Onward...

Lately, all around me I see these remarkable women. Brave women. Women with hearts and souls and brains. And I am just completely humbled.

Today, I was so blessed and humbled to witness a prayer for a new addition to a family...a young woman I don’t even know, gave her baby girl up for adoption. As a mom of two, I just can’t wrap my head or heart around that awesome, heart wrenching, life-giving, utterly selfless choice. Yes, that baby girl will want for nothing; she will be loved by a supportive and wonderful family; she is desired, yearned for, chosen. She will have her every material need met and have every opportunity, no doubt, to grow up spiritually in God. And in the distance, that young woman, that birth mom still had to make that choice to put her baby girl in another woman’s arms and let go. Imagine. Just imagine. What love. What love. What love.

Today, I was so blessed and humbled to hear a moving testimony of a woman’s life before coming to Jesus. A strong, smart woman...she laid her past sufferings and choices out for us to see. A painful, abusive marriage; young and foolish choices made along the way...and then, a moment of clarity and a defining moment. So transparent, so authentic, so brave. With no regard to perfecting her image or wearing a mask to hide the humanity she bears, she stood there naked in her authenticity to point us to the Jesus that died for her, and who even now, takes our wasted years and redeems them for good. I am moved beyond words the hope she expressed...that if even one person could be encouraged or helped by her sharing, it would have ALL been worth it. Such heart. Such heart. Such heart.

And there are more. More women God is allowing me to befriend, to be moved by and hopefully, to encourage. I wish I could share about the other women God is placing in my life, but their stories were not told for all to hear, so their stories are theirs alone to share. But oh, how you would be in awe at their bravery, their courage, their lion’s heart. I am.