Latest / Abide Meditation App / Bedtime Bible Stories for Women - Abide Meditation App
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: Find rest as you listen to this peaceful bedtime story.
- 0:04Speaker 1: For more Bible stories that bring you refreshing sleep, download
- 0:08Speaker 1: the Abide app in the iTunes or Google play Store.
- 0:12Speaker 2: Welcome to this time on Abide meditation to guide you
- 0:15Speaker 2: into a relaxing night of sleep. This soothing story from
- 0:19Speaker 2: holy scripture will help you softly fall asleep in the
- 0:23Speaker 2: caring arms of God, who loves you and watches over
- 0:27Speaker 2: you as you rest. As you begin, shift your mind
- 0:31Speaker 2: slowly away from today's tasks and worries. Soak instead in
- 0:37Speaker 2: God's presence and begin to get comfortable. Close your eyes
- 0:42Speaker 2: and relax. Breathe in God's peace and breathe out your troubles.
- 0:49Speaker 2: If you fall asleep before the story is finished, all
- 0:52Speaker 2: the better. I give you permission now to fall asleep
- 0:56Speaker 2: and dream sweet dreams. God is present too even while
- 1:01Speaker 2: you dream. Listen to me. Pray for you now as
- 1:04Speaker 2: you begin to sleep. Dear God, for this cherished child
- 1:09Speaker 2: of yours. Fill their heart and mind fresh with your
- 1:13Speaker 2: presence and peace. Invite them to you and give them
- 1:18Speaker 2: the rest for their souls. Let their sleep be easy
- 1:22Speaker 2: as you lift their burdens and sleep. And now may
- 1:26Speaker 2: your Holy spirit, guide their dreams and renew their hearts
- 1:31Speaker 2: as they rest in you in Jesus' name, Amen, Now
- 1:36Speaker 2: drift off to the land of dreams as the story begins.
- 1:45Speaker 3: Settle in as the story of Ruth and Naomi unfolds
- 1:50Speaker 3: through the eyes of Ruth, imagine the world that Ruth saw.
- 1:57Speaker 3: Look once again past your grain fields and crops, decimated
- 2:02Speaker 3: by drought and famine. You've lost everything. See a spot
- 2:10Speaker 3: under oak trees where sadly your husband Mollin is buried. Naomi,
- 2:18Speaker 3: your mother in law, comes outside and sees you looking
- 2:23Speaker 3: sadly out at the land. She grieves too, and has
- 2:28Speaker 3: lost both her sons. There's nothing left for her here.
- 2:34Speaker 3: She wants to go back to her land. Still, she
- 2:38Speaker 3: wants nothing but the best for you. See Naomi smile
- 2:43Speaker 3: at you and speak this blessing over you. May the
- 2:48Speaker 3: Lord show you kindness. May he help you find rest
- 2:53Speaker 3: in another home. Naomi has been so kind to you.
- 3:04Speaker 3: Your stepsister decides to leave Naomi and go back to
- 3:08Speaker 3: her old friends and family. What will you do? You
- 3:13Speaker 3: are so thankful for the kindness she has shown you.
- 3:17Speaker 3: If you stay with Naomi, you will go to a
- 3:20Speaker 3: new land and live in a new place without much money,
- 3:25Speaker 3: but you'll do it with someone you love and trust. Look,
- 3:31Speaker 3: Naomi says to you, your sister in law has gone
- 3:35Speaker 3: back to her people and to her gods. You should
- 3:39Speaker 3: do the same. But you have made up your mind.
- 3:45Speaker 3: Don't ask me to leave you and turn back, you say.
- 3:50Speaker 3: Your heart fills with love for her. Wherever you go,
- 3:56Speaker 3: I will go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your
- 4:03Speaker 3: people will be my people, and your God will be
- 4:09Speaker 3: my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there
- 4:16Speaker 3: I will be buried. Naomi sees your devotion and smiles.
- 4:24Speaker 3: You both prepare for the trip to this new land together.
- 4:29Speaker 3: You pack your belongings and go to sleep. As you
- 4:34Speaker 3: close your eyes, you dream of the new places and
- 4:37Speaker 3: people you will see tomorrow. Rest for a moment and
- 4:45Speaker 3: breathe in that same spirit of trust from God. Breathe
- 4:50Speaker 3: out and release your worries. Breathe in and let the
- 4:57Speaker 3: Holy Spirit fill you with faith. Rest now in God's arms.
- 5:11Speaker 3: You take off the cloth that covers your head, shake
- 5:15Speaker 3: it out, and rewrap it across your forehead. The hot
- 5:19Speaker 3: sun is beating down on you this morning, but you
- 5:23Speaker 3: couldn't be happier. You stand in a field thick with grain.
- 5:30Speaker 3: A wealthy man named Boas has let you pick his
- 5:34Speaker 3: leftover barley. As you walk behind his workers, you hear
- 5:39Speaker 3: Boaz's voice booming to the harvesters, blessing them the Lord
- 5:45Speaker 3: be with you. Your cheeks flush. His deep baritone voice
- 5:52Speaker 3: reminds you of your late husband Mollin. Secretly, you long
- 5:58Speaker 3: for a strong and hind companion. Embarrassed by your thoughts,
- 6:04Speaker 3: you glue your eyes to the ground. You overhear Boas
- 6:10Speaker 3: quiz a foreman, who does that young woman belong to you?
- 6:15Speaker 3: Hear him asking about you, and wonder whether he will
- 6:19Speaker 3: despise you because you're a foreign woman. Breathe in and
- 6:25Speaker 3: feel your heart beat. As Boaz approaches you. Boaz speaks
- 6:33Speaker 3: gently to you, stay here with the women who work
- 6:38Speaker 3: for me. You look into his eyes. They are warm,
- 6:44Speaker 3: dancing with merriment. At meal time, Boaz says to you,
- 6:50Speaker 3: come over here, have some bread and dip it in
- 6:53Speaker 3: the wine vinegar. You feel him watching you as you
- 6:58Speaker 3: take a piece of bread and dip it in the vinegar.
- 7:02Speaker 3: You eat all you want and try not to blush.
- 7:06Speaker 3: You didn't realize how hungry you were at the end
- 7:11Speaker 3: of the day, Boaz gives you a huge basket of
- 7:15Speaker 3: food that you take home. You share your food and
- 7:19Speaker 3: story with Naomi. Blessed be the man who took notice
- 7:24Speaker 3: of you, Naomi says. Then Naomi suggests a bold plan.
- 7:32Speaker 3: She tells you to dress up and visit Boaz at
- 7:36Speaker 3: night after he sorts the grain out from the chaff.
- 7:40Speaker 3: You hide your shock as Naomi describes how to lay
- 7:44Speaker 3: at his feet. Your heart flutters, but you still tell Naomi, okay,
- 7:52Speaker 3: I'll do everything you say. You tiptoe passed the grain pile,
- 7:59Speaker 3: and here Boaz, snoring softly. You lay down quietly at
- 8:05Speaker 3: his feet. At midnight, Boaz wakes you up. You gather
- 8:14Speaker 3: all your courage and ask him to give you his
- 8:19Speaker 3: cover of protection as your family redeemer. His voice is tender.
- 8:27Speaker 3: I am a guardian, redeemer of our family, he tells you.
- 8:32Speaker 3: If the other guardian is not willing, I will do it.
- 8:37Speaker 3: Boas hasn't rejected you. He's welcomed you as family. As
- 8:44Speaker 3: you fall back asleep, savor the feeling that someone kind
- 8:49Speaker 3: will take care of you. Rest for a moment and
- 8:54Speaker 3: breathe in that same spirit of trust from God. Breathe out,
- 9:03Speaker 3: Let go of any earthly thing you're clinging to. The
- 9:11Speaker 3: Next morning, you go with Boaz to the town gate,
- 9:14Speaker 3: surrounded by a crowd of witnesses and neighbors. He commits
- 9:19Speaker 3: himself to you. He tells the witnesses today you are
- 9:26Speaker 3: witnesses that I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Molin,
- 9:31Speaker 3: to be my wife. Then the witnesses cheer for you.
- 9:37Speaker 3: They look at you and speak this blessing over you.
- 9:42Speaker 3: May the Lord make you like Rachel and Leah, from
- 9:46Speaker 3: whom all the nation of Israel descended. Boaz beams with
- 9:52Speaker 3: pride as they slap him on the back. A few
- 9:56Speaker 3: days later, Naomi places a bridal veil over your head.
- 10:01Speaker 3: She smiles with tears in her eyes, reminding you of
- 10:06Speaker 3: God's provision. Tears flow as you remember how far you've come.
- 10:13Speaker 3: Only because of the Lord's goodness has this dream come
- 10:17Speaker 3: to pass. Soon you have your first child, a baby boy.
- 10:24Speaker 3: All your dreams have come true and more. You don't
- 10:28Speaker 3: know it yet, but your son Obd will be the
- 10:31Speaker 3: grandfather of David, the Great King of Israel. Through David's line,
- 10:38Speaker 3: the Messiah will be born Jesus the redeemer for the
- 10:43Speaker 3: entire world. May you dream in peace, trust God's provision,
- 10:50Speaker 3: and lay your future in his hands. Just as God
- 10:56Speaker 3: provided richly for Ruth, he will provide richly for you.
- 11:04Speaker 3: Bring anything that feels unresolved, relationships, projects, decisions, commit them
- 11:14Speaker 3: over to God and his plans, and receive this same
- 11:19Speaker 3: blessing that Ruth received. May the Lord, the God of Israel,
- 11:26Speaker 3: under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward
- 11:31Speaker 3: you fully for what you have done. Now, shift your
- 11:38Speaker 3: mind away from today's tasks and worries, soak in God's
- 11:46Speaker 3: presence and get comfortable. Close your eyes and relax. Breathe
- 11:56Speaker 3: in God's peace and breathe out your troubles.
- 12:08Speaker 2: Welcome to this time on Abide meditation to guide you
- 12:11Speaker 2: into a relaxing night of sleep. This soothing story from
- 12:16Speaker 2: Holy Scripture will help you softly fall asleep in the
- 12:20Speaker 2: caring arms of God, who loves you and watches over
- 12:23Speaker 2: you as you rest. As you begin, shift your mind
- 12:28Speaker 2: slowly away from today's tasks and worries. Soak instead in
- 12:33Speaker 2: God's presence and begin to get comfortable. Close your eyes
- 12:38Speaker 2: and relax. Breathe in God's peace and breathe out your troubles.
- 12:45Speaker 2: If you fall asleep before the story is finished, all
- 12:48Speaker 2: the better. I give you permission now to fall asleep
- 12:52Speaker 2: and dream sweet dreams. God is present too, even while
- 12:57Speaker 2: you dream. Listen to me. Pray for you now as
- 13:00Speaker 2: you begin to sleep. Dear God, for this cherished child
- 13:06Speaker 2: of yours. Fill their heart and mind fresh with your
- 13:09Speaker 2: presence and peace. Invite them to you and give them
- 13:14Speaker 2: the rest for their souls. Let their sleep be easy
- 13:19Speaker 2: as you lift their burdens and sleep. And now may
- 13:23Speaker 2: your Holy Spirit guide their dreams and renew their hearts
- 13:27Speaker 2: as they rest in you. In Jesus' name. Amen, Now
- 13:33Speaker 2: drift off to the land of dreams as the story begins.
- 13:40Speaker 4: Welcome to the story. Sarah waits for laughter. Sarah and
- 13:45Speaker 4: her husband Abraham waited twenty five years to have the
- 13:49Speaker 4: child that God had promised them. She waited so long
- 13:53Speaker 4: that she even laughed when God said he would give
- 13:56Speaker 4: her a son. She thought she was too old and
- 13:59Speaker 4: it was possible. Yet after waiting for God, she found
- 14:04Speaker 4: something greater than she could have ever expected, a miracle
- 14:07Speaker 4: child and laughs of joy. God's plans for you may
- 14:14Speaker 4: seem big or even hard, people may even laugh at them.
- 14:19Speaker 4: But like Sarah, may you see that God's timing is perfect,
- 14:24Speaker 4: even if it's not always the timing that you hope
- 14:27Speaker 4: for or even expect. He always has a plan, and
- 14:32Speaker 4: God never goes back on his word. Whatever you're waiting
- 14:38Speaker 4: on God for, trust him with it. Now, don't let
- 14:42Speaker 4: waiting stop you from dreaming. Here God tells Sarah that
- 14:47Speaker 4: he is able. Is anything too hard for the Lord?
- 14:51Speaker 4: He said, I will return about this time next year,
- 14:54Speaker 4: and you will have a son. He's a God of
- 14:57Speaker 4: his word, and his plans for you will unfold in
- 15:00Speaker 4: due time. Now, begin to imagine what Sarah saw, what
- 15:08Speaker 4: she felt and experienced as she waited for God's promise
- 15:12Speaker 4: to come to pass. Sarah's heart, mind, and spirit had
- 15:16Speaker 4: anticipated this promise for so long that undoubtedly she began
- 15:21Speaker 4: to wonder if they even heard God correctly. Perhaps he
- 15:26Speaker 4: didn't really say it, or maybe he changed his mind.
- 15:31Speaker 4: What thoughts might you feel after waiting for so long
- 15:34Speaker 4: for a promise to come true? Using your imagination, see
- 15:39Speaker 4: this story unfold through the eyes of Abraham's wife, Sarah,
- 15:47Speaker 4: Your husband Abraham is sitting near you outside of the tents,
- 15:50Speaker 4: deep in thought. You've been traveling through the foreign land
- 15:54Speaker 4: of Canaan because God told Abraham to come here. He said,
- 15:59Speaker 4: leave your country and your relatives and your father's house,
- 16:02Speaker 4: and go to the land that I will show you.
- 16:06Speaker 4: Now you've settled into this promised land that God has
- 16:08Speaker 4: shown you, notice the oak trees and the meadows that
- 16:12Speaker 4: spread across the rolling hills. The view takes your breath away.
- 16:18Speaker 4: You see vibrant colors spreading across the meadow as wildflowers
- 16:22Speaker 4: are blooming. You take in a deep breath and enjoy
- 16:26Speaker 4: the clean floral aroma. Hear the breeze rushing through the trees.
- 16:33Speaker 4: God's word had come true, and as you sit in
- 16:36Speaker 4: the promised land, you whisper a thank you to Him.
- 16:39Speaker 4: As you take in the beautiful landscape, you remember that
- 16:43Speaker 4: God has just appeared to Abraham and he had said,
- 16:47Speaker 4: I'll give this land to your offspring. You look over
- 16:51Speaker 4: at Abraham as he considers this promise. Is he smiling
- 16:55Speaker 4: as he's reminded of such a powerful promise, or does
- 16:59Speaker 4: he look concern it all? Since you don't even have
- 17:02Speaker 4: children yet. You and Abraham eat your dinner and watch
- 17:09Speaker 4: the red sun set over the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. Your
- 17:13Speaker 4: eyes are drawn up to the sky that seems packed
- 17:16Speaker 4: with stars. See the bright North Star above the hills
- 17:21Speaker 4: on the horizon of the Promised Land. Peer into the cloudy,
- 17:25Speaker 4: vast stars of the Milky Way, and see the dim
- 17:28Speaker 4: little dots of distant light. The entire sky, stretching from
- 17:33Speaker 4: east to west, is full of stars. Try counting them one, two, three.
- 17:43Speaker 4: There's so many that your eyes drift and you begin
- 17:46Speaker 4: to get sleepy. You're reminded that those stars were a
- 17:51Speaker 4: part of God's promise. He told Abraham that you would
- 17:55Speaker 4: have more offspring than the stars and the skies, and
- 17:59Speaker 4: that all the world will be blessed through them. That's
- 18:02Speaker 4: an awful lot of children. That's a big promise. How
- 18:07Speaker 4: is this going to happen? You wonder you're getting older
- 18:10Speaker 4: and you still don't have a single child. You glance
- 18:14Speaker 4: over at Abraham. He's getting older too, but he seems
- 18:19Speaker 4: so content and peace filled. His patient faith is inspiring
- 18:24Speaker 4: to you. Do you trust that nothing's too hard for God?
- 18:33Speaker 4: Rest for a moment and breathe in trust from God.
- 18:38Speaker 4: Let the Holy Spirit fill you with faith. Breathe out
- 18:43Speaker 4: and release your worries rest now in God's arms. Twenty
- 18:54Speaker 4: five years have now passed since God's promise to Abraham.
- 18:58Speaker 4: So much has happened in those years. A famine has come,
- 19:02Speaker 4: and you've been on a long, hungry journey across the
- 19:05Speaker 4: desert to Egypt for food. But now you've returned to
- 19:09Speaker 4: the promised land. God has shown up many times in
- 19:13Speaker 4: many ways, but you're still childless. You rest under the
- 19:18Speaker 4: shade of the oak trees, just as you did twenty
- 19:21Speaker 4: five years before. Abraham sits not far away from you
- 19:25Speaker 4: at the entrance of his tent. He's ninety nine years
- 19:29Speaker 4: old now, and it's the hottest part of the day.
- 19:33Speaker 4: How does that sunlight feel as it falls onto your face?
- 19:38Speaker 4: What does the warm breeze smell like? God has been
- 19:42Speaker 4: so faithful to give you food and sunlight, But where
- 19:46Speaker 4: is your child? You want to believe him, but you
- 19:50Speaker 4: find yourself doubting more with each passing day. Suddenly you
- 19:58Speaker 4: see Abraham look up and three men standing nearby. His
- 20:03Speaker 4: old arms push him up to his feet, and he
- 20:06Speaker 4: slowly begins to run to meet those three men. You
- 20:10Speaker 4: haven't seen him move like that in a long time,
- 20:12Speaker 4: so you since the importance of this visit from these men.
- 20:17Speaker 4: You see him bowing low to the ground. Abraham then
- 20:22Speaker 4: turns and runs back to you and excitedly says, hurry, Sarah,
- 20:27Speaker 4: get three large measures of your best flower, knead it
- 20:30Speaker 4: into dough and bake some bread. Then he runs off.
- 20:35Speaker 4: You immediately go inside the tent to make several loaves
- 20:38Speaker 4: of bread. How does the dough feel as it moves
- 20:42Speaker 4: through your fingers? What do you think about? Is you
- 20:45Speaker 4: prepare the loaves for your guests? Are you curious at
- 20:49Speaker 4: all why they've come?
- 20:51Speaker 3: Do you?
- 20:51Speaker 4: Since you may know? You place the loaves in a
- 20:57Speaker 4: brick oven and wait while it bakes. You smell the sweet,
- 21:01Speaker 4: fresh bread that you're about to serve to these three guests.
- 21:06Speaker 4: As you're waiting for the bread to bake, you hear
- 21:09Speaker 4: Abraham outside speaking with the three men, so you listen in.
- 21:14Speaker 4: One of the men tells Abraham, I'll return to you
- 21:17Speaker 4: about this time next year, and your wife Sarah will
- 21:20Speaker 4: have a son. Before you even realize what's happening, you
- 21:24Speaker 4: let out a loud laugh. Ugh, can he be serious?
- 21:29Speaker 4: Can an old woman like you have a baby? Surely
- 21:33Speaker 4: he must be mistaken. You hear one of them say
- 21:36Speaker 4: to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say?
- 21:41Speaker 4: Can an old woman like me have a baby? Is
- 21:44Speaker 4: anything too hard for the Lord? Suddenly you realized you
- 21:49Speaker 4: just laughed at God? Will God get mad at you?
- 21:52Speaker 4: Now you start to become afraid, And instead of admitting it,
- 21:57Speaker 4: you say I didn't laugh without missing a beat. The
- 22:01Speaker 4: man says, no, you did laugh. Yes you did. But
- 22:07Speaker 4: even though you laughed, God still promises that you will
- 22:10Speaker 4: have a son. Rest for a moment. Breathe in trust
- 22:16Speaker 4: from God. Let the Holy Spirit fill you with faith.
- 22:22Speaker 4: Breathe out and release your worries. Your cares rest now
- 22:28Speaker 4: in God's arms. Months have passed and your waiting has ended.
- 22:38Speaker 4: Laughter has come. Less than a year later, you're holding
- 22:43Speaker 4: your promised son. Your baby is born, just at the
- 22:47Speaker 4: time that God had said, look into your baby's face
- 22:51Speaker 4: and watch him laugh. How does it feel to hold
- 22:55Speaker 4: this laughing boy, Isaac in your arms? Abraham names your
- 23:03Speaker 4: son Isaac, which ironically means laughter. Whenever you hear laughter,
- 23:09Speaker 4: you can think of Isaac. You can remember God's promise
- 23:13Speaker 4: coming true. God has brought me laughter. You say, all
- 23:19Speaker 4: who hear about this will laugh with me. Who would
- 23:22Speaker 4: have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby.
- 23:25Speaker 4: Yet I've given Abraham a son in his old age. Now,
- 23:33Speaker 4: as you sleep tonight, remember that God promised for Abraham
- 23:36Speaker 4: and Sarah to have more offspring than the stars. Isaac
- 23:41Speaker 4: will have a son, Jacob, and Jacob will father the
- 23:44Speaker 4: twelve tribes of Israel. These tribes will become a great nation.
- 23:49Speaker 4: And one day, near this same place, just a few
- 23:53Speaker 4: miles from where Sarah was laughing with Isaac, Jesus Christ
- 23:57Speaker 4: will be born in Bethlehem. See that bright star shining
- 24:01Speaker 4: over his manger, the one star that pointed to the
- 24:05Speaker 4: promise from God that changed the world forever.
- 24:11Speaker 2: And now, with your eyes still close softly, just rest
- 24:15Speaker 2: and dream as the word of God is prayed softly
- 24:18Speaker 2: over you in this continuing time of peaceful relaxation. Just
- 24:24Speaker 2: breathe slowly and deeply, as every few moments you hear
- 24:28Speaker 2: God's word being offered to you. Now, just breathe and
- 24:34Speaker 2: imagine and dream, hear his whisper tonight. Come to me.
- 24:46Speaker 2: You are safe here, no condemnation, only my grace. Come
- 24:51Speaker 2: to me now.
- 24:58Speaker 3: Welcome to the bed time story of Esther chosen by
- 25:02Speaker 3: the King, being chosen for an important job can feel pressuring.
- 25:08Speaker 3: Meeting deadlines can leave you feeling stressed and anxious. Esther
- 25:13Speaker 3: felt pressure as well when she was called from ordinary
- 25:17Speaker 3: living to a royal position. However, est was chosen by
- 25:22Speaker 3: God for a purpose, and she chose to trust him.
- 25:27Speaker 3: Now close your eyes and relax. Put your trust in
- 25:32Speaker 3: the Lord. Let go of all the pressures you face
- 25:37Speaker 3: and give them over to God. Take a deep breath
- 25:43Speaker 3: and rest in God's presence. Invite the Holy Spirit to
- 25:49Speaker 3: fill your room. Listen as I begin your sleep story,
- 25:55Speaker 3: allowing God's peace to settle over you. Holy God, God,
- 26:00Speaker 3: please settle my heart and my mind. As I allow
- 26:05Speaker 3: your presence to fill the room. Lord, I cast all
- 26:09Speaker 3: of my anxieties on you. Thank you for your loving
- 26:14Speaker 3: provision over me. I know that I can leave all
- 26:18Speaker 3: worries behind and sleep deeply in your presence. I pray
- 26:24Speaker 3: for complete trust in you tonight in Jesus name. Amen.
- 26:33Speaker 3: Now imagine that you are Esther. You live with your
- 26:39Speaker 3: uncle Mordecai in the Persian city of Suza. Your uncle
- 26:43Speaker 3: loves you like his own daughter. He has cared for
- 26:47Speaker 3: you faithfully since your father and mother passed. You feel
- 26:51Speaker 3: great security and comfort that God has cared for you
- 26:55Speaker 3: through hard times. The Persian king wants a new wife,
- 27:00Speaker 3: and he's asking to have beautiful young women from the
- 27:04Speaker 3: region presented to him. Mordecai wants to send you to
- 27:09Speaker 3: the king's court along with the other young women of
- 27:12Speaker 3: the region. You go willingly, but do not mention that
- 27:17Speaker 3: you are Jewish. You are following the direction of your uncle,
- 27:21Speaker 3: who loves you and is trying to protect you. How
- 27:26Speaker 3: does it feel to be protected by someone who loves
- 27:29Speaker 3: you very much and only wants the best for you.
- 27:36Speaker 3: As you enter the king's courts, you're put under the
- 27:39Speaker 3: care of Hagai, the caretaker of the young women. He
- 27:43Speaker 3: finds favor in you and gives you everything you need.
- 27:48Speaker 3: You have never seen such beautiful and lavish things. The gold,
- 27:53Speaker 3: the silver, all of it is exquisite. You are amazed
- 27:58Speaker 3: by Hagai's favor and kindness. You look around and take
- 28:03Speaker 3: it all in. This is your new life. Every morning,
- 28:11Speaker 3: your uncle Mordecai paces in front of the women's living
- 28:14Speaker 3: quarters to inquire of your well being. Let this picture
- 28:18Speaker 3: of Mordecai remind you that God cares for you and
- 28:22Speaker 3: never stops pacing outside your door, ensuring your safety and
- 28:27Speaker 3: well being. Remember that even while you sleep, God does
- 28:33Speaker 3: not sleep or slumber. He keeps perfect watch over you.
- 28:40Speaker 3: Let that give you peaceful rest tonight, knowing that your
- 28:44Speaker 3: heavenly father is keeping you safe. For twelve long months,
- 28:54Speaker 3: you prepare yourself to meet the king. Beauty treatments that
- 28:58Speaker 3: include oils and nas and perfumes are given to you
- 29:01Speaker 3: and all the young women who are candidates to be
- 29:04Speaker 3: the next queen. Imagine the sweet fragrance of those ancient
- 29:10Speaker 3: oils and perfumes that are used in your preparation. Inhale
- 29:17Speaker 3: deeply now, and relax your body even more as you
- 29:22Speaker 3: imagine the beautiful fragrances used in preparation to meet the king.
- 29:32Speaker 3: As time goes on, you gain the favor of all
- 29:36Speaker 3: who meet you. You ask for wisdom and seek guidance
- 29:40Speaker 3: from your uncle Mordecai. You are a woman of wisdom
- 29:44Speaker 3: and discernment in all things. Finally, it is time to
- 29:52Speaker 3: meet the King. When you are taken into the royal court,
- 29:56Speaker 3: the king loves you more than all the others. You
- 30:01Speaker 3: find grace and favor in his sight. He places a
- 30:05Speaker 3: crown upon your head, and you become the new Queen
- 30:09Speaker 3: of Persia. Of course, God has even more plans for you.
- 30:16Speaker 3: You don't know it yet, but you are going to
- 30:18Speaker 3: be instrumental in saving God's people from persecution. With your
- 30:23Speaker 3: royal title, you are now in a position to protect
- 30:27Speaker 3: the Jewish nation. Trust that God has a divine purpose
- 30:32Speaker 3: for your life. Rest securely in that purpose. Now, the
- 30:42Speaker 3: King does not know that you are Jewish, for you
- 30:45Speaker 3: continue to hide it from him, as your uncle Mordecai
- 30:48Speaker 3: directed you to do. This is all part of God's
- 30:52Speaker 3: perfect plan. Over time, the king puts into command a
- 30:59Speaker 3: man by the name of Hayman. Being a prideful and
- 31:03Speaker 3: arrogant man, Hayman takes offense at Mordecai, your uncle, because
- 31:07Speaker 3: he refuses to bow down to him. Enraged, Hayman orders
- 31:12Speaker 3: that all Jews throughout the whole region be put to death. However,
- 31:19Speaker 3: even as Hayman plots to destroy the Jewish people,