Esther’s story has always been one of my favorite stories in the Bible. From an ordinary Jewish orphan to a queen who stood fearlessly to fulfill God’s purpose, her journey is a testament to faith and courage. Her words, “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16), have been a continuous challenge for me as I walk through life, faced with temptations and difficult decisions — striving to stay strong in faith and unwavering in purpose.

Esther's journey began during a time of great political instability and danger. As a young Jewish girl, part of a minority exiled from their homeland, Esther’s life seemed destined for obscurity. Raised by her cousin Mordecai after losing her parents, her life took an unexpected turn when she was chosen to be the queen of Persia, married to King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). Though her rise to royalty may have seemed like a twist of fate, it was far from coincidental.

From her quiet life with Mordecai to the pressures of palace life, Esther’s journey was far from smooth. Esther 2:14 tells us that once a woman was selected as a candidate to replace Queen Vashti, she had to remain in the palace for twelve months, uncertain of her fate: “In the evening she would go in, and in the morning, she would return to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not again go in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.” Esther’s future was entirely in the king’s hands. If he did not favor her, she would be relegated to the life of a concubine, confined to the palace and without the freedom to choose her own path.

Many in Esther’s position might have grown bitter, resentful, or miserable. But Esther remained gracious and grounded. Despite the uncertainty, she did not lose herself in the palace’s grandeur. With Mordecai continuing to watch over her from a distance (Esther 2:11), Esther learned to stand on her own while keeping her faith intact. Her strength was not in defiance but in quiet resilience, knowing that her life was in God’s hands.

In the royal palace, Esther’s Jewish heritage remaine ... Read more »