Can you guess what Julius Caesar, Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Cyrus the Great and Eleanor Roosevelt have in common? They were all leaders raised by someone other than their parents. They rose to fame and changed the lives of others despite difficult beginnings.

The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight…so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Esther 2:17

Esther, a young orphaned Jewish woman, was raised by her cousin Mordecai. They were in captivity in Persia when King Xerxes removed Vashti as queen. The king sought to find a new wife and had all the young women brought before him. Esther won his favor. She was chosen for a new beginning – and it changed the lives of all of her people as she stopped a plot to kill them.

Has your beginning in life been less than ideal? God may be orchestrating events to lead you to a new start. Remember, you are chosen by the King of Kings. Pray today for Him to show you how to make a difference as Esther did. Pray also for the nation’s leaders to aim for a new start that honors God and changes the lives of America’s citizens.

Recommended Reading: Psalm 113:1-9