A New Month, A New Perspective: Finding Grace in the Story of Esther

Happy February, friends!

A new month always brings fresh excitement, but February? It feels like a little burst of warmth right in the middle of winter. We’ve been soaking up these last few beautiful days and are especially grateful to be on the other side of January’s never-ending cycle of sickness—RSV, norovirus, pneumonia… oh my! With the two kiddos and me in three different schools, we’re basically living in all the petri dishes, so we get to catch all the things.

But this month, I’m especially looking forward to a sweet opportunity to gather with some ladies and dive into the story of Esther.

I’ll be giving a talk on Unshakable Grace in a Broken World, and as I’ve been preparing, one detail has completely captivated me: the entire book of Esther is structured as a chiasm—a literary pattern where events repeat or mirror each other, usually around a central idea. But in Esther - they don’t just mirror —the events are completely reversed!

I won’t spoil too much (more on that in future posts!), but seeing how this structure highlights God’s sovereignty has deepened my appreciation for Esther in a whole new way. Even though His name isn’t mentioned once, His presence is woven through every detail. And isn’t that a beautiful reminder for us, too? Even in seasons of uncertainty, He is always at work.

I’ve put together a graphic illustrating this structure—click below to check it out! Wishing you all a February filled with joy (and less sickness)!

With joy,
April