I am Just A Girl from South Dakota, living a life with cerebral palsy.: I am a Child of God, and He has made me perfect. And given me a twin when I don't believe it!!

"You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you." Song of Song 4:7

Must be our First birthday at Grandma Genny's daycare!!

"There is hope for me yet, because God not done with me yet!" This is lyrics from a song by Brandon Heath.

Tonight when I was at the sport center walking on the treadmill, there were about 5 high school guys in the gym with me. One of them was running on the treadmill right next to me. As I started my work-out, I thought "I wish I could run, I wish I could go fast." But I do the best I can do!

As I kept going, I found myself thinking, "I wonder what these kids think of me on this treadmill." I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, you have a limp. I made myself stop real quick, telling myself "They are kids, who cares what they think." But for some reason, I do care what people think. Not as much as I use to, but it still something I struggle with.

I think God gave me a twin sister for a reason. One of those reasons is for a mirror!! Growing up, I struggled a lot with my self image. I use to think I was so ugly. Brooke would get so mad and say "If you call yourself ugly, you are calling me ugly." I told here that wasn't true. I thought I had the ugliest body. My sisters would tell me I had great swimmer legs!! Of course I didn't believe them, b/c I had scars all over them, and had a twisted knee, and a hip that wouldn't let me walk straight. I couldn't even look in a mirror without hearing "you are so ugly."

Can you say twins!!

But thank God, He wasn't done with me yet!! When I moved to Oregon, God gave me the verse. "There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1
I was so good at condemning myself. Not only did I think I was ugly, I thought I was stupid, dumb, retreaded, as well as many others. The sad thing was I just didn't think these thoughts, I believed them. Growing up, I got teased a lot in school, and were called some of these words, so I believed them for many years. The Lord have really helped me see that these are not true.

Brook and me at Megan's wedding

With the help of Jesus and many people in my life, I have put these words and thoughts behind me. I have learned that God gave me Brooke to show me that I am beautiful! We look exactly alike!! Yes, I might not be able to straighten my hair, or put it up in a ponytail. I might not be able to walk with grace, and my leg might be croocked. But I am a Child of God, and He has made me perfect.
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous." Psalms 139:13-4

Brooke running in Japan!! I love her!!!

There is one thing I still struggle with. It has been one of my biggest struggles my whole life.
In Brandon Heath song, he writes "Still wondering why I'm here, still wrestling with my fear. Oh but He up to something. And the farther on I go, I seen enough to know that I not here for nothing." "I have to wait and see, He's not finished with me yet!"
I struggle with not being married. I have always desired and wanted a family. I have a fear that I never will get married, because I have a disability. I know that this is not true, and actually have grown a lot in it. I love this song because it reminds me that God has big plans for me, and He us not finished with me yet!! I not sure what God has in store for me, but I am loving what He is doing!