Esther

Kenzi and i just finished the Beth Moore study on Esther "it's tough being a woman." for the past 9 weeks we have been meeting together and really enjoying our study. I am so sad it is over. i feel like we both have learned so much from this study.
The very first thing that struck me was learning that by Mordecai (Esther's cousin) raising her up into a young lady, meant that Esther was an orphan. for those of you that do not know i work with orphans every single day. What a blessing it is was to study this in depth on an orphan jewish girl who was crowned Queen.
Another fun adventure with studying this book of the Bible was realizing Mordecai's words to Queen Esther " And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14. this verse has made me think so much about my life and where i am. God is calling all of us to something He has set aside just for us and when we rise the the occasion He is standing there saying This is what i have created you for, for such a time as this. living in Mexico working with orphans and the beautiful people in the rio's it is a daily reminder of where i am standing with the Lord. and the thing about it, is not all of it is beautiful, some moments are still so hard in remembering why you are where you are. but when you do remember, it is so sweet. It took Esther 3 days of fasting and praying before she could go before King Xerxes. and her powerful words.. " if i perish, i perish." standing up for what you believe in and who you love is a powerful thing.
This book of the Bible is all about having the tables turned. God turning mourning into happiness, fasting into feasting, weeping into gladness, and wailing into joy. God is a faithful God and He will turn every negative situation into a positive somehow and someway, we just have to be patient enough and calm enough to recognize what He is doing. Nothing is of Coincidence. God's timing in everything is perfected everytime. I could go on and on over the things i have learned through this study. learning about Haman and his evil presence made a lot of personal things up in my own life that i thought i had dealt with a very long time ago. through this study i realize i need to be HEALED BY GOD and not just try and fix the things on my own. so on a personal note this study has helped me in areas i wasn't even expecting. Praise God!!!!! i am going to leave you with some words out the last video of this study. I found it moving. I want to have courage and faith the way QUEEN ESTHER did.
" A little orphan girl whos hidden beauty turned out to be incurruptable courage. and I am a girl child called up to be a Warrior Princess of God in her own difficult environment."