Queen Be

Dear Friend,

Within the hearts of most little girls, there is a desire to be a princess, or even perhaps a queen. As little girls, many of us dressed up in Cinderella-esque gowns, and we loved for our dresses to twirl as we spun round and round. We grew up looking for and desiring to meet (and marry!) our Prince Charming.

As I began to ponder the theme for the Culinary and Couture Issue, my mind went far back in time to a woman known by many as Queen Esther.

Her given name was Hadassah. She was a young Jewish girl whose entire family had been murdered. She was alone in the world except for a cousin, Mordecai, who welcomed her into his home and raised her like a daughter. Hadassah grew into a beautiful young woman. Little did she know that one day she would be brought into the palace in Persia for the most elaborate beauty contest of all time. The king, Xerxes—a very powerful ruler—had banished his first wife and was looking to replace her.

As I reflect upon Esther and all that she had endured as a young girl, I feel certain that she had no clue that one day she would live in a palace and be a wife and queen alongside such a mighty king. The Bible talks of the royal robes that Esther wore and the extravagant feasts the king threw in honor of their marriage. One can only imagine how the most talented courtiers in the world must have adorned her. But Esther had a purpose, and it was more than just being queen. It is a long story of those who wanted to destroy her people, the Jews, but Esther had favor with the king and was able to stop this horrible thing from happening. Esther was asked an important question: “Could it be that you have been chosen for such a time as this?”

“And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” —Esther 4:14

Now let us fast-forward to January 20, 2017, and the inaugural ball for the new president of the United States. Women from all over the world attended, dressed by the finest designers across the globe. Our new First Lady was adorned in a beautiful gown designed with no less care than Queen Esther’s royal robes. She too comes from a foreign land, and without her knowing at the time, she met and married a man who would become the most powerful man in the world. Could it be that she was called for such a time as this, just as Esther was?

We each have a destiny, a hope, and a calling. One is not greater than the other.

The mistake we make most often is in judging others by their outward appearances. We may even compare ourselves to them based on what we see. God, however, sees each of us as a queen. To Him, you are the most beautiful woman in the universe. There is none greater or more beautiful in His eyes. You are adored and loved far beyond what you could ever imagine. He wants you to believe and receive by faith His great love for you.

Blessings,
Pamela Dowling

—V—