Recently my daughter sent me a picture of my granddaughter curled up on the couch under a blanket watching television. She commented, “I left a Hallmark movie playing and walked out of the room; when I looked over there, this is how I found Andie.” Andie is four.

We call Andie her mama’s “mini-me” for a lot of reasons, and like her mama, she’s always loved TV. Of course, kids in every succeeding generation spend more time on technology than their parents did; it’s inevitable, and parents have to work hard to balance it. Our kids do a great job of this. The idea of Andie watching a Hallmark movie was “cute” for the moment because it was unusual. But it also highlighted something I’m concerned about for the present generation and especially my grandchildren’s generation, as even Hallmark can’t be trusted anymore. If you’re watching this season, you’ve seen the turn toward an obvious liberal agenda.

What are we going to tell our children and grandchildren about the wrong messages that are being poured into their hearts and minds about gender and sexuality? How will we answer their questions when they see two women kissing on TV, or are confused by the “woman” they see at the store who obviously isn’t?

Pondering this brought to mind today’s gift: We are uniquely created by God.

I believe the world has forgotten this gift. God says He created two genders of human beings – male and female – and He made them in His own image, according to the likeness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:26-27). Notice it says “Let US make man in OUR image.” While sin marred this image and “disconnected us” from our Creator, it did not destroy God’s purposeful and unique creation. We are still uniquely, individually created – body, soul, and spirit – made to reflect the Creator’s image.

Psalm 139:13-18 – For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

Let me be clear that I do not hate others who choose a lifestyle that I believe is sinful according to God’s Word. Jesus’ lesson in His interaction with the woman caught in adultery was clear. “He is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” If we’re going to hate those who sin, we’ll have to start with ourselves. My point is, how many young people choose to go down a road that is not God’s plan for their lives because they’ve forgotten that God gave them the gift of being His unique creation?

When a child begins to question who he is and how he was made, what if we told him He was uniquely created for a special purpose by the One who created the whole world? What if we made it clear to her that God knit her together in her mother’s womb? What if we assured them, based on God’s own Word, that there were no mistakes, no confusion?

What if instead of defining who or what a child was to become by their abilities or appearance or what they liked, or what culture says they are or ought to be … what if we taught them how to pursue a relationship with their Creator, and let Him direct their steps as He reveals the purpose for which He created them? What if we stopped talking so much about how our children feel and instead feed them on the solid truth of what God says about them?

We are uniquely created. God knit us together in our mother’s wombs for His purposes. He designed our minds, our physical bodies, our very DNA for one purpose – to know Him and bring Him glory. He did not – would not – create people for a purpose that He clearly tells us is sinful or immoral.

Do you know that you are uniquely created by God? It is a gift He gave you at the moment you were conceived, and He is still working to create His image in you. This is the message – the gift – that I want my grandchildren to enjoy. May you also open this gift and enjoy who God made you to be.