Today, Becky introduces October’s blog series, “Uniquely Created.” Last month we spoke about gathering the graces. God graces us with all we need to discover our calls and be the person God uniquely created us to be. If we internalize, believe, and trust that we are in fact uniquely created, uniquely gifted, uniquely formed, and uniquely called…we can more easily move into the person God created us to be.

On several occasions recently while facilitating virtual retreats, a heightened awareness of the uniqueness of our creation rose within me so out of the blue that it welled tears in my eyes.  Each time this happened I felt as though my chest might burst open due to the intensity of experiencing God through consolation.  

One of the unexpected graces of virtual retreat ministry is seeing people’s eyes and faces up close.  

For over twenty years, I stood in front of all size crowds facilitating retreats and marveling at God’s work in people’s lives.  Through the years, the Holy Spirit has taught me how to pay attention to a room of people and to discern how the Spirit is inviting me to shift and move.   It is an art to both facilitate while watching body language and facial expressions and tending to the movements of the spirits within me.  

Virtual retreats bring people’s eyes into focus.  I can watch eyes fill with joy, sadness, hope and fear.  I notice intricate lines on people’s faces, see hair color, and skin color .  As people speak, the unique tone of their voices is heard and amplified coming across my computer.   I pause often during a virtual retreat to simply gaze at the sea of zoom squares before me.  Gratitude overwhelms me as I realize  each square represents one of God’s exquisite creations.   Each square represents a person engaging in a personal, intimate relationship with the Creator.  Somehow all at once, God tends to each person in a personal way. Gathering in this way, I feel I get a real glimpse of the Body of Christ.  

We are a unique, unrepeatable creation of God.  The magnificence of this fact takes my breath away.  God has uniquely created, formed, named, claimed, chosen and called us.  

Uniquely Created and Formed:  

Our very existence comes out of a creative act of love by God who cared deeply enough about us to form us in a unique, unrepeatable way.  There is no one, not one other person in this world, who is like you or me.  We each have unique characteristics, gifts, life circumstances, and relationships.  

Uniquely Named and Claimed: 

Yes, we are given our names by our parents and those who raise us, but we are also named and claimed by God in our relationship with God.  Many times, the Scriptures proclaim, “You will be my people, and I will be your God.” Our calls into relationship with God are personal and individual.  

Uniquely Chosen and Called : 

God chose us to be in relationship with God.  God chooses us as God’s people.  God calls us not only into relationship with God but also to use our gifts and calls in a unique way.  God sends us forth with a specific aspect of the Gospel to proclaim.  

This month’s series explores our unique unrepeatableness.   Our Into the Deep writers will offer their own reflections of their discovery of the uniqueness of their creation, their gifts, and their calls.  Throughout the month, we will be inviting you to reflect on your own creation and to discover your giftedness and call.  

To support our theme this month, please download the prayer resource, Discovering Our Gifts and Call,  that I co-wrote with one of our Into the Deep writers, Stephanie Clouatre Davis.  I invite you to bring this into your own prayer this month, as you discover your unique unrepeatable creation.  

Also, registration is now open for my next live virtual retreat on October 14th 10am-1pm Central.  The theme is Finding Rest in times of Chaos, Busyness and Uncertainty.  Hope to “see” you there!

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash.