Jeremiah was told that before God formed him in his mother’s body, God chose him, that before he was born, God set him apart to serve God. (Jer 1:5) I believe I was set apart also.

Have you ever considered the possibility of never having the chance to live the life you were blessed with? I’ve reflected on this possibility multiple times. Knowing there was a chance of not being alive in this world is daunting.

People take life for granted daily. Our society puts a major emphasis on money, power and status. From my perspective, I’m amazed by the gifts that God has provided for us. The sun’s radiant colors, the earth’s beautiful landscape, or the diversity of individuals fortunate enough to be born and experience these gifts.

Although I was always wanted and wished for, my parents would never receive the joy of having a child to call their own. My mom and dad tried everything, but it was becoming unhealthy for my mom. It was also pulling them further away from God. They would ask God every day why they couldn’t have a son or daughter of their own? That’s all they wanted.

God knew their purpose in life; he wanted them to adopt a child, and help that child see and be who he made them to be. From there, they decided to turn their focus to adopting someone who needed a miracle as much as they needed one, too. My parents fought hard to have me, but they always say I was worth it. Knowing what they went through, makes me feel important. I wasn’t something ordinary that just happened. I was something they worked hard for.

I was adopted by the most loving and amazing family. They didn’t care that I wasn’t their biological child. They only cared that I was “their” child who they loved unconditionally.

From a young age, I often wondered why I didn’t look like my parents. I am interracial and both of my parents are white. To me, that is completely normal. People would ask questions as to why I have dark skin and curly hair. They would judge my mom on why she has a darker child and give her dirty looks.

Instead of letting that discourage them, they learned how to take care of my skin and my hair. They ignored the way people would stare. Instead, my mom would look at other girls and see that they had braids and beads in their hair. Their curly hair was so perfect and pretty. She felt like she wasn’t doing enough. She bought beads and asked her friends about products to put in my hair. I would tell her, “Mom, I don’t want those beads in my hair.”

When I was young, all I wanted was to look like my parents. I hated my curly hair and would beg them every day to straighten it. Every time my parents would tell me how beautiful I was and how they wanted to look like me someday. As I got older, strangers would tell me how I look like my parents. I would say, “But mom, I don’t look like you.” She would tell me to just smile, and then we would move on with our day. As our day went on, I still couldn’t comprehend how I could look like them?

People still say that I look like my parents. I just smile and say thank you. I may not resemble them on the outside, but everyone is made in God’s image, and I look just like them on the inside.

I am now 13 years old, becoming a strong and confident young adult. With their love and guidance, I’ve learned to love myself for who I am. My mom and dad have taught me that my purpose is to show people that we are all extraordinarily important in our own way.

The Catechism states, “The covenant between God and mankind is interwoven with reminders of God’s gifts of human life.” (CCC 2260) What I have gone through is a blessing that I will not take for granted, no matter what we look like on the outside, because I am a witness to God’s love. My hope is that I can be a reminder, too, by sharing my story, spreading the Gospel and not judging people on what they look like.

Kyndall May Ruebusch is an eighth-grade student at St. Anthony School, Taylor Mill, Ky. This is her first-place essay in this year’s Diocesan Pro-Life Essay Contest.

Ryan Bennett, Villa Madonna Academy

Walking down the long hallway leading to the turf field ahead, I saw children; some young, old, unable to speak, and in wheelchairs. Sitting with their parents-water in one hand, soccer ball in another- the children waited eagerly to play soccer. I don’t know how this will go…What if they don’t have fun with me? I wondered. Volunteering at All Ability Sports started off as a way to get service hours, but in the end, taught me a valuable lesson I will never forget. I am a witness to God’s love by learning to see the gifts of the Holy Spirit in all people, regardless of their physical or mental disabilities.

The organization All Ability Sports brings children with special needs from across the area and gives them the chance to play soccer. Playing soccer myself, I thought I could easily get my service hours done. To my surprise, these interactions deepened my understanding of God’s presence in every person. My partner (we’ll call her Rose) walked into the building excited to play soccer but had trouble focusing on the drills. Every time Rose got the ball; she would take off running in all directions and wouldn’t stop! While I loved her passion throughout the sport, I found it confusing running her through drills. Not only that it proved hard to keep her focused, but I also wondered how Rose kept so much joy inside her. Rose’s life presented struggles and burdens, but instead of letting that hold her down, Rose allowed herself to embrace what she loved to play: soccer. The courage Rose showed reminds me of Scripture, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Watching Rose play soccer gave me a clear example of what this Bible verse meant. When Rose could have let fear allow her to quit, Rose showed fortitude. From Rose, I realized that even though struggles may keep her down, she never seemed sad or negative about them-only positivity. The huge amount of fortitude a younger child could show in the face of adversity helped me learn that every problem you encounter should be tackled head on and with positivity and confidence, because the Lord guides you throughout the whole time.

Many of the parents at All Ability Sports display counsel and sacrificial love. Despite the parents facing so many obstacles raising their children, they provide unwavering support for their children. Everyday, parents care for their children, dedicate time, and worry endlessly about how their child’s life will end up. Referring to the Catechism of the Catholic Church “To love is to will the good of another.” The parents could have abandoned or aborted their child when receiving news that their child will have a disability. Instead, parents saw the beauty of God’s creation and meaningful life their child has. The parents decided that to love their child, they must give them the best they can offer. To do this, the parents displayed counsel and used their lives to show their children agape love. Doing this helped their children see God’s love in person.

At All Ability Sports, a dad –“William”- provided a clear example of what agape love should look like. When I trained his son, William asked if he could help teach his son how to shoot a soccer ball. After saying yes, I watched the dad put so much effort into helping him. William never checked his phone, took a break, or gave up. The children’s laughter and celebrations showed that the bond between father and son proved strong.

From volunteering at All Ability Sports, I’ve learned that everyone has the ability to show the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their own unique ways. Rose displayed fortitude by showing courage when playing soccer instead of cowering away. The parents of those disabled children showed counsel by not giving up their children when they saw their burdens. Instead, they reminded themselves that their children, children of God, should be prioritized and respected above all. While society focuses on the large aspects of maintaining the dignity of human life, we must also realize that the dignity of human life is prioritizing and respecting life through everyday actions.