Jasmine's Place Issue No. 3 - January/February 2013 | Page 20

…it seemed that at least with Judah, Leah had
stopped trying to make Jacob love her and
instead had shifted her gaze to God
two as mine, but the reality is they
will always be known as my
handmaiden's sons. Do I have a place
in Your plan, Lord?"
Standing quietly, still looking at the
stars, it occurred to her that Leah’s
fourth son had been named Judah which meant "Now I will praise the
Lord."
When she thought a little bit more
about his name, it seemed that at
least with Judah, Leah had stopped
trying to make Jacob love her and
instead had shifted her gaze to God.
Looking higher, trying to see beyond
the stars, she whispered, "I’ve never
seen it that way before, Lord, has my
focus been wrong all this time? It’s
true that I’m the beautiful one, the
one that Jacob loves. But my beauty
hasn't taken away my shame and
neither has Jacob’s love. Jealousy
and tantrums haven’t done any good
and my scheming hasn’t helped
either."

whispered – "Lord, nothing I have or
have done has worked. I’ve run out
of myself … out of options…I’m tired
and spent. If indeed, my focus has
been wrong, I’m sorry, please forgive
me. You are the only One I will look
to now. Please touch my life, Lord."
Then the Lord remembered Rachel,
He listened to her and opened her
womb. She gave birth to a son and
said, "God has taken away my
humiliation..."
Copyright © 2011 Puaichie Badejo. All rights
reserved.
Adapted from Genesis 29-30, Genesis 22:17,
and insights from a teaching at a KICC’s
Winning Women's Conference.

Then she went back into the tent,
slowly went down on her knees, bent
her face to the ground and

JASMINE'S PLACE

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