On my kitchen counter, I found a cash register receipt that said, “Present this receipt with your next $20 purchase and receive a $5 discount. Good for two weeks. I checked the date – one day past the two weeks. Worthless, I thought, and threw it in the garbage.

That same day, my daily reading had carried the message, “You can never lose your value as God’s precious child.” Truth, I thought but difficult to believe. Some days I get busy and forget to return a friend’s call. or I discover I’m double-booked – I’m committed to being in two different places at the same time. On those days, it’s easy to say, “Worthless, I’ve done it again God. Are you going to give up on me this time? Guess I’m ready for the garbage.”

On the days when I wake up with my back hurting and arthritis complaining, I wonder, “Am I out of date yet, Lord? Maybe now it’s time to put me out to pasture.”

Those are often the days when I receive a positive comment on my blog, or someone buys a book, or thanks me for listening to them. God is actually very good at reminding me that I am a precious child, and my life has meaning. One of my favorite scripture passages is Isaiah 43:1-5. “I have called you by name. You are mine…you are precious in my sight and I love you.”

I suggest you pick up a Bible, find this passage, read it aloud, substituting your name for the pronoun you. Every time you have doubts, read it again. You might even want to learn it by heart, so that you can remind yourself regularly that you are precious, a precious child of God. Nothing you can do, say, or experience will change your status. Live with confidence in God’s love for you. It will never be out of date.