Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak at a luncheon and share some of my life's experiences with a group of graduating seniors. These weren't just any seniors. They have a special attribute which ties me ever closer to their hearts. They are foster teens now facing the reality of transitioning out of foster care and entering into the uncertainty and responsibility of independent living. They have had their fill of challenges and hardships already in their young lives. Some may never have known a stable family life, with someone constantly reaffirming their worth and their potential. But there is a simple truth that once uttered can never be silenced. No one is devoid of purpose. No one is exempt from promise. Our culture of defeatism and excuses tries to erode the very foundation that all of us are placed upon. A foundation rooted in a simple Biblical principle, that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made.
I am a child born of rape. But that makes me no less a purposed person than the next. Though many in our society claim that children born of my circumstances will be unwanted and unloved and would be better off not facing such a cruel world, the truth is the exact opposite. The world needs people like me, like these teens who can show the world that though we faced seemingly
insurmountable odds, we are children of purpose. We survive. We strive. And we can achieve great things. The last few words I left with these teens were that there is nothing that can keep you from your dreams. Discouragement is all around, but we choose how long we wade in those shallow pools. We are filled with hope because we know that we have a destiny calling for us to follow upon a path uncertain with a promise so certain. Each one of us is what the next person could never be. How beautiful is that?
And knowing that truth gives us a future.
Ryan Scott Bomberger is a media professional serving as a Creative Director in Atlanta, GA.
© 2005 Ryan Scott Bomberger. For more information, visit: http://www.thisisryan.com
