For Such A Time as This

Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14) I love that verse and love to think that just like Esther was in the place where she was suppose to be, I am in the place where I am suppose to be for such a time as this. That is such a cool thought for someone who has the wonderful job of folding laundry, cleaning dirty underwear off of the floor, or scraping cheese from a stubborn lasagna dish.

I am so sad that Esther is coming to an end-I love all the bible studies I have done, but this one has really made me think and spoken to my heart. The one verse that I have studied and found so interesting for such a time as this is Nehemiah 4:14 Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.

That verse speaks to me as we come up on our (gasp) 10 year wedding anniversary this week. It has been a WONDERFUL 10 years, but not without the tough times that marriages endure. Mike and I have made a commitment to a marriage for life but the peace of no divorce does not immune you from the daily struggles of marriage. Mike and I truly had the fight of our marriage this summer over a $12 shower curtain-truly. It is a funny story now, but the stress of a new baby that cried all the time, a disruptive kitchen remodel we never planned, kids home without a structured summer, and lots of rainy days made for a ROUGH time. When we are stressed to the max, we tend to take it out on the safe harbor of our mates.

Anyway, that verse pierces my heart that my marriage, my boys, my daughter, and my home are something that I must fight for. A strong home life does not just happen by chance. Raising godly and kind children do not just happen by chance. Having a strong and love-filled marriage does not happen by chance. I must fight for these things. Studying that scripture gave me a swift kick in my yoga pants to be more purposeful in my marriage and in my parenting.

I must turn my home and family over to God and lift them up in prayer. I must train up my children to the seek the things that truly matter in this world-equality, compassion, love for the Lord, and love for others. I must train my daughter to value modesty and remember that she is a princess of the most high God.

If you come into my home anytime soon, you will see a little notecard with Nehemiah 4:14 on an index card on my refrigerator between the school lunch menu and David's sight words. This is a reminder to me that my family is worth the fight:)