by Patty Berardesco

I am short in stature and over the years, I have been the brunt of “small people jokes” mostly from friends that didn’t even realize that their jokes were hurtful.  At those times, I would have to remind myself that my father always said to me “Dynamite comes in small packages“! 

One time at a party, a friend actually asked me loudly,  “Have you always been this short”? 

God quickly whispered to me “I see you as 10 feet tall”. God’s view of me, enabled me to just smile at her insensitive remark.  

So many times children would compare their height to mine, exclaiming proudly, “Miss Patty, I’m almost as tall as you!” Their parents would be standing by, beaming, as if their child had achieved a great accomplishment. 

I recently shared this truth about King David to a family who constantly had their children measure their growth by me. The average height of a man at the time of Goliath, was around 5’2 to 5’5 .  David is described as being young when he was chosen by God to slay Goliath. David’s height was most likely somewhere between  4′ 10 and  5 ft.  

David was a Giant Slayer!! God saw him as 10ft tall in the Spirit!!

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally asked God “Why am I the smallest one in my family? “

The Lord replied “Your height is an answer to prayer”!

And my mind flashed back to when I was 12 yrs old. I was in the car with my father. He was stopped at a red light and he was weeping. 

3 years prior, when I was 9 years old, I stepped out into the street from my neighbors driveway and  was run over by a speeding bicyclist. I remember laying on the ground, gravel all around me and looking down at my left leg. My toes and heel had exchanged places. I could see 2 bones protruding through my skin. I had a double compound fracture. I felt no pain, but I could hear the screams of my mother and neighbors. I had surgery and was fitted with a cast from my foot to my hip. It was 1959 and that’s how they did it then!

As the months progressed, so did I. It was now 6 months later and all casts and braces had been removed. I was going back to the Dr. for the final exam and release. 

I remember sitting with my parents when the Dr came into the exam room. His face was grim, he told my parents that he had bad news. He said my growing bones in my left leg had locked. My mother was gasping for breath and my father buried his face in his hands and just wept. I had no idea what was going on. I felt great, why were they crying?

On the way home, they gently explained to me that I would grow, but my left leg would remain the same size. At 9 years old, that really didn’t mean anything to me. I felt fine.

It wasn’t until several years later that I realized what the Dr. meant that day and why my parents were crying hysterically. 

And now this brings me back when I was that 12 yr old girl sitting in the car with my father, waiting for the light to change. I was gazing out the window and  saw a woman walking oddly. One foot had a normal looking shoe and the other foot had a shoe with a lift about 6 inches high, like a block of wood. 

She had one leg significantly shorter than the other.

I looked over at my father, he was weeping, tears streaming down his face. He looked over at me and just said “Grandma prayed”!!

Grandma prayed that I would not grow any taller. She asked God to not allow me to be crippled. So God answered her and I didn’t grow anymore. 

I realized that all the jokes about my being short, meant nothing anymore. 

My height is an answer to prayer!

I am short, but I am not crippled. God heard my Grandmother and answered her prayer. 

Thank you Jesus, thank you, Grandma!