From the desk of Margaret, who wrote this Grand Prize winner for the annual Knights of Columbus pro-life essay contest at her local high school.

“My very self you knew; my bones were not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth.” – Psalm 139:15

Some people go through life not knowing whose they are and why they are here.  Especially now with the teen suicide crisis, I pray that the young generation, in particular, may realize the miracle they are.  This is a letter to those brothers and sisters in Christ:

From all eternity God planned your existence.  You are more valuable than all created matter because you can know, love and serve God.  As St. Augustine so beautifully stated, “Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.”  You are greater and far more valuable than the thing you admire or treasure most.  Realize who you are – more breathtaking than every sunset, more astonishing than the vast galaxies of space, and more prized than the rarest gem.  You are a living, breathing, beautiful miracle and God loves you unconditionally -whether you do not know Him, are running away from Him, or hugging Him close.  God fashioned every piece of your body –  from every cell set in place to every muscle and bone aligned, you are His masterpiece.  Likewise, every person you see and pass by – at the store, on the freeway, at school – is God’s masterpiece.  Hear and believe.

It is a miracle that you are alive and to simply ponder that from all of eternity, God chose you.  God formed you in secret, sheltered in your mother’s womb.  From the very beginning, God holds your life in His hands – every moment and every step God promises to always be with you.  He has shaped your every day, planned your every encounter and every person you meet, not as coincidence, but rather this love story lived out through you.  God knows everything about you.  More than you know yourself.  You are not hidden from Him but instead personally called by Him.  Life is a gift from God.  I pray that you enjoy this gift, treasure this gift, and in return, live life for Him – this is how we truly live life to the fullest – just trust.

You are precious and unrepeatable.  God is the author of life, so He knows when it is to start and how the story ends for you – it is absolutely a good story.  St. Augustine’s words serve as a very powerful reminder of how amazing you are – God’s best creation.  Realize who you are –  made by God and for God.  God loves you, He is for you, and He marvels at you.  He has bestowed upon you the greatest possible gift – LIFE.  You and I are loved.