can only see closely under magnification. The most recent calculation of how many grains of sand there are on the earth is (very roughly) seven quintillion, five hundred quadrillion grains. It’s proof He cares about even the tiniest of details.

Each one of us is unique in appearance, personality and experiences. We are wired with different feelings and preferences that are ours alone. Too often, we try to model ourselves after another person. Whether the object of our admiration is a friend, co-worker, celebrity or someone at church. We lose ourselves in trying to be like them.

The Lord fashioned each grain of sand a specific way for a reason. Likewise, He made you the way you are with unique gifts and talents for a purpose as well. He desires to use your story for His glory. His word says before He knew you before you were born, actually before you were even formed. (Jeremiah 1:5) That means you were on His mind and planned a long time ago! When you lean into Him, you can discover why you have the characteristics you have, what He has planned for your life and how He wants to use you.

The beach is a beautiful place but you are far more beautiful to Him than the most stunning coast. Psalm 139:14 says, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” He wants you to see yourself like He sees you…His precious child that is His masterpiece, created to serve Him. (Ephesians 2:10) BeYOUtiful!

-April Sather, 88.3 WAFJ Morning Show

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesian 2:10