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Preparing For Your Esther Moment

Through the years, I’ve had this burning question in my heart: What does it mean to be a Christian woman? It’s easy to get caught up in the swirling stereotypes, the rhetoric about virtuous women and the arguments about that dreaded word “submission.” Something about this talk always pricks my spirit.

I try to redirect to God’s Word for answers. When I dig deep into the stories of the women in the Bible, I quickly discover they were all unique, broken, imperfect women who God chose for a drop-your-jaw surprising purpose – to bring people into the fold of His Kingdom.

One of my favorites is the beautiful and messy story of Esther. In just 10 chapters, the book of Esther gives us a sketch of a woman God chose to save His people in a tumultuous time. Of course, what I love about Esther is she was an unlikely candidate. She was young, inexperienced, an orphan, a foreigner. Not exactly qualities you would put on your resume for an application to be queen. Then again, Esther wasn’t applying to be queen. She was chosen. And that made all the difference.

God chose Esther. He chose to put her in an incredible place of influence “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). She was chosen for a job filling the shoes of a strong-willed former queen who got booted out of the kingdom for refusing to show off at her hubby’s soiree.

Esther had a God-given gift – beauty. But she had to be more than beautiful to get noticed. After all, she was surrounded by beautiful women. “And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her” (Esther 2:10). This tells me she was a woman of character and charisma. People were drawn to her. She exercised humility and discernment, following closely the wisdom of the king’s official who was in charge of all the women in the “Queen Beauty Pageant.”

The king chooses Esther as the next queen. This is her invitation into a place of influence in the kingdom.

Fast forward to the moment of crisis when Esther leverages this influence to help her people, the Jews. The king’s sidekick, brings his anti-Semitic views into policy-making. He convinces the king the Jews are different. They don’t bow down to the king and his officials. And they shouldn’t be tolerated. Haman is given the power to write an order to “destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews.”

Esther’s Jewish uncle begs her to intervene. Esther makes the choice to do something powerful at this point in the story. She pauses. She invites her people to pray. She prays. For three days. Esther prays before she takes any action. Then she moves forward in obedience with a plan to fight for her people.

She wisely invites the king and his sidekick to a party. She uses her knowledge of these men and what they love (hospitality and good parties) to bring them into a place where she can petition for her people. She speaks with humility and confidence. Her courage and influence saves the Jews.

The story of Esther teaches me that God wants courageous women who understand the power of discernment, prayer and obedience. He uses unlikely characters who don’t fit into a mold or stereotype. He doesn’t care if we are materially rich or poor or Democrat or Republican. He doesn’t care if we come from a good family or if we have attended church all our lives. He uses women who are willing to step out of their own comfortable place for the sake of others.

My own Esther moment came in January 2010. Not coincidentally, I was deep in a study of the book of Esther at the time. My husband and I had been peripherally involved in work in Haiti with a ministry started by his grandparents in 1947. We had been on several short-term trips but our hearts weren’t committed. We had our own jobs, our own comfortable community, our own life goals.

On January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake rocked the already-impoverished country of Haiti. Our phones rang, our inboxes filled with friends and others looking to us for guidance on how to get involved with relief efforts. God shook our hearts with that earthquake too. For the first time, my husband and I felt God calling us to a deeper commitment to serving in Haiti “for such a time as this.”

We decided to jump in. Neither of us felt equipped. We didn’t feel ready. We weren’t even sure of the job description or project assignment before us. We knew God was calling us to work on behalf of His people in need.

Today, my husband is the director of a non-profit, working to offer a hand up to Haitians. When we initially moved to Haiti, I met a group of ladies in one of the churches who wanted to start a jewelry business. These women needed a means to buy food for their families, send their kids to school, even build houses. I just happened to have a love for creating and making jewelry.

God had already been growing in me a gift for teaching and a heart for discipleship. I said yes, and His wild story began to unfold. Today I am the director of The Haitian Bead Project working with 60 Haitian artisans. I spend part of my year working one-on-one with them and offering dignity to women who have never tasted it before. The other months I live in the U.S. working to share the story of God’s redemption.

I leave you with a few questions: How will you use your voice and influence to speak up on behalf of people today? How are you making yourself ready for an “Esther moment” in your life? I would venture to say that along the journey of asking yourself these questions you might find yourself on the road to becoming more wholly the woman God wants you to be.

Image Credit: Dorina Gilmore, The Haitian Bead Project

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May 5, 2014 Categories: GeneralTagged: compassion, inspirational

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather Fenton says

    July 6, 2014 at 10:08 pm

    It is a privilege to walk beside you as you use your voice and influence on behalf of others, Dorina! It is people like you and writing like this that remind me daily – because I seem to need the reminder daily – to consider my life a part of a story He has been writing all along for “such a time as this” I can’t yet imagine. Looking forward to reading more from you here!

    Reply
  2. joygraves says

    November 3, 2014 at 7:54 pm

    I ,feel God directed me too this page today ,I find my self in an Esther moment in my life. A friend of mine is relocating from
    texas, my space is small and I work out of my home… i didnt want her and her husband too go too a shelter. God put it on my heart too welcome them into my home until they can find a place… I try so hard to be aservant of God, as I was reading the purpose driven life I came across what it truly means to be a servant of God … it’s to go out of your comfort zone to help some one ,it should make us feel un easy . just like Esther she didnt pick her role God chose her.. Im say this because sometimes it get the bad end of the stick when helping someone, but today I feel this article and the chapter from the book , Purpose driven life was god ‘sway of letting me no im doing the right thing….thank you so much for this article and sharing your story…
    joy Graves……

    Reply

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Meet Dorina

Aloha, friend! If you love stories, you are in the right place. I write about grief, glory, running, food, and more. I hope these words inspire you to chase after God’s glory in your life today!

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🥳 I’m so excited to chat with children’s book illustrator Lynnor Bontigao on my Global Glory Chasers broadcast tomorrow about writing and illustrating children’s books.

Lynnor Bontigao stapled her first illustrated story at the age of 10 in the Philippines. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication. In college, she joined Ang InK, a children’s illustrator group where she fell in love with children’s books. She worked as a graphic designer before moving to the US in 1996. In the US, she studied programming and became a Programmer Analyst for a major financial firm in NYC for 15 years and went back to her first love, art.

She is the author-illustrator of SARI-SARI SUMMERS, her debut picture book with Candlewick Press. She is also the illustrator of THE WORLD`S BEST CLASS PLANT written by award-winning authors Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick, as well as YOU ARE REVOLUTIONARY by Cindy Wang Brandt of the popular podcast, Parenting Forward.

Lynnor is a member of the Society of Children`s Book Writers and Illustrators and the winner of the 2020 SCBWI Tomie dePaola Professional Development Award, the 2020 Kweli/SCBWI Emerging Voice Award, and the 2021 Kweli Sing the Truth! Mentorship. Lynnor was also September 2021 SCBWI Featured Illustrator. She loves stories where family relationships, culture, and food are intertwined. Lynnor Bontigao lives in Roselle Park, NJ with her family and 1 tiny dog.

🎤 Join us at 1 pm PT | 4 pm ET right here on IGlive! We will also be sharing about our coming children’s book, Kailani’s Gift! Tag a friend who might enjoy this broadcast too!

#kidlit #globalglorychasers #filipino #filipina @waterbrookmultnomahkids #multicultural #representationmatters #childrensauthor #childrensauthorsofinstagram #childrensauthor

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Mar 29

Open
🥳 I’m so excited to chat with children’s book illustrator  Lynnor Bontigao on my Global Glory Chasers broadcast tomorrow about writing and illustrating children’s books. 
Lynnor Bontigao stapled her first illustrated story at the age of 10 in the Philippines. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication. In college, she joined Ang InK, a children’s illustrator group where she fell in love with children’s books. She worked as a graphic designer before moving to the US in 1996. In the US, she studied programming and became a Programmer Analyst for a major financial firm in NYC for 15 years and went back to her first love, art. 
She is the author-illustrator of SARI-SARI SUMMERS, her debut picture book with Candlewick Press. She is also the illustrator of THE WORLD'S BEST CLASS PLANT written by award-winning authors Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick, as well as YOU ARE REVOLUTIONARY by Cindy Wang Brandt of the popular podcast, Parenting Forward.
Lynnor is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and the winner of the 2020 SCBWI Tomie dePaola Professional Development Award, the 2020 Kweli/SCBWI Emerging Voice Award, and the 2021 Kweli Sing the Truth! Mentorship. Lynnor was also September 2021 SCBWI Featured Illustrator. She loves stories where family relationships, culture, and food are intertwined. Lynnor Bontigao lives in Roselle Park, NJ with her family and 1 tiny dog.
🎤 Join us at 1 pm PT | 4 pm ET right here on IGlive! We will also be sharing about our coming children’s book, Kailani’s Gift! Tag a friend who might enjoy this broadcast too! 
#kidlit #globalglorychasers #filipino #filipina @waterbrookmultnomahkids #multicultural #representationmatters #childrensauthor #childrensauthorsofinstagram #childrensauthor
31 1

📚Did you know pre-orders are a big deal for launching books?! When people pre-order, it helps retailers like Amazon and even smaller bookstores know that this book is worth stocking and sharing.

👉🏾Pre-order my new children’s book, Chasing God’s Glory, through one of your fave retailers and get access to exclusive content we’ve created just for you!

As part of your pre-order bonuses, you’ll receive:

🖍️Glory Chasing Family Activity Pack that’s filled with scavenger hunts, coloring crafts, a pineapple empanada recipe, and more fun for the entire family

🌎 Free access to a Global Glory Chasers Course on Brownicity (one country of your choice)

✍🏾 Dorina’s Glorygram with weekly encouragement, recipes, resources and fun giveaways

Hop over here for details: https://dorinagilmore.com/chasing-gods-glory/

🚀 If you want to join my launch team and share about the book, I can send you a sneak peek digital copy! DM me or respond here! Grateful!

#booklaunch #kidlit #authorsofinstagram #authorssupportingauthors #writersofinstagram #hopewriterlife @redbudwriters #picturebook #readingwithkids

View

Mar 28

Open
📚Did you know pre-orders are a big deal for launching books?! When people pre-order, it helps retailers like Amazon and even smaller bookstores know that this book is worth stocking and sharing. 
👉🏾Pre-order my new children’s book, Chasing God’s Glory, through one of your fave retailers and get access to exclusive content we’ve created just for you!
As part of your pre-order bonuses, you’ll receive:
🖍️Glory Chasing Family Activity Pack that’s filled with scavenger hunts, coloring crafts, a pineapple empanada recipe, and more fun for the entire family
🌎 Free access to a Global Glory Chasers Course on Brownicity (one country of your choice)
✍🏾 Dorina’s Glorygram with weekly encouragement, recipes, resources and fun giveaways
Hop over here for details: https://dorinagilmore.com/chasing-gods-glory/
🚀 If you want to join my launch team and share about the book, I can send you a sneak peek digital copy! DM me or respond here! Grateful! 
#booklaunch #kidlit #authorsofinstagram #authorssupportingauthors #writersofinstagram #hopewriterlife @redbudwriters #picturebook #readingwithkids
56 7

🥳I just had to share this moment with you! It’s my first first time holding my book in my hands… Here’s a sneak peek inside Chasing God’s Glory, which releases on April 11! Three. More. Weeks!

🌅Pre-order your copy at your favorite retailer, grab the pre-order bonus Family Activity Pack, and learn more at https://dorinagilmore.com/chasing-gods-glory/ 🚴

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Mar 27

Open
🥳I just had to share this moment with you! It’s my first first time holding my book in my hands… Here’s a sneak peek inside Chasing God’s Glory, which releases on April 11! Three. More. Weeks!
🌅Pre-order your copy at your favorite retailer, grab the pre-order bonus Family Activity Pack, and learn more at https://dorinagilmore.com/chasing-gods-glory/ 🚴
152 60

Weekends are for glory chasing…

#glorychasers #chasinggodsglory #walkrunsoar #trailrunning

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Mar 27

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Weekends are for glory chasing…
#glorychasers #chasinggodsglory #walkrunsoar #trailrunning
30 2

Come learn more about how to chase God`s glory through our everyday world and my new children`s book on the @incourage podcast today! I`m chatting with Community Manager @beckykeife about the story behind the book and why I`m so passionate about leading others to experience God`s glory.

The (in)courage podcast is brought to you by DaySpring. For over 50 years, DaySpring has created quality cards, books, and gifts that help you live your faith. Find out more at DaySpring.com.

Listen in anywhere you find your podcasts!

#podcast #podcasts #podcaster #podcasting #podcastlife #podcastersofinstagram #faithpodcast #kidlit #kidlitauthor

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Mar 25

Open
Come learn more about how to chase God's glory through our everyday world and my new children's book on the @incourage podcast today! I'm chatting with Community Manager @beckykeife about the story behind the book and why I'm so passionate about leading others to experience God's glory.
The (in)courage podcast is brought to you by DaySpring. For over 50 years, DaySpring has created quality cards, books, and gifts that help you live your faith. Find out more at DaySpring.com.
Listen in anywhere you find your podcasts! 
#podcast #podcasts #podcaster #podcasting #podcastlife #podcastersofinstagram #faithpodcast #kidlit #kidlitauthor
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