Have you ever looked at your life and wondered, “How did I end up here?”
Maybe you imagined motherhood differently. You pictured family dinners where everyone gathered around the table, attended church together, and shared the same beliefs. Instead, you’ve spent countless nights praying for an adult child, wondering if your family will ever feel whole again.
If that’s where you are today, I want you to know you’re not alone.
The story of Esther isn’t simply about a courageous queen who saved her people. It’s a beautiful reminder that faith and fear can exist together, and that God is often working long before we recognize what He’s doing.
Esther's Story Didn't Transpire as She Imagined
Esther’s life was filled with unexpected turns.
She lost both of her parents and was raised by her cousin, Mordecai. She lived in captivity, far from the home she might have imagined. Then, through a series of unlikely events, she became queen.
From the outside, her story looked extraordinary. Yet behind the crown was a young woman who had experienced grief, uncertainty, and questions about the future.
I often wonder if Esther ever thought, This isn’t the life I imagined.
Many mothers feel the same way.
Perhaps your child’s choices have changed the picture you once held in your heart. Maybe you’re carrying disappointment because life hasn’t unfolded the way you hoped it would.
Even in those moments, God has not stopped working.
Esther didn’t know why she had been placed where she was.
Mordecai didn’t know either.
But God knew.
Faith and Fear Can Exist Together
One of my favorite moments in Esther’s story comes when Mordecai asks her to approach the king.
She understands the risk.
Walking into the king’s presence without being invited could cost her life.
Before taking that step, Esther asks her people to fast and pray. Then she makes one of the most courageous statements in scripture:
“If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)
Notice what she didn’t say. She didn’t say she wasn’t afraid and she didn’t suddenly become fearless.
She moved forward anyway.
That is what faith looks like. Sometimes we think courage feels like confidence. Esther teaches us something different. Courage often looks like trusting God while your knees are shaking.
A few weeks ago, during the Summer of Letting Go series, we talked about how faith and fear can exist together. Esther is a beautiful example of that truth. She didn’t wait until every fear disappeared before acting. She chose to trust God even though the outcome remained uncertain.
What might that look like today?
Maybe it’s having one more loving conversation with your child. It might be choosing not to have the conversation because the Spirit is inviting you to wait.
Maybe it’s showing up to church with a heavy heart. Or perhaps it’s letting go of trying to control what only God can change.
Whatever your situation, remember this: faith doesn’t require perfect certainty.
Need someone to walk through this with you?
If you’ve been carrying worry, disappointment, or fear about your family, you don’t have to do it alone. I’d love to invite you to schedule a Free Find Connection & Peace Call. In just 25 minutes, we’ll talk about what’s weighing on your heart and help you find greater peace and hope.
God Is Working Behind the Scenes
One of the most beautiful lessons in Esther’s story is that Heaven was moving long before Esther realized it. Every piece of her story mattered. Mordecai’s faithfulness. Esther becoming queen.The king remembering Mordecai’s loyalty.
Even the delays.
None of those moments made complete sense while she was living them. Looking back, however, God’s hand becomes unmistakable.
I think many of us experience life the same way.
During difficult seasons, it’s easy to wonder if God has forgotten us. We ask questions like:
“Why hasn’t He answered my prayers?”
Why is this taking so long?”
Then we remember another beautiful scripture from the Book of Mormon.
In Jacob 5, the allegory of the olive tree teaches us that the Lord is constantly digging, pruning, nourishing, and waiting.
Waiting isn’t inactivity.
God is working even when we can’t see the results.
Don't Judge the Story Before It's Finished
Don’t mistake unfinished chapters for the final page.
We have the blessing of knowing how Esther’s story ends. She didn’t. While she lived it, every chapter felt uncertain.
Your story may feel unfinished too. Perhaps you’re still waiting for healing in your family.
Maybe you’re praying for someone who has stepped away from the Church.
It’s tempting to believe today’s circumstances define tomorrow’s ending. They don’t. God is writing a story you can’t fully read yet.
That doesn’t mean every challenge disappears overnight. It does mean your Heavenly Parents are still involved in every chapter.
For Such a Time as This
“Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
I love that verse because it invites us to ask different questions. What if this season isn’t punishment, but preparation?
What if God trusted you with this family or your child’s story is shaping your discipleship in ways you cannot yet see?
Those questions don’t erase pain, but they do create space for hope.
Your Story Isn't Over
If you’re like me, motherhood probably looks different than you imagined. That doesn’t mean God has abandoned your family.
Esther had an unexpected story. She experienced grief before purpose, she carried both faith and fear.
Then she acted without knowing the outcome. In time, she discovered that God had been preparing the way all along.
The same God is working in your life today. Your story is not over and your child’s story is not over.
God’s work isn’t finished simply because you can’t see it yet.
One day, you may look back and recognize that Heaven was quietly weaving together blessings you couldn’t imagine while you were living through the waiting.
Until then, keep praying, loving. and trusting.
And remember that faith and fear can exist together.
If you’re carrying burdens that were never meant to be yours, I’d love to help. Schedule a Free Find Connection & Peace Call, and together we’ll talk about what’s heavy on your heart and help you move forward with greater hope, perspective, and peace.