A woman of valor who can find? For her price is far above rubies (Proverbs 31:10 JPS Tanakh).

 A woman of valor is a warrior at heart. She fights for her faith, her family and her community. But sometimes, her toughest battles are for her God-given dreams. I wonder if some wars are harder than others because the enemy knows the stakes are so high?

I think back to our long years of infertility and my fierce fight to have a baby.  I couldn’t have known it at the time, but I was waging a battle not just for our firstborn daughter, but also for our next baby, a son.  Then another son.  And now, four grandchildren and counting.

Our daughter recently said something to me which made me pause: “Mama, you didn’t know when you were going through all those years of infertility that you were also fighting for all these little people to be born,” pointing to our grandchildren.

Perhaps my fight was so fierce because the enemy wanted what I had—the promise of children and grandchildren who would glorify God.  And ultimately, generations beyond those.

But I had something else the enemy wanted. And so do you. He wanted to steal my testimony. He wanted to make it impossible for me to tell the miraculous story of God’s healing that enabled me to have those babies. He wanted to rob me of the chance to encourage others who are waiting for answers to their own prayers.

Quite simply, the devil wants to steal the story God is weaving through your dream.  Or through this trial you’re enduring so bravely.  He wants to steal your testimony.  In the end, he wants to steal God’s glory.

Dear friend, don’t give up. God is faithful. One day you will have a story to tell. A story that will cause others yearn to know this wonderful God Who is the Giver of Dreams.

Adapted from: Marilynn Chadwick, Woman of Valor: Discovering the Courage and Strength God Gave You (Eugene: Harvest House, 2017).