Such A Time As This

She was beautiful, young, and of Jewish decent, but living in exile in a foreign land. Both her mother and father had died when she was young. Fortunately, her kind-hearted cousin took her in and raised her as his own. Esther’s life may have seemed hopeless up to this point, but God had a plan for her life. King Xerxes was looking for a Queen. After a year of preparation, Esther was presented to the King, and he found favor with her. To most, being crowned Queen might appear as the redeeming moment of her life. But, it was just the beginning. God had an even greater purpose for her.

There was a plot to annihilate all the Jewish people, both young and old. Esther’s bold faith and Godly wisdom helped her orchestrate a masterful plan that not only saved her race, but punished the perpetrator. She acted without fear or hesitation. Esther was secure in the purposes God had designed for her.

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” – Esther 4:14,16

I love Esther’s confidence. She was completely obedient to what God called her to do. She put her life in jeopardy knowing that she was placed in that position for that moment in time. What a truly remarkable woman she was. She walked boldly into her destiny.

I know many of you are feeling empty and without purpose. You are not certain what you are to do with your life or why you are even here. You continually chase after self-defined goals in an effort to feel complete. Unfortunately, this leaves you feeling more depressed than before.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. – Psalm 139:16

You see, God has a plan for each of us. And that plan is different from everyone else’s. Only you can fulfill the task the God has for you. Sadly, we often strive for conformity and the status quo, rather than being original and becoming the woman God has called us to be. Just like Esther, each of us is on this earth, at this moment in history, to fulfill our destiny for His glory.

I know I am here for one reason – to fulfill the purpose that God has planned for me in advance. If I do my part, then I truly am a success. I may not be called to save my entire race, but I know with absolute assurance that I am here on this earth for such a time as this!

Social Media Fraud

Social media, love it or hate it, is here to stay. Using social media, like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, is an excellent way of connecting with friends, family, and acquaintances or marketing businesses and products. Unfortunately, it can also trigger unnecessary emotions. Social media typically only chronicles the happy moments in one’s life, the achievements and accomplishments. You may scroll down your newsfeed any particular day and see little Joey’s high academic achievement, Ellen’s 50 pound weight loss transformation, or a family’s beautiful cruise to the Caribbean. And, how about those gourmet meals and meticulously staged homes!

Seeing these posts can cause feelings of envy and inadequacy. Actually, they can make you feel down right depressed. Normally, you couldn’t care less if tonight’s dinner was photo worthy. You were just happy that everyone in your house was fed. That is, until you compared it to the photos on Pinterest.

Comparison is a recipe for disaster. It stirs up emotions inside of us that make us think that we need to measure up to some ridiculous standard. This, in turn, fuels competition. God has called us women to support each other and bring out the best in one another, not to compete with one another.

Women competing with each other is not a new concept. Take a look at Rachel and Leah in the book of Genesis. They were sisters who married the same man, Jacob. Talk about awkward! Jacob loved Rachel more, and Leah knew it. But, Rachel was barren. In an effort to feel loved, Leah kept popping babies out like it was a sport. They were constantly competing for attention and affection. Thank God this was before the days of Facebook. Could you imagine those posts?

“The strategy of the enemy is to get women to compete and tear each other down. God’s plan is for us to lean in to each other’s strengths.” – Christine Caine

Although social media is not the only thing that triggers competition in women, it certainly is a major one. With that said, we need to understand that what we are seeing is just a snapshot of someone’s life. No one’s life is perfect.

So, in an effort to stop the propagation of social media fraud, this week I have included a picture that I would normally never include on a posting. It is a picture that is more relatable than the most of the postings I see. It is a pile of laundry. Actually, it is several loads of laundry. It is clean, but it has been piling up there all week.

Even though I have moments of success, today I choose to show that we are all human. Ladies, we are all on the same team. Let’s start building each other up instead of tearing each other down!

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man [or woman] sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17

No More Shame

When I read through the Old Testament, I am intrigued by the life of Elijah. He is probably one of the greatest prophets ever and had an intimate relationship with God. He predicted the beginning and the end to a three-year drought, allowed God to use him to raise a child from the dead, and defeated the prophets of Baal in a dramatic showdown at Mount Carmel. Interestingly, as incredible a man of God as Elijah was, he experienced suicidal thoughts right after the great victory at Mount Carmel. Jezebel heard of his triumph over the prophets of Baal and vowed to kill him. Elijah fled in fear.

He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life.” – 1 Kings 19:5

I don’t know about you, but I am comforted knowing that one of the greatest men of God suffered from depression. It seems that there is a stigma that attaches itself to all mental health issues today, and, as a result, shame accompanies the person that goes through it. The person struggles in secret for fear that people will judge her for this illness. And yet, a person dealing with cancer or diabetes receives the necessary love and support from friends and family.

Unfortunately, depression seems to be on the rise. I have been hearing almost weekly of a new person struggling with this, especially in the younger generation. People, just like Elijah, seem to have lost their purpose in the midst of these confusing times. Feelings of hopelessness have set in.

“But those whose hope is in the Lord, will not be disappointed” – Isaiah 49:23

If you are someone who struggles with depression, I have encouraging news for you. God delivered Elijah from his depressed state, and He can deliver you too. Elijah later went on to fulfill the purposes that God had planned for the rest of his life. His mental health didn’t define him. Elijah didn’t carry any shame for his depression, and neither should you.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11