Esther

There is this woman.

This woman who looks life right in the eye.

She's gutsy.

She's beautiful.

She's courageous.

She's bold.

And maybe - if you're watching her close enough you might just see her blink ... but I doubt it.

I've started reading the book of Esther again. Yep. You read it right ... again.

You see, there is thing about Esther than intrigues me.

She was placed in a situation where demonstrating her faith in the midst of uncertainty was crucial for her survival.

And although Esther was faced with completely different challenges than me, I know in my heart & soul that Esther and I were meant to meet. {more than once}

We've become aquainted {sort of} ... in this land of uncertainty and unfamiliar ... because you see, when you {dream} ... really, really dream ... you leave the land of familiar behind. That comfort of knowing all the details that we as humans just HAVE to know ... the details of every little thing about our life that really we have no control over. Those aren't really ours to worry about.

Hmmmm.

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from God Guides Your Tomorrow

God is economical. He doesn't waste training or experience. He knows what we are doing, what we are learning, and how He is going to use all of that five, ten, twenty years from now.
It's easy to be disappointed when we have prepared for "the plan of God for my life" only to have door shut in our faces.
That's because we were busy focusing on the plan when God was focusing on the preparation.
When the signals are blurred and you are uncertain, keep on praying, getting Christian counsel, but don't stop what you are doing. Trust Him to steer you if you are on the wrong course. But don't stop.
God knows how to move you when the time comes for you to be moved. He knows what is happening to you and what should be happening for you.
In other words, trust God to be God.
There isn't anything He doesn't know.

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I'm sure Esther had her doubts.

I'm certain she wanted to know how and when everything in her life was going to work out.

She was human.

She was real.

Her faith, her courage, her boldness ... they were being tested.

The book of Esther isn't in the Bible just because.

Her story isn't very long, but it is powerful.

And the most amazing thing to me of all ... in the book of Esther, God's name isn't mentioned once.

Max Lucado sums it up best:

Quite the lady this Esther. You have to admire her courage.
You have to love her story. But there is one thing that is
tough to figure. God's name never appears in the entire book.
His actions do. His thoughts do. His plan does.
His fingerprints are on every page. But His name never appears.

Could it be that God is more concerned about getting the job done than getting credit?

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God is at work. Each and every day. In your life & in mine.

But living in the land of comfortable, certain, and smooth sailing doesn't mean He's there.

Esther and I are going on an adventure during the next several weeks. Some friends are joining us too. I'm excited. Excited to see how God is going to use this woman of long ago to change and direct our lives today. Esther stepped out in faith. I am too.

Even if it is uncomfortable.

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Thank you for your prayers, emails and phone calls. I KNOW we are surrounded by love and I also know that as we make decisions and look toward the future - we are not alone.

What comfort it is to know that.

Peace.