I used to be embarrassed and ashamed about my disability. I did not like to talk to people about it at all. I wasn't interested in learning about my disability 22q Deletion Syndrome either. With my friends and people I met, I didn't want them to know about it and I never brought it up in a conversation. My Mom always tried to convince me to go to this 22q conference to meet others with 22q and I would always say " no" I didn't want too. But now, things have changed and I have a passion about it. I feel God has changed a lot in my heart about disabilities. I'm not embarrassed at all about talking about it or hiding it from others anymore, in fact I love talking about it and sharing it now. It's a big part of who I am and evidently there is nothing I or you can do to change about it, this is how God created me and I am to learn to love myself. Just as all of you who have disabilities. God created you in His very own image and likeness; Genesis 1:27 "So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" So this verse is saying you were made in the very image of God, so there is no reason to dislike yourself or be ashamed of who you are and how God created you to be. I know it can be hard and you can feel like you are far from loving yourself. The thing is, you can learn to love yourself. Just the way you are. Because each one of you who is reading this are beautifully created. Though you may have some flaws and things you don't like about yourself or your disability. Some can think a disability is a weakness however, God often uses weakness to His glory. But I'll tell you a little something I have learned. I used to be really weak and gentle but I can honestly say everything that God has had me go through he has created me into the strong woman I am today despite my disability and it's struggles. I used to not be able to function as well as I do today but do you know how I am better? It is all because of the grace and love of God. He equips those who think they can't do anything into a person who is very strong.
Sometimes we wish we could fix some things and change things about ourselves and we wish we could just ignore the fact that we have a disability. But there is no changing who you are and who God created you to be. You may feel like running away or hiding, but don't do that go and show everyone who you really are and you know you can be. If you have God in your heart he will give you the courage and strength to push through all hard times, just like he has for me. God wants to be a father to you. Just like you and me he sees us especially those with disabilities as very special in his eyes. He created you this way for a reason, to be a testimony to everyone else around you. What I want to try and maybe do someday is show people that disabilities are not a weakness and we are just like everyone else but with our own struggles, and how God can make those who are weak like I was strong.
Though you may deal with anxiety, not always understanding things that people say to you, stomach issues, learn differently than others or whatever else you may struggle with know that God has more in store for you than you may think.