Celebrating Differences in God's Design
“Different by design”
Each Wednesday, our students gather several classes at a time in our Chapel for a time of worship together. They may take a semester-long look at the attributes of God, dive deeper into their Bible lessons from the week, or have teachers share their personal testimonies. Today, our Lower School enjoyed a chapel together with a special guest speaker who chose to share a topic close to her heart.
Miss Monica, mom of first grader, Lily, shared the book she recently published with our Lower School students. Her book, Different by Design, celebrates the differences of all people and is a way to introduce a younger audience to the conversation of disabilities through the lens of Psalm 139:13-16.
“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.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.”
With her book, Different by Design, Miss Monica illustrated God’s perfection, and how He loves and cares for everyone. She introduced devices like cochlear implants, speech tablets, and other ways friends may need help sometimes, and she graciously guided our students through a conversation about disabilities and differences in the world around them.
She engaged students by inviting them on stage to draw a piece of clothing using the same markers and paper. Despite starting with identical materials, each student's drawing turned out unique, illustrating how we are all created differently. Miss Monica further demonstrated this by inviting siblings to the front, showcasing how even within the same family, individuals can look different and possess distinct characteristics.
Through these activities, Miss Monica conveyed the message that God's love for us stems from His perfect creation of each individual. It was a gift to have her speak to our Kindergarten through Grade 5 students together today.
“It was such a privilege to share Different by Design with the kids at Christ Academy today. I want all kids to know that while accolades or accomplishments are great, their value comes from being created in God’s Image. Each one of them created in love with purpose and intention.
Seeing the kids worship together was so special and I’m grateful our family is part of the our Christ Academy community!”
