“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:13-14
In an almost unbelievable story, Ashley Paulson set a new women’s world record for the 100-mile ultramarathon at the Jackpot 100 Mile Ultra. She completed the race in 12 hours, 19 minutes, and 34 seconds—an astonishing average pace of 7:21 per mile. This knocked more than 17 minutes off the previous record of 12:37:04, set by Caitriona Jennings of Ireland at the Tunnel Hill 100 Miler just a few months earlier.
Held in Henderson, Nevada (just outside Las Vegas), the event also served as the USATF 100 Mile Championship. Running in her signature pink Nike Alphaflys that matched her pink ponytail, Paulson won the women’s division by more than two hours and finished second overall behind Rajpaul Pannu, who won in 11:38:56.
“Honestly, it doesn’t feel real,” the 44-year-old Paulson said in a post-race interview with her sponsor, Buzz Bomb Caffeine. “I’m like, has this really happened? … I worked so hard for it, but it came, it happened. Dreams come true, you just gotta keep fighting for it and show up, put in the work, and then execute.”
Wow, right?
While hard work, dedication, and mental grit were undoubtedly key to Paulson’s success, we can’t overlook the role genetics played in her elite performance. Ashley is clearly not your average ultrarunner. Her speed, skill, talent, and endurance far surpass those of most runners (including myself and many of my friends), whose average finishing times in similar races hover around 28 hours. In short, God made her special.
The Bible affirms that God makes each one of us special, with unique talents and features. King David, by divine revelation, understood this deeply when he wrote:
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:13-14
Other translations describe how God “knit” or “wove” us together in the womb—a beautiful picture of intentional craftsmanship. This truth aligns with what science reveals: each person has distinctive DNA, making us one-of-a-kind masterpieces hand-fashioned by the Creator Himself. Not only do we look different, but each of us has a unique skill set shaped by God’s purposeful design.
We see this in the life of David. His hands were fashioned not only to play the harp but also to wield weapons of war:
“And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.” 1 Samuel 16:23
“He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” 2 Samuel 22:35
“Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.” 1 Samuel 17:49-50
In this way, God made David special—just as He has made you and me—with gifts tailored for specific, special purposes.
“Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” Psalm 29:2
This is precisely why we should give God “the glory due to His name” for every success; rather than claiming it for ourselves. After all, no one who has ever lived, is living, or will ever live possesses a talent that was not given to them by God.
Not one.
So whatever skill or gift God has blessed you with, thank Him for it, my friend. Then use that talent to the best of your ability to shine a light on the One who created each of us so uniquely. And always—always—give God the glory!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for forming every person in such a way that there can be no doubt You are the divine Creator who places infinite value on each individual from the moment of conception. Help us to acknowledge You as the Giver of all good things, Lord, and to publicly praise You for Your goodness and the marvelousness of Your works. May the lost come to know You through the way we give You glory. In Your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.
Melissa Sharp is an ultra runner and running coach who has completed more than 100 marathons and ultra marathons. Melissa has learned how to keep running the race of life for the glory of Christ even though she endured decades of domestic abuse. Melissa is a survivor. Through her daily blog thejoyfilledrunner she inspires others to live in the strength of Christ.
