When I was child, my favorite Bible Story was David and Goliath. I could relate to David on so many levels and I still relate to him to this day! As a child of the 90's, VeggieTales was my thing, and my favorite one was "Dave and Giant Pickle” and my favorite scene was when Dave sang "Why can't little guys do big things to?" As a little girl needing a shot every night to help me grow, this song made me so excited!
Despite nightly shots from 7 to 14-years old, at 4"8, I am the average height for a woman with TS who has NOT been treated with growth hormone therapy. Unfortunately, this has led to some discrimination when it comes to looking and keeping a job. I must work a lot harder to sell myself to potential employers during face-to-face interviews. The last 2 jobs I was offered were phone interviews and that helped me greatly. I was literally offered the job in less than 10 minutes! I have not had the same success with face-to-face interviews. I do not why because I interview very well. It is just people do not seem willing to give me the chance. I know this is a very common problem for my sisters as this is an issue discussed at every conference.
I am learning that like David, I can't let these issues stand in my way. I must confront them and keep going despite of it. Is it frustrating? TOTALLY! Is it worth it? 100%! Like David, when I go into anything like a job interview or even meeting new people, I must suit up! I must know who I am, and God is, before going into those battles or I would just run away. One of the biggest tools in my arsenal is my words and vocabulary! I am very linguist and real wordsmith. I love words! I use this love of words to help people see me for my age. I don't come off as a show-off because this who I am, and it is natural. I do not put on a show with my words, but it helps me navigate social situations and for people to take me seriously. It levels the social playing-field.
There are all things that make us different. We all have challenges like David and just like David, God gives the tools to overcome these challenges for His glory. God has given us His word. He has given us His strength. We need to learn like just David did, how to not let past labels dictate who we are today. These can be labels we give ourselves, through a diagnosis, and other people. We need to remind ourselves daily that we are not defined by those labels. Once we define who Who's we are, and what we are, we are ready for battle!