by Marilynn Chadwick

In Proverbs 31, we catch a glimpse into the heart of the Queen Mother who had prayed for her son and devoted him to the Lord. Clearly the Queen Mother saw the potential dangers of royalty even more clearly than her son. She also knew she was raising a world changer.

Let's continue our look into the teachings that were foremost in her mind as she trained the son who would be king:

"The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him. 'It is not for kings, Lemuel—it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights'." Proverbs 31:4,5 NIV

A long time ago there lived a real princess who actually did change the world. Her name was Margaret. She married a Scottish King and thus became Queen Margaret, one of the most beloved nobles in the history of Scotland.

I became captivated by her story years ago when traveling with our family through the Scottish Highlands. It was easy to be mesmerized by the land of castles, kings, kilts, and battlefields.

Years later, while writing the Woman of Valor, memories of Queen Margaret came flooding back to my mind. Perhaps you'll agree with me that Margaret embodies much of what we have seen in the Proverbs 31 Woman of Valor.

Her story takes us back to the Middle Ages. Margaret of Wessex was an English princess born in Hungary to Princess Agatha of Hungary and English Prince Edward the Exile around 1045. Her parents fled as exiles to Hungary after the Danes took over England.

When Margaret was ten years old, she and her family returned to England, where her father suddenly died before he could assume the throne. Several years later, Margaret and her mother, along with her two siblings, were forced to flee, once again, for their lives when William the Conqueror stormed his way through England.

While sailing north, Margaret and her family were caught in a storm and shipwrecked on the coast of Scotland. They were aided by King Malcolm and put under his protection. Before long, Malcolm fell deeply in love with the beautiful and kind princess. Margaret and Malcolm married in 1070 at the castle in Edinburgh.

We've been learning about the strong influence a Woman of Valor can have on her own family. We see such an example in Margaret, a deeply committed Christian whose faith influenced the rather uncouth Malcolm. He turned his heart to God, largely because of his wife. The couple had six sons and two daughters and raised all to become strong followers of Christ who transformed 11th Century Scotland.

To be continued tomorrow…

Today's Moment of Hope is adapted from Woman of Valor, Discovering the Courage and Strength God Gave You by Marilynn Chadwick. Click here to order your copy today!