#he's a man of faith (freely given and unwavering) and she's a woman of trust (earned and fragile)

[kingreywrites]

gonna think forever about the missed opportunity of making Eugene and Cassandra's character arcs complete parallels in the sense that Eugene is a selfish man who learns to be selfless, and Cassandra is a selfless woman who learns to be selfish. Eugene is someone who grew up in a system that was so unfair that he had no choice but to put himself first so he could survive, but when given an opportunity, he thrived in his ability to be there for other people. Cassandra is someone who grew up in a system that left her no choice but to sacrifice her worth again and again in the hope of gaining the slightest bit of respect, but when she saw that it was rigged against her, and she would never win, she took action and put herself first so she could finally thrive. THE POTENTIAL OF THIS HAUNTS ME

[bonnieberries]

woman in doubt

little jon/sansa fic, for how i imagine their reunion might be like. or a fic that shows jon and sansa’s relationship through dany’s eyes.

When Daenerys finally arrives in the North, she finds Winterfell sorely disappointing.

It’s dark, looming towers surrounded by black trees and ice give an aura of unforgiving chill and rigidness. When she says as much to Jon Snow, he gives her a short bark of laughter. “Yes, your Grace, it is so different from the warmth and comfort of Dragonstone, wouldn’t you say?”

To her side, Tyrion attempts (and then fails) to muffle a snicker and she shoots him a dark glare.

Yes, it’s true the ruins of Dragonstone, haunted by ghosts of the past are no better than Winterfell’s stone walls. She only meant that with the way Jon Snow had been speaking of the North with near worship in his eyes and voice for the past few weeks, she expected a lush castle full of life that would inspire such devotion from an unusually cold and sullen man.

Even now, as they approach the walls, Jon Snow looks up at the towers with a hint of a smile on his lips. A smile! She had begun to worry his range of emotions only consisted of sullen anger and melancholy brooding. The ‘King’ in the North unnerves her, to say the least. He is steadfast in his opinion that the North should remain independent, and any attempts (whether subtle or overt) to sway him are useless. Any man would have fallen for either her charms or been cowed by her dragons, by now, but not Jon Snow, and it has left her at a loss. He has such an unwavering devotion to House Stark and their place in the North, one would think he was a trueborn son, and not a bastard.

Daenerys has heard bits and pieces of the Starks through stilted conversations between Jon and Tyrion. She herself, has enquired about them before, but he is always reluctant to divulge information.

Tyrion had told her, House Stark had their own share fair of tragedies, and only Jon and one trueborn daughter remained. Rickon was the youngest and he and his elder brother Bran, a cripple, were killed years ago.There was Arya, Jon’s favorite, she surmised, as he spoke of her the most fondly. But, she too, had met a tragic end by the Lannister’s hands.Robb Stark and his mother had died attempting to avenge their family. Sansa Stark was the lone survivor of her family, but Jon spoke the least of her. Tyrion surmised this was because the siblings privately warred behind their united front as King in the North and Lady of Winterfell. Varys had agreed, It’s only reasonable to assume, Your Grace, he had said, Sansa Stark is the trueborn daughter of Eddard Stark, yet her bastard brother was crowned. I can only imagine there is a deep bitterness within the girl.

If that was so, Daenerys couldn’t help but sympathize with Sansa Stark. If she had a bastard brother and he had assumed the Iron Throne ahead of her, only because he had a cock in between his thighs, she would set Drogon on him in a heartbeat.

Daenerys is intrigued by the Lady of Winterfell, an unknown figure, she has yet to meet. Perhaps the key to obtaining the North is not with Jon Snow, but with Sansa Stark, and the rift between the two half-siblings. She thinks herself rather crafty, and tucks that thought away. It is something she will have to explore at the castle, when she finally meets the Lady of Winterfell.

When they come to the gates of Winterfell, the posted soldiers recognize their King immediately and snap to attention.

“Your Grace,” the man stammers, “We did not expect you for another week.” There were no ravens sent to Winterfell, in their haste to make it up North. News of the ever-weakening wall, and pressure from Cersei’s army had all but forced Daenerys and Jon to make a hasty retreat.

“Aye, please wake and inform Lady Sansa of my arrival.” Jon says wearily, rubbing at the stubble on his chin. “Tell her, I come with Queen Daenerys and Lord Tyrion.”

One of the soldiers, makes haste to deliver the news, while the other soldiers pale at their king’s words and their eyes harden as they finally see Daenerys underneath her heavy furs. She can practically see the anger crawling underneath their skin. Tyrion had warned her, of course. The North remembers.

The gates of Winterfell open, and Jon dismounts his horse to lead it in. Daenerys is struck once more by how at ease the King is, now that he is at home. On the other hand, Daenerys has never felt so uncomfortable or out of place as she has in Winterfell.

Her finery, which she wore as a means of intimidation and as a display of confidence, is hidden behind a coarse fur cloak, she had no choice but to wear in the biting cold. Her dragons, which she had agreed to keep away from Winterfell, per Jon Snow’s insistence, provide her with no means of defense or empowerment. Even her usual retinue of advisors and soldiers are absent and the realization of how vulnerable she is within the cold walls of this castle sends a flare of panic through her.

Tyrion somehow senses her panic and he pulls his horse next to hers as they enter into the castle courtyard. “Do not fret, Your Grace.” he murmurs. “The Northerners love their king. Jon Snow says no harm will come to us, and they will do as he says.”

And Tyrion, is once again right. She sees the look of adoration upon both servants and soldiers alike for their king. Jon greets his subjects with a firm nod, there is no demand for fealty for it is freely given to him. Doubt gnaws at her insides, and the grey Stark banners hanging from the walls are a burning reminder that she is a foreigner, a stranger, in this territory.

“Jon!”

Daenerys only sees a flash of flaming red hair before Jon is embraced by a woman, nearly knocking him off his balance. The woman is taller than him, but he easily returns the embrace, nearly lifting her a couple inches off the ground with a slight chuckle. The familiarity with which the two greet each other, can only mean that this woman is-

“Sansa,” The King breathes. His eyes crinkle as he freely gives a smile to his half-sister, the famed Lady of Winterfell.

She is not at all what Daenerys had imagined her to be. Somehow, she pictured Sansa Stark to be a small woman with Jon’s dark curls and solemn expression. Tyrion only mentioned her to be the embodiment of absolute grace and a perfect lady. However, the woman in front of her belies that very description. A silk robe peeks out of her thick fur coat, haphazardly thrown on, no doubt, when she heard the news of her brother’s arrival. Her fiery hair whips around her face, free from the constraints of the traditional Northern style, so many of the women here favor.

Dany realizes with a start that she has caught Sansa Stark in a moment of vulnerability, a rare moment where she has shed her title of ‘Lady of Winterfell and right now is only a sister, overjoyed to see her brother. Even that, however, seems like an oversimplification. There is something deeper lurking there.

Jon begins to enquire of Sansa’s well-being, Winterfell’s state, and other inane chatter that fades away to a dull hum. It is not what is said, that is important, but rather their actions. Tyrion and Varys had believed their united front to be a facade, but they could not have been more wrong. From the way, Lady Stark hurriedly calls for a warm bath to be drawn for Jon, to how Jon quickly drops a kiss atop his sister’s head to thank her for doing so, it’s all so genuine. Suddenly, she’s years younger, and she can hear Viserys’ harsh threats to punish her. Her throat feels thick, and jealousy unfurls in her stomach.

“Your grace?” Tyrion’s voice nudges at her, and brings her out of her reverie with a start.

She realizes now, that the Starks have finished greeting each other, and now look at her, expectantly. Her cheeks burn, “Yes?”

Jon Snow clears his throat, “This is my sister, Princess of Winterfell, Sansa Stark.”

The princess gives a perfect curtsey, as though she were wearing a gown spun of gold, and not her night clothes. Her beautiful features smooth into a practiced, genial expression. “It is quite the honor to meet you, Queen Daenerys. I hope my brother, King Jon, has been good company. He is an excellent ruler and fighter, but a poor conversationalist, I’m afraid.”

Daenerys is thrown by her teasing tone, but Lady Stark’s words are not completely harmless and vapid. She has addressed Daenerys by her proper title, but also made sure to emphasize her brother’s as well. In addition, she’s managed to show their united front and her faith in her brother’s abilities without appearing boastful. In just a few sentences, Sansa Stark has made it clear, she is anything but a vapid woman, if anything, she is the reason Jon Snow stands as King.

“He was fine company.” She replied, shortly. “I hope you have not been too overwhelmed in your brother’s absence, acting as his regent.”

“I sorely missed him.” Lady Stark, replies sweetly. “I’m afraid the nuances of politics and court handlings are often lost on me.”

Daenerys’ eyes narrow. She doubts this very much. Tyrion clear his throat, “Lady Sansa, I trust you are well?”

She nods warmly. “Yes, I’m glad to see you using your abilities in a more deserving role. It seems our time away from King’s Landing has been kind to the both of us.” Her eyes widened as she remembered something. “Ah! My apologies, you must be so cold, Brienne can show you to the Great Hall, a meal will be prepared very shortly for you. Your rooms are being prepared as we speak right now, I hope you’ll forgive the wait.”

“Will you be joining us?” Tyrion asks.

Lady Stark shakes her head, “I have some matters I would like to attend to with the King. In his absence, he has missed much.”

Daenerys’ violet eyes flick over to Jon Snow, who cannot hide his relief. “If you’ll excuse us.” he nods, before taking his sister’s arm, and the two depart. A deep sense of dread settles in her stomach as she watches their retreating figures. When all is said and done, she fears the Starks may be her greatest obstacle to uniting the Seven Kingdoms.

[faithfulnews]

The Faith of Open Hands

Faith. We only need a mustard-seed size to witness amazing things. With just a small bit of faith, the miraculous can invade daily routine and exceed our expectations for what’s achievable.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20–21)

Provision, restoration, resurrection—it all takes faith. But sometimes faith has to fuel more than one quick prayer—maybe more than one month of prayer—as the Lord leads the way through a journey of faith. From initial request to the time of enjoying the answer’s arrival, it is through that “substance of things hoped for, [that] evidence of things not seen” that we can enter what the Lord desires to actively work out in our lives (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith pleases the Lord, and faith is a vital aspect of the Christian life. Faith causes us to move forward during those challenging times when every factor seems to point toward inevitable impossibilities. The interesting thing about faith is that the Lord uses it to sustain us in the waiting as we cast our cares upon Him, believing life will still be okay despite perceived delays. And there are moments when it seems an answer has been given by the Lord’s hand only to have Him lead us from having the faith to receive it unto the faith that releases it back to Him.

Hebrews 11 outlines faith well, highlighting moments of our spiritual forbears who, against all odds, saw the miraculous hand of God move in impossible situations. Abraham and Moses, Noah and Gideon, Sarah and Rahab, Joseph and David—these imperfect followers take their place in the hall of faith as dictated by a gracious God whose love truly covers a multitude of sins.

They fought the good fight of faith and stood strong to see the Lord prevail. Despite challenges, testing, temptations, and troubles, they awaited the power of God for breakthrough and turnaround. Every name is included with great reason. Their stories, located throughout the Bible, teach and encourage us in our day-to-day life.

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)

Perhaps someone who would share a strong testimony of steadfast faith would be Hannah. One of two wives to an Ephraimite named Elkanah, Hannah was greatly loved by her husband. But she was also greatly taunted by his other wife, Peninnah, who, unlike herself, was able to have children (1 Samuel 1:6–7).

In 1 Samuel, during the annual time of worship and sacrifice in Shiloh, Hannah pours out her heart to the Lord in prayers, allowing her tears and prayer to flow freely.

Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” (1 Samuel 1:11)

Her vulnerable moment of prayer is interrupted by Eli the priest, who mistakes her quiet prayers as a sign of drunkenness. Hannah quickly interprets the cry of her heart, attributing her tearful prayers to sorrow, not alcohol. In turn, Eli sends Hannah home with a promise of her prayers being answered.

As He’s done repeatedly, the Lord once again shows Himself faithful. Within a year, Hannah conceives and gives birth to a son named Samuel. And just as the Lord kept His word to Hannah, she responds in faith to the Lord’s good gift of a male child and keeps her vow to God.

Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever.”

So Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the Lord establish His word.” Then the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young. Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.” So they worshiped the Lord there. (1 Samuel 1:21–28)

Hannah receives the answer to her prayers, only to relinquish control back to God. She delivers Samuel to the priesthood to be taught by Eli. A woman who was wracked by the grief and shame of being barren takes the child of her prayer and truly places his care into God’s hands.

Without any plan B, any caveats or conditions, Hannah sets her heart to fulfill her vow to the Lord and places her only son in an environment that’s equivalent to a debauched frat house. When good logic, and Christian parental groups, would’ve dictated that the best scenario for a precious gift from God would be a place where holiness is practiced—or at least a place with his mother—Hannah instead honors her word and her God with unwavering faith and takes Samuel to the temple despite it being a place known to be unholy, depraved, and the exact opposite of what it was created to be, to exemplify, and to accomplish.

Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord. The sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. (1 Samuel 2:12, 17)

And Hannah doesn’t show her commitment only for a couple of days, waiting to see if everything meets her standards or turns out okay before she rushes back to Samuel’s side to take him home with her. She fully entrusts her only son into God’s care.

With eyes of faith, Hannah looks past the very real factors of Samuel’s impressionable young age and the sinful actions of those who are expected to mentor him in a holy profession. She rests her gaze on the God who is faithful. Through her practical actions, she displays her respect for her son’s profession and her trust in the Lord, who sees all, hears all, and answers prayer.

But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. (1 Samuel 2:18–19)

And once again, the Lord shows His response to faith—not just to Hannah, but also to Samuel, and ultimately to Israel. In a time when the word of the Lord was rare and Israel was being represented before the Holy One by leaders who were knowingly sinning against God without remorse, God uses Hannah’s promised child, Samuel, to prove that “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

In faith, Hannah’s offering to the Lord is multiplied back to her.

And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord. (1 Samuel 2:21)

Even in an environment that could influence Samuel toward corruption, the Lord ensures and cultivates Samuel’s maturity into holiness.

And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men. (1 Samuel 2:26)

Not only does God ensure Samuel’s holiness, but He causes him to become a prophet through whom God corrects and guides Israel.

So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the Lord. Then the Lord appeared again in Shiloh. For the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. (1 Samuel 3:19–21)

In  times when life’s challenges seem impossible and any type of turnaround seems unlikely, we, too, can be like Hannah. She knew where to take her problems. She knew who collects tears. And she knew who answers prayer.

Faith the size of a mustard seed is perfect for the planting and birthing of the miraculous. When those uncomfortable, aggravating, impossible moments collide with the power of God that He’s connected to our faith, the impossible once again becomes reality.  Mourning is turned to joy, desires of the heart become reality, and even the dead live again.

We, too, experience the benefits of covenant from the God who can bring the dead back to life and make new things out of nothing. He sustains. And He responds to faith.

He lifts our heads until we can declare like Hannah, sing like Hannah, even rejoice like Hannah in the midst of impossible looking situations. Even in the face of perceived defeat, we remain confident.

“No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2)

Where in your life can you grow in faith?

For more on growing in faith, we recommend The Fire of Delayed Answers: Are You Waiting for Your Prayers to Be Answered? by Bob Sorge. Intensely passionate and practical, this book can enlarge your heart and expand your faith as you consider the great blessings extended to those who wait on God alone. Learn more

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