I have always admired the story of Esther in the Bible. Esther was a revolutionary; a woman ready and willing to deny herself for the sake of her people. Hadassah, being her name of origin, meaning myrtle tree. What’s in a name might you ask? I’ll tell you; one’s identity, one’s purpose. When reading scripture, we must always be reminded that we serve a very intentional God. Therefore, there is meaning behind everything. Once you start connecting the dots, you find yourself feeling like Auntie Oprah and having many back to back “aha” moments! So let’s take a closer look at the meaning of Hadassah. Symbolic of the name, myrtle trees represent wellness, prosperity, and abundance. Additionally, tracing back to its roots in Judaism, myrtle trees signify life and fertility. Let’s dig a bit deeper…

On Sunday March 22nd I started my outdoor patio garden, which has now become my safe haven. Rain or shine, you can find me out here basking in the glorious beauty of nature surrounding me! As I prepare to pick up my dainty water can and sprinkle my soil with droplets of water, I discover how quickly my seedlings have bloomed! My parsley sits perfectly upright and perched, my mint is majestic, my oregano is outstanding, and my basil is bountiful! Spring is here as I peer to the right and see that my pink geraniums are gracious, my harmony purple stocks are splendid, and my yellow osteospermums are overflowing! I watch as they all sway and float delicately in the breeze, waving to me with their vibrant colorings. As I prepare to depart and move on with the rest of the day’s happenings, I sigh in gratitude and kindly thank the sun for shining down on them.

How can one simply “be still” when such a myriad of decisions await your answers?

I woke up this morning with this song resonating in my heart. The chorus goes a little something like this, “Put me in a place…where I can see Your face…” and it just continues to repeat and modulate. Without fail, every time the song gets to this point, my spirit continues to intensify, because its something about the way it strikes my soul! I think of a lover longing for their love…longing to be in their presence. Whether near or far, you cry out of desperation, “Show me your face!” There may have been some bumps along the way in the relationship, where grace and mercy was needed, but pride aside…show me your face! This brings me to Moses when he pleas with God and says, “Now show me your glory!”

It’s 3:34am and I’m finding myself wide awake and unable to get back to sleep. Was it something I ate? Too much Netflix binging? Stress? Worry? Fret? I couldn’t pinpoint one specific thing and then the battle to go back to bed began! I wrestled back and forth…tossing and turning…and no luck. Finally, I resolve to just looking up at the ceiling and counting sheep, until it dawns on me: I should pray.