Esther

One of the items on my list was to establish a quiet time with the Lord daily.  This sounds incredibly simple but often the hustle and bustle of life intervenes.  I'm sure some of you can relate.  This evening I completed a nine week Beth Moore Bible study on the book of Esther.  I did her study of Daniel five years ago when we lived in Riesel and enjoyed it very much!  If you are not familiar with Beth Moore, she is absolutely fabulous!  She is hilarious, truthful and yearns to get the message out!  Once a week our group of lovely ladies would meet to discuss and watch a dvd series.  There was also "homework" (reading, analyzing and writing) which was divided among five days.  This allowed me to become more disciplined in spending time with the Lord on a daily basis.

As a woman we sometimes feel overshadowed, underrated, overwrought, underqualified, under attack, overanxious or overresponsible......but GOD can turn it ALL around :)  Sometimes its just plain TOUGH being a woman.  Beth does an excellent job of showing how contemporary and applicable the happenings of Esther are to our lives today. 

One of the most unforgettable passages is Esther 4:14.  It says "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 royal position for such a time as this?"  God has a masterplan (can I get a hallelujah!?!) and each of us is put in a certain place at a certain time for a REASON.  Sometimes we ask "why?" and we don't have full understanding but we are to trust Him.  Another similar passage that Beth referred to is Romans 8:28 which says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  How powerful!!

I loved this study SO much that I even hired a babysitter for the last couple of weeks to keep the kids until daddy returned home from football :)  If you ever have a chance to get involed with a Beth Moore study do it!  You will be blessed.