I am a Third Culture kid. I am Esther.

Esther.
Jew. AKA Haddassah (Jewish Heritage)
Third Culture Kid. Orphan. Reluctant Queen. Champion

Esther's story is like an epic film (braveheart, 300, gladiator) for me. It gives me strength to push on the vast forces of darkness in front of me, the hopelessness and the fear.. This story of Esther always resounded in my life because I walk in the real world, I see some of my friends just waste their lives giving themselves away to sexual immorality, innocent children are abused physically, sexually, when I look outside I see people in the streets everyday, I see families torn apart by divorce and drugs. The story of Esther has touched my life so much that even though I feel desensitized by culture sometimes, this is a reminder that God works the night shift. Nothing is impossible and that He will always turn the tide for our deliverance. Everything will be put to perspective.

This is the deliverance of a nation through one woman with troubled past and weak character. It has been a remarkable story because in the ancient world, women were not looked upon equally, women were not treated as equals. In the story of Esther, they would never have the power of position, the power or authority, but something so moved the author of Esther that 2500 years ago when women are looked down upon, he was so moved by her boldness by the ways she was willing to risk it all. Esther has reformed her culture that up to this day PURIM is still celebrated by the Jews worldwide.

I may not be an orphan, but I am also weak and a third culture kid but I will never let culture of playing it safe dictate how I feel. God called me to do great things. I am a follower of Christ and that's the foundation where I will build my life upon. I will never trade the purposes of God in my generation.

the ORPHAN
“Esther 2:7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.” Esther was the daughter of a Benjamite, Abihail. When Cyrus gave permission for the exiles to return unto Jerusalem she stayed with Mordecai.

Third Culture Kid.

She was a member of the same minority group as Daniel, a group held in captivity. She lived in the same political situation as Daniel, only years later. Daniel may have even still been alive, but if so, he was a very old man by the time Esther was brought to the capital city. She also got caught up in a very sensitive and explosive political situation. Like Daniel and his friends, she had names from both her passport culture and her host culture. The name on her passport would have been Hadassah, but she was known in the host culture as Esther, probably from the Babylonian word for goddess, or the Persian word for star (Esther 2).
Unlike Daniel, Esther did not have the loving support of her parents. In fact, her parents were dead. She was an orphan, apparently with no close family members. When her parents died, it was her cousin Mordecai who took her in and cared for her as if she were his own daughter. Mordecai was from her passport country, but he was a government official in her host country.

Esther was raised in the host culture, probably born while her parents were living there (Esther 2).
Esther was really attractive—the Bible says she “was lovely in form and features.” She had a beautiful face and a good figure. When she walked down the street or into a room, all eyes, especially those of the men, were on her. However, by order of the king of her host country, Esther suddenly found herself removed from her cousin’s home and living in the palace. In fact, she was in the king’s harem. She was brought to the king not because of her ability, but because of her beauty. Although she was sexually attractive, Esther was not promiscuous. She was still a virgin, and everyone knew it
(missioncare.org)

Old Maid. maybe a pretty 30 year-old VIRGIN. LOL

RELUCTANT QUEEN

Esther kept her heritage, everything that represented her hidden..

maybe there were things that happened to us that are not quite fair. We live in a cold dark world and sometimes we get dinged but her past doesn't have to be her future.


CHAMPION

She risked it all. Esther reminded Mordecai that if she entered the throne room in the palace, she could be killed. Death or breath situation. It was all too risky—she might die either way: by acting or not acting.


LYRICAL PLAY PLOT. SCRIPT.

180-day party*

KING XERXES (that was him in the movie 300).. the

This dude rule the world. There were 127 kingdoms that was under his rule and he threw a 180 days big party. Party of parties, greater than what sweet 16 can offer.
This is to rally up support to conquer another territory. and he's showing to his people that if they will just support him all of those could be theirs
He wanted them to see how powerful he is.

He has all kinds of absolute power all over the place
and one day his queen didn't come to his beckoning call.

Queen Vashti Episode.

King Xerxes to Vashti "you can never disobey your man

If I tell you to jump, you say HOW high!!! LOL"

She was put to death.

Xerxes managed to find a new queen from 127 provinces he was rock-and-ruling so there came Esther. the 30 year old pretty virgin.

Beauty Pageant*

She kept her Jewish heritage, her faith and everything that represented her hidden so she could be chosen as queen.

She was so quiet and forced to sleep with this pagan king-an unlikely start for a heroic tale.


She is so cool, quiet and chilling around.

She kept her faith hidden because she know she was at the mercy of this pagan king.


Haman*(kind of like the Prime minister of territory ) at that time issued a decree to wipe out all the Jews from the 127 provinces .

CLIMAX*

Esther is pretty safe in the palace, it was a place of influence, affluence, great wealth, popularity, education, everybody comes to her call
No one can get to her. Nothing can happen.

Suddenly she came to a breaking point when she need to decide. Does she get involved?
Do I play it safe or do I get out this huge palace… do I risk it all?

Mordecai tells her this, you have to get in the game, you have to do something.
you just cant sit there and play it safe your whole life, you have to do something about this, you have to get involved.

Esther 4:11- replied

All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

Uncle, I see your problem, I really wanted to help but I also want you to understand, I am in danger too, If I do that and my life is exposed, I could be killed.
Esther's kinda saying, " you want me to risk it all, this is a city of cities, a magnificent temple, a place of power, a place of influence, a place of affluence, place of great wealth, knowledge, laws. everything came from this royal spot

Do you know what you're asking? you want me to give up that? I've arrived, My life is great, everything is comfortable, Ive never been this comfortable my whole life. I have everything I want, I have people come to my beckoning call, My life is great. I'm not doing something inherently bad, I just don't know if I wanted to risk it all. I'll do whatever you want. I'll do send a letter to the king, you know this would cost me to give up everything I have built my life upon.

do you know what you're asking? you want me to give up that? you know uncle I'll come to church
I'll do the small group thing, the bible thing but don't ask me to give up that group of friends,

I just met that guy, I don't want to break up with him,
I cant give up my popularity? you know that's gonna cost too much. that's not fair. you don't even understand my image here. I am a sports star, I am a scholar.

You know I'm in the king's house, if my people are gonna die, You know, Poor them, I'll pray for them, I'll send a card, I'll speak at their funeral but I cant risk myself…

I really have the heart for Philippines, that others may also come to know GOD but I also have problems of my own, and I'm perfectly fine right now, you know what I thank God that I can now attend church. you know It's hard for me to attend church every week, I want God to fix me first.


Esther 4:13-14 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you alone will escape when all other Jews are killed.

Mordecai:

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"


"who knows that you have been blessed and you have been given all these things, not for yourself alone but for such a time as this to help your nation"
you are not called to play a back seat role/ supporting role in the kingdom of God. you have far more to offer than your looks or your body. You can intercede for your people. You need to surrender to the call of God.
God put this call on your life. It's not a coincidence that you are in the royal palace. People's lives depend on how well are you gonna follow the call of God. you can walk out of here apathetic, walk out of here unaware but make no mistake about it.. People's eternities depend on how well you surrender to the call of GOD.


Research shows, In a given month, you will meet 2000 people in your campuses. friends groups. Now tell me the stakes are not high.

maybe God gave you that friend groups, that sports group. your coworkers..
Speak boldly, follow God no matter what.

Esther 4:15- 16--

If I perish I perish
if it's my life, it's my life, If it's my popularity, it's my popularity, if it's that group of friends, it's that group of friends, if it cost me that friday night, then it cost me that Friday night, I can't give it one foot in one foot out.
I may be up against all odds yet there's something inside of me saying that I cant play it safe anymore. I cannot just pretend that nothing is happening.. coz the moment I walk out the door, thousands of lives are in jeopardy, I walk in homes with broken families, I cant just do Facebook my entire life...

I need to get in the game. I need to get in the game.
“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”


My prayer:


Thank you Lord for giving me an identity, and you saved me. I am weak and you made me strong.

Help me to feel what you feel for people. Let me to have the heart you have for people so that I will act the way you act. Please open my eyes to what you call me to be about.
Break my heart for what breaks yours. Let me not trade your purposes in my generation.

I know I have many ambitions when I was a child I want to be the greatest, and wisest and sure, transform the world for Christ, but when I continued my walk with You, I realized there could never be a more acceptable gift that I could offer You than living a most broken, yielded and empty life before You.

It wont just move the world but more so the heavens
and that Your power will always manifest in me.

I will pursue my calling..even if that would cost me my thousand lifetimes. Time, money, energy, sleep, thoughts, prayers, I am going the distance. If I perish, I perish.