I’m pretty psyched up about the Bible study of Esther that I’ve been attending, and although I’ve blogged about it on my other blog (http://evessisters.blogspot.com), I decided to put some thoughts on this site too. I’m still trying to figure out exactly how to use and manage my blogs because although I’m interested in seeing and applying Biblical principles in day-do-day life, I also want to include secular, regular thoughts about health, family, flowers, work, stress, exercise, travel, and so forth. Hence, two blogs, this one about family and friends and fudge and the other about spiritual applications. It’s likely there’ll be some overlap because of my interests, but still….
As I mentioned a week or so ago, I’ve been attending a Bible study on Esther, and for the last several days, I’ve been thinking about how her decision to go before the king changed not only her destiny but the destiny of her people. In verses 11-16 of the 4th chapter, a major transition takes place in a woman’s life that changes her life and those of others. Although she was afraid, Esther considered the words of Mordecai and realized that indeed perhaps she had “come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” Think about this: A major transition could come into your life too!!!
I like to picture Esther as she walks out of the women’s area into the king’s presence. At some point, she must have turned a corner and realized, perhaps trembling, that there was no turning back. She’s dressed in her royal robe, her queenly attire, and when Ahasuerus sees her standing in the court, he addresses her as Queen Esther. Queen Esther, not just plain old Esther. She’s put thought into her appearance, and her attention to detail does not go unnoticed by the king. He seems pleased to see her, extends his scepter, and asks for her request.
Esther faced the fear. Have you? Will you? Just think about it. You could very well be one brave decision away from the most important turn in your entire life path. Sometimes we have to square our shoulders, hold our heads high and march forward to see the king…or his equivalent. As the class was watching Beth Moore on DVD, I thought of my daughter Carrie and how courageous she has been at certain points in her life.
After graduating from college, she lived at home for only a short time and then moved to Georgetown BY HERSELF. She was teaching at an elementary school there, and while it made perfect sense to live in the town where she worked, it was hard for me to accept. Fear of what could happen to this young 23 year old stalked me day and night. I shuddered to think of her going home there alone after work. She didn’t even have any friends there at first, but as the weeks passed, she made friends and adjusted to her job.
After tasting independence for a season, Carrie decided it was time to find that special someone. What did she do? She moved farther away, this time to Charleston. With this move, she had a roommate, and that alleviated some of my anxiety. Still, it was a bigger area, more traffic, more crime…you get the picture. I was a nervous Nellie. I was the one who needed to take lessons from Esther, not Carrie.
I’m not sure of the timeline, but I think she’d been there less than two weeks when she met Rich, her future husband. Recently graduated from the University of Utah, he was now an officer in the Navy who had just reported to the Charleston Naval Base. They both found the Singles Ward in North Charleston and met at church. That was ten years ago. They’re now the busy parents of four active preschoolers, one a precious newborn, and it all happened because Carrie faced the fear and made one of the most important decisions in her life, one that will affect her and her progeny forever.
In the DVD portion of the Bible study, Beth Moore reminded us that no one in our lives is a greater deterrent to our destiny more than we are to ourselves. Like Esther and Carrie, you may be one important decision away from your destiny. It could be a life and death situation like Esther’s, a relocation decision like Carrie’s, or something as seemingly small as making a phone call, enrolling in a course, or starting a blog.
YOU are in charge of your destiny. What are some choices that you’ve already made that required courage? How did you do it? What were/are some of the ramifications of that decision? Off the top of my head, I can think of Anita’s decision to move to Oklahoma, Hayden’s to say YES to her dream, and Connie’s to start a blog. And you???
mom's musings 
You know, I think the funny thing about making these life-changing choices is that when we are in the middle of making them, it seems like the only logical choice. I know for me, I am learning how to be myself without being defined by what others expect me to be. It’s liberating, but scary, too. I never realized how much of my identity was based on what I perceived others thought of me.
I know what you mean. Sometimes years, even decades, pass before you realize the implications of a decision. When I first married and moved to MB, it was a weird feeling to realize that no one there knew who we were, who are parents were, and so forth. Being from Camden, we were accustomed to being sort of enveloped within these great families and having friends who knew us and our "back stories." Now that I'm back in Camden, people there don't know (or care) about my MB persona.Oh, and my children think of Myrtle Beach as their home, something that their dad and I never considered when we made our move there.
Getting back in the car after a major accident scared the ever loving bejeezus out of me.
There is nothing that can compare to the absolute terror I experienced being on the highway, of passing semi’s, of going over every bump or crack in the road.
It was like a trial of my will…could I continue to get in the car and face that fear, knowing it would be there EVERY TIME I got behind the wheel?
You’re absolutely right, facing your fear is one of the most courageous things you can do.
But you did it! Yay! Most people would have to gradually ease back into driving instead of facing the fear so boldly.I truly love the story of Esther in the Bible. She is the bomb! I love the lesson that we learn, in that when we choose to stand up and do what is right, our posterity are blessed beyond what we can possibly imagine.
If we could only keep in our own remembrance continually, just how much good a single choice can produce — we would all most likely make better decisions, everyday:-)
You're so right...and as I mentioned to Anita above, sometimes a person can't see the long range implicationsof her choice when she makes it. tDMg
LdsNana
aw. life. aw babies. aw grandmothers, ah the council of the eggs, put all of it in your new book that you have yet to start
Ah Putz, what makes you think I haven't started it???