Hannah expected the life of normalcy with a loving husband and lots of kids. Her story takes an unexpected turn with a barren womb and her husband must take another wife in order to continue his family line. Infertility is not foreign to moms in our modern day. Hannah’s deep desire to be a mom is poured out to God in the temple year after year and aggravated by a mean sister-wife. Kate helps us dig deep into this struggle by sharing a personal story of hurt feelings and a restored relationship. Through Hannah’s example we are inspired to face heartache and pain with grace and kindness.

Mentions:

• Hannah, as a baby girl name, gained the most popularity in 1995.
• Rebecca is struggling with the point of this podcast. We are bringing our Bible moms into the modern day but she is stuck in the wheat field. Stay tuned to see if Rebecca can make the right detour when it’s her turn to lead.
• Hannah’s son, Samuel, who was the final judge in Israel’s history and the prophet who anointed the first two kings of Israel. Her years of pain and barrenness gave way to a history-making son who followed God.

3 Types of Meanies – Hannah encountered these in her story and we often encounter them in our own lives.

1. Mean on Purpose – Penninah was overtly mean to Hannah, on purpose and with malicious intent.
2. Clueless and Mean – Elkanah misunderstood Hannah’s deep pain and suggested a shallow remedy.
3. Blame it on the Mean – Eli, the priest, tries to blame her deep sadness on the wrong cause and creates more meanness by accusing Hannah of being drunk.

Gospel Truth:

• 1 Samuel 1
• Romans 12:14-18
• Galatians 6:1

What’s your ONE THING?