One of the many lessons that we can learn from Hannah is letting go. She understood that all we have and receive on this earth is on loan from God. She could have made excuses for keeping her young son and few would blame her if she became a possessive mother. But when God answered her prayer, she followed through on her promise and dedicated Samuel to God’s service. Hannah discovered that the greatest joy in having a child is giving that child fully and freely back to God. She entered motherhood prepared to do what all mothers must eventually do – let go of their children. The bible tells…

The Lord answered Hannah’s prayer and she gave birth to a son and named him Samuel. Imagine the joy she felt as she held the answer to her prayers in her arms. Kissing his sweet little cheeks, smelling the new baby scent as she rocked him to sleep. Counting all his fingers and toes as she gently rubbed each one. How many times she must have caught herself staring at the miracle before her. Then there were the moments of remembering her promise to God. She had promised that if He would give her a son, she would give him back to the Lord for all the days of his…

At the beginning of Hannah’s story she had been discouraged to the point of being physically sick and unable to eat and then in the middle of it she returned home well and happy. What changed? First she poured her heart out to God holding nothing back. Completely honest about her feelings and the desires of her heart. Next she received encouragement from Eli. Once he saw the truth of her earnest praying, he blessed her. Finally she resolved to leave the problem with God. Her example gives us the remedy for discouragement. As Godly Women of Influence we have the opportunity to participate in this remedy from both ends.…

A snap judgement is defined as a hasty decision or opinion and I’m sure that we all have made them at one time or another. Sometimes those decisions are spot on and other times they miss the mark. While Hannah was pouring out her heart to God, her lips moved but her voice was not heard. Eli the priest was observing her and made a snap judgement that she was drunk and rebuked her. But Hannah replied, “Not so, my lord! I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.  Do not take your servant for a wicked…

Please God! Help me! I will do anything if You will just help me right now! Have you ever felt or prayed that way before? In our desperation we are willing to do just about anything to get the help we desire but when the moment has past do we follow through with our vows? In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his…

One time when Elkanah and his family had finished eating and drinking at Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. (1 Samuel 1:9-10) That was the moment when everything changed. She had been sitting down for a long time. For many years she had been down, allowing things to happen the way they came. Allowing things to affect her and people to hurt her.  But then came a day; the day Hannah stood up. We all have that moment deep within us when we cannot just sit any longer…

Hannah’s story tells us that her rival, Peninnah, kept provoking her in order to irritate her and this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you so downcast? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons? Hannah knew that her husband loved her, but even his encouragement could not comfort her. She could not keep from hearing Peninnah’s jeers and letting her hurtful words erode her self confidence. Have you ever experienced…

Pray with expectation. We’ve heard that phrase many times and it is an expression of faith, believing that God will hear and answer our prayers. But what happens when our expectations are unmet and our hopes are derailed? Hannah must have experienced that discouragement many times as she waited for her prayers for a child to be answered. What do you do in moments like that when you feel your faith wavering and you begin to doubt when things start to go badly? That’s when we need to remember what we know about God. Remembering who He is and what He has done will help us to renew our faith…

Believe it or not we can all relate to Hannah’s childless situation. Not only did she fervently pray for an answer to her prayers, but for years the answer seemed to be a “no” from God. Perhaps she even prayed for relief from the constant torment and judgment that Peninnah piled on her with each new child that was born. The apostle Paul also prayed repeatedly for the thorn in his side to be removed. The Lord’s response was that His Grace Was Sufficient. Many have speculated about what his thorn was, but regardless, it was chronic, debilitating and felt life altering enough to bring him to his knees. I…