She dresses herself

      with strength

and makes her arms strong.

            Proverbs 31. 17

(There is intention here.

Strength does not

              "just happen".

Not for appearance sake

       nor personal gain,

but trained and equipped

   to help others and

   to be faithful to God

The strengthening

    arrives incrementally,

in strange packaging,

odd situations,

and exercises we

    don't think we need at all

    or want to endure.

           But do anyway.

   And trust Him in it.

Far too many times,

we miss out

because we are not ready,

nor have adjusted our hearts

                 or vision.

No training, daily exercise,

   or good endeavors are fruitless.

We may not see the results

    but someone is impacted,

maybe even

    far beyond our lifetimes.)

O LORD,

May we realize

    not how strong we are,

but realize Your strength

     poured over us,

far beyond our vision,

far beyond what we can do.

Help us to pursue

      not just strength

             but You

in this day and this season,

in the impossible

    and in what appears ordinary.

We are Your beloved.

Help us to think,

behave, and act that way,

bear Your strength

  into the shadowlands

and bring Your name there.