Consider the story of Hannah. She was a woman deeply loved by her husband, and yet she was terribly troubled because she did not have children. This caused her profound heartache. So she went to church—well, the temple—to petition God. She wept and prayed, and in Hannah’s story, she was given a promise that she would have a son named Samuel.
Now, you might imagine that a mother who longs so deeply for a child would hold on tightly to him, but that is not what happens in this story. Hannah’s prayers are answered, and she recognizes that the gift she is given does not belong to her. Hannah understands that Samuel, her son, is a gift from God, given to live into his purpose.
Hannah is a mother with deep faith and open hands. She gratefully receives the gift she was given, but she doesn’t try to hoard it. Living into Hannah’s story can shape how we see our kids when we feel our grip tightening or feel at a loss of where to turn for help.
The stories we read shape us and our children.
