In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 

1 Samuel 1:10 (NIV)

Hannah wept as she prayed for her heart’s desire to be a mom and to give birth to a son. Her fervent prayer was heart-felt, honest, tenacious, and bold—generated by a deep longing. In her anguish, she poured out her soul to the LORD (1 Samuel 1:15).

Prior to talking with the LORD all Hannah could do was to cry. She was hurting, unable to eat, consumed with the desire to bear a child (1Samuel 1:8, 18). But, after she spoke her concerns to God, her face was no longer downcast and she regained her appetite. Hannah began to live again.

Hannah’s outlook was altered prior to a change in her circumstances. She left the cry of her heart at the altar as she trusted the Lord. Hannah moved forward in the waiting.

Hannah’s example reminds me to pray for my heart’s desires but not be immobilized by them.  Even before the cry of my heart is realized, I must move forward, continue to live, and trust God in the waiting.

So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him” (1 Samuel 1:20).

Lori Wildenberg is passionate about helping families build connections that last a lifetime. A licensed family and parent educator and parent coach, Lori is the author of five books. The Messy Life of Parenting: Powerful and Practical Ways to Strengthen Family Connection is her most recent book. Lori and her husband Tom have four young-adult children. Their family is having a growth spurt that includes sons- and daughters-in-love, and a grandbaby! For more information go to www.loriwildenberg.com