Strength

For This Child I Prayed | What You Need to Know When You Desire One Thing

/ Jennifer.A / 16 Comments

Hannah needed a child. Her heart bled for a child. Nothing else could comfort her. Nothing else could make her laugh. Give her a thousand gifts, she wanted none. Her husband tried, but he wasted time. Wasted gifts. Wasted words. All rejected.

For this Child

“Hannah!” Elkanah called to her one day. “Look at me, please. Am I not better to you than ten sons?” he whispered into her ear.

There was no response. Echoes of unanswered questions remained.

She must have turned away from him, flinching with guilt. Red-faced. Sullen. Angry — not at him, but at herself. She did not know why she had these feelings.

Every day, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her rival Peninah, who not only had sons but daughters. She saw her laughter. She craved her joy. She was jealous of her fullness. And when she thought about herself, what did she have? Only gifts from her husband. No children.

So she prayed, and she prayed…and she prayed some more. Continue reading →

Hell Hath No Fury as a Woman who Girds Herself in Strength | 3 Ways to Find Such Strength

/ Jennifer.A / Leave a comment

“She girds herself with strength; and strengthens her arms.” – Proverbs 31:17

15386948767_1dbbbc0926_h

Image source: Lyon Extra Race by Goproo3, Creative Commons License

The sticky mud and dirt rose as high as Lola’s knees, yet her eyes were set like a flint on the prize. There was no stopping her now. She was tougher than the dirt. Stronger than the slippery terrain. Stronger than her flesh desired.

And every rugged step she took in the forward motion brought to mind the naysayers — those who said she wouldn’t live to see this victory. Those who simply would not believe.

They said she would never walk again, but here she was running with the wind. They said she would be paralyzed, but here she was using those two feet. The road had not been easy (who was she trying to kid?), and it did take so many years to get here, too long in fact… but she did it anyway. She had beaten the odds of survival. Only a few more obstacles left now to get to the finish line. One. Two. Three. Four. Splash! Continue reading →