Taking Faithful Steps

      The book of Esther is my favorite book in the Bible. God's presence is all over it, even though his name is never mentioned. It's such a powerful story of strength and faith, not to mention trusting God in the face of adversity.     One of my favorite verses comes out of chapter 4 when Mordecai tells Esther that she was born "For such a time as this." I love that verse so much! It was a reminder to Esther that she had been placed where she was for a purpose- it was all perfectly orchestrated by God.     I can not tell you how many times I have repeated that verse over and over to myself throughout the years. There have been struggles I have faced and I have just had to say "for such a time as this" to remind myself that whatever I see or am currently facing is not a surprise to God.     Imagine my delight when, in the middle of a challenging situation I found a coffee mug with this verse on it! (anyone who knows me knows about my coffee...

      OK, so the opposition came, now what?     Thankfully for us, we serve the author of the playbook. And, fortunately for me, he is a good, kind and loving father who does not get annoyed when we ask for confirmation. Again.     And that, my friends, is exactly what I did. I was quite literally on my face, on my bed, just crying and crying out to God, asking for him to give me confirmation that I had done the right thing. I asked him to show me that I was doing what he had called me to do, what he wanted me to do, and not just puffing up my own pride or ego.     He reminded me of the exact things that previously walked myself through. The diligent prayers, the seeking confirmation along the way, the confirmation that had been received multiple times, and the affirmations that I had received since. He reminded me of the peace that I felt thinking about what the next steps with him were down this road, and the way that he was speaking to me ...