Illuminating Scripture for Women to be
Encouraged, Equipped, and Engaged

Hi Reader.

I am preparing for tomorrow evening's discussion on Hagar as part of the year-long study of "First Ladies: All the Women in Genesis." Studying her on Mother's Day has added an interesting layer. It's sobering to contemplate the complexity of her journey into motherhood and wonder how it could resonate with all of us women. Motherhood was not a choice she made and yet, there is the gift of a son. This tension speaks to the duality of her experience - from being reduced to a mere vessel for bearing a child, to later experiencing deep love for Ishmael. Isn't that, in many ways, reflective of our own stories?

Reflecting on Hagar, I'm reminded of the diverse paths we walk as women. Some of you are mothers, some are not. Some are married, some divorced, and some have never married. Yet, amidst our varied circumstances, there is the shared reality of navigating through lives that are at times complicated, and at times beautiful, and everything in between.

What's remarkable about Hagar is that as an Egyptian slave and concubine, she gives us the name for God "El-Roi" - The God Who Sees Me. No other character in the Old Testament, male or female, names God. It's this God who sees us in our journeys.

Whatever your Mother’s Day, or any other day, looks like, I pray that you know that God sees you and is with you.

If you are unfamiliar with Hagar, here are the readings from Genesis that pertain to her.

• Genesis 16
• Genesis 17:1-22
• Genesis 25:12-18

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With you,

Linda Hannigan, BTh, CPLC, ACC Life, Leadership & Spiritual Formation Coaching, and Speaker ​ Owner & Coach 9 Lumens​ & Illuminate