Beautiful Feet: Finding Purpose in Pain and God’s Grace
- Michelle Steiner
- 18 hours ago
- 4 min read
Isaiah 52:7“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”
“Look at this foot. It points like a ballerina.”
The instructor exclaimed this during my first Pilates class. I was amazed when I heard it. No one had ever called my feet beautiful before.
My feet have always given me difficulty, something that began even before I was born. I had toeing, which caused my feet to turn inward when I walked. I also had large feet. For much of my life, I wondered what good could come from having this condition.
Little did I know that God would bring beauty from it.
A Difficult Beginning
As a toddler, doctors tried to correct my feet with special shoes. When that did not work, surgery became the next option.
My parents had to make a difficult decision. Doctors told them they could either break my pelvis or operate on my feet. My family chose the latter.
I still remember screaming for my parents as I was wheeled into the operating room.
At first, the operation seemed successful. I was able to walk straight. But over time, my feet began to turn inward again. The only lasting physical reminder was a pink, arch-shaped scar on each foot. For years, I felt ashamed of those scars and tried to hide them.
Growing Up Different
While I could hide the scars, I could not hide my gait or the size of my feet.
People often made rude comments. Some mocked the way I walked. In school hallways, peers called me “Quakers” or “penguin.” Others referred to my feet as “Bigfoot” or even “monster feet.” Sadly, even today, people sometimes make fun of the way I walk.
Those words hurt deeply.
But when people were not my friends, God was.
He stayed by my side when others left me. My feet did not stop me from learning how to ride a bike or my scooter. They did not stop me from running through my backyard or exploring the woods around my childhood home. I still swung on playground swings, feeling the cool breeze across my face.
My feet may have been different, but they did not stop me from living.
Unsolicited Advice and Hidden Pain
Over the years, many people offered unsolicited advice about shoes or strange remedies that they believed would fix my feet. Most of it was not helpful.
Many meant well and assumed I must be suffering physically. The truth is that my feet rarely cause physical pain. The deeper pain came from the emotional wounds of bullying and constant remarks.
I became self-conscious about how I walked. I often wondered if my feet were the reason people rejected me.
Moving Forward Anyway
Even with those struggles, I refused to let my feet define my life.
As a teenager, I went on dates and attended school dances. I worked my first job caring for children at a daycare. I also served as a Sunday School teacher at my church.
Finding shoes has always been a challenge. When I was growing up, the cute children’s shoes were too small for my feet, and the adult styles felt boring and unfashionable. Today, there are more options, but finding shoes that are comfortable, cute, and the right size still requires trial and error.
When I find a pair that works and is reasonably priced, I usually buy several in different colors.
Do you believe God can use your struggles for purpose?
Yes, I've seen Him do it
I'm still trying to believe that
Walking Through Hard Seasons
My feet also carried me through difficult school years. During those times, I leaned heavily on God, especially when people told me I would never achieve certain things.
But God had other plans.
Later, I proudly walked across the stage at both my high school and college graduations.
Feet That Carry a Story
God has allowed my feet to bring Him glory in ways I never expected.
My feet carried me down the aisle with my father at my wedding. They allowed me to dance with my husband at our reception. My gait does not stop me from working out at the gym or taking walks where I photograph beautiful flowers.
Those same feet carry me to my job each day as a paraeducator at a school.
From Shame to Strength
Today, I no longer feel the need to hide my feet.
I do not wear them in shame anymore. Instead, I see them as a symbol of strength. They have carried me through school, work, marriage, exercise, and everyday life.
Each of us has difficulties we cannot change. For some, those challenges are physical and visible. For others, they may be emotional or spiritual and hidden from view.
But God walks with us through them all.
I know He is with me every step of the way. And when I cannot go on, He carries me.
What beauty God has brought from my feet, allowing me to bring His good news wherever I go.
Food for thought: What have you been trying to hide that God may be trying to use?
Let’s talk about it below.
Michelle Steiner lives with an invisible disability and defied expectations placed on her life. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Community Programming, is a published writer and photographer, and works as a paraeducator supporting students with disabilities. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two cats and writes at michellesmission.com.
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