I cannot read this psalm without thinking about the journey that my wife and I traveled in becoming parents. About the time we felt ready to start a family, my wife was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. After successfully fighting the cancer with surgery and radiation, we had difficulty getting pregnant, and ultimately turned to in vitro fertilization (IVF).

This was an emotionally and physically trying process, but our faith community and family carried us through, and Psalm 139 provided hope and inspiration. Early in the process I had a dream where the words “Lord, you have searched me and known me,” appeared to me. I knew they were in the Bible, but did not know where. Upon finding and reading the entire psalm, I had an intense feeling about the birth of our first child, and felt that all would be well. Our IVF procedure worked on the first try, and our first daughter was born!

Psalm 139 for me reflects the inherent spiritual goodness that God etches deep into us from the very beginning, and that I see in my daughter as she grows.

How might you celebrate your life as wonderfully made by God?