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Do you wonder if God is really listening to you? If he knows—and cares—how badly you long for a child? How much you ache every time you walk into the grocery store and see all the mothers with children in their carts?

Hannah could be your "bosom friend" because she, too, longed for a child. Out of her grief and anguish, she made a trip to the temple and poured her heart out to God. In fact, she was so sorrowful over her childlessness that the priest thought she was drunk! However, because she continued to pray, God granted her petition. The Bible doesn't say how many days, months, or years went by, but God eventually granted her a child. As a result of her gratefulness to God, she honored the vow she'd made while childless: to give the child back to God's service as soon as he was weaned. What a tough experience for a first-time mom—to receive a long-awaited child, then not get to care for him! Thus, Hannah's child came not in the way she expected … but God did grant her request.

Are you open to God's surprises—or are you insisting he do things your way? (See also Genesis 18; 1-15; 21:1-7; Genesis 25:20-26; Genesis 30:1-8.)

Good Words to Remember:
Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of him. 1 Samuel 1:17

Today's Challenge:
As you consider your childlessness, are there other options you might want to consider? Foster-care? Adoption? Being a big sister to a needy urban child?

Bible Studies on Parenting and Family