Women Blessed With Strength

My daughter had her second child. What a treat for me. And what a memory of days gone by.

How ever did I do this?

My daughter looked at me as well–“five times you did this, mom?”

My last pregnancy, I remember praying that I might be blessed like those wilderness women–the Nephite women.

Nephi records in his journal, that finally, the women stopped murmuring and complaining. But the women had to trudge through that wilderness eight years. They were pregnant and nursing, living in a tent. Bows got broken. Surely there was fear of death.

That must have been worth some complaining.

He does acknowledge that they had to “wade” through much “affliction” and  that their women had to bear children in the wilderness. They had to eat raw meat.

The Lord did not take away this affliction–but he did make it easier.

The meat was made “sweet” and the women were blessed–they had plenty of breastmilk going on, and best of the best–they were as strong as the men.

That’s what I’m talking about–strong as the men.  I must confess, I have prayed that I would be as strong as the men.  I had plenty of suck, no problem there. In fact, my little 2 year old granddaughter announced that her mommy had “too much milk.”  Milk we got.

Now she just needs that strong as the men thing.

And the land of honeycomb and fruit. That sounds good. The land Bountiful. Provided by the hand of the Lord.

We wade through much difficulty on this planet. Sometimes I want those difficulties removed, I have complained “I can’t do this…”

I have murmured.

I must remember to ask for help, to be made strong, so that I am like those women in the wilderness who could bear their afflictions, because they were strong. I have to remember not to complain.

In this way, we learn to depend on God. And the more we acknowledge that, the more we receive.

He will provide the manna if we trust Him and do our best to keep those commandments. But we must all travel the wilderness.

And isn’t it worth it.