She Remained Confident
Sometimes the most impactful stories that I grow from aren’t about me. Sometimes they are stories about the women I meet along this journey of faith. Let me tell you a story about a woman whose smile is warm, her heart is full and she seems unbreakable. I can’t tell you her name, but let me tell you about...her. I think we all know this woman whether it’s the same name or not, it makes no difference.
She is beautiful and has everything going for her including a husband who love and follows God. When she smiles, I swear her eyes twinkle! She has lots of love and encouragement to share with people at every juncture in life. If you were to ask me if I knew of someone who always chooses righteousness over spitefulness, revenge or gossip, it would be this lady. I just love the joy she spreads. She is committed to serve others and I love taking delight in her successes because she is easy to celebrate.
But… behind that warm smile, she lives in pain. Pain so great that she confesses she often shakes her fist at God and wonders why he won’t give her the desire of her heart. She longs to be a mother, she feels called to be a mom and yet it has been impossible to conceive. She labored in prayer and cradled her hope, gone the medical route and still no child is granted to her womb.
I’m sure it adds pain to hear of accidental pregnancies or to hear about abandoned children. It’s not fair! It’s so not fair that it makes me cry out on her behalf; Why God? She would be such an amazing mama! Having had the privilege of birthing children myself, it makes no sense to me why God would allow this.
While she fights this battle of longing for children, there are other battles to fight as well, like the battle against drugs with a family member, health scares and financial turbulence. She seems unbreakable. She holds no one at fault or to blame. You would never know her battle is so intense because she just exudes so much love.
This is the woman I think about when I read Psalm 27:9. NKJV
Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.
How does she hold on to her faith? When she shakes her fist at God it appears to me that the strength of her relationship with her maker, can sustain her during these times of frustration. It is hard to see my Christian sissy in pain, but I trust God’s plan. I trust his plan will not harm her, it will make her strong and more like Him. It is hard see, she seems unbreakable.
The truth is that she is breakable and she has been broken over and over with every trial and battle. She has rarely gotten her way when she prayed. The calamities where not always prevented. The things she hoped in and longed for were denied and yet she is filled with love and grace.
When I look at the woman who seems unbreakable, I see a woman who God has blessed. The riches of faith are plastered all over her countenance. When she walks in a room her fragrance is love. Understanding, grace and compassion seep out of her heart. Even if every dream she had were broken… she remains confident that God has never left her.
She is beautiful, she is fresh off the battlefield, she stands confident in God’s plan for her and that’s why her eyes twinkle when she smiles. You know her. She is your Christian sissy. Love her, pray for her and encourage her to remain confident on her journey.
Sheri Page has been married to her husband for 10 years and cherishes their blended family of 6 adult children and 9 grandchildren. She has worked in and alongside ministries for over 30 years. She has served many roles with in the walls of a church including, a Women’s Ministry director and assistant to a Care Pastor where she served people who were walking through Baptism, Celebrate Recovery, Divorce Care and benevolence. Sheri loves to share her curiosity and unique understanding of life with Jesus by her side. She is a 5 year breast cancer survivor and considers that experience to be the one of the greatest gifts God has given her. More writings from Sheri can be found on her blog: https://thelordsdwellingplace.com/