a blog by Miriam Jessie Fisher

We sat and watched a nature documentary the other day

pictures of elephants trekking miles across arid deserts, parched and desperate for water.

At the head of the herd a woman,

the matriarch,

the oldest woman in the group and the voice over says,

each matriarch encourages her herd onwards – the lives of the calves depend on her

It seems to me that has women we all have calves who depend on us.

Our lives are full of people, people that need Hope

small people and big people

we are all of us a matriarch to someone.

the lives of the calves depend on her

she is not the water,
she is not the food,
she is not the answer,

but it is to her to encourage the herd onwards.

Sometimes we watch with helpless hands as the calves around us flail and faint – parched and hungry and we look around for the person with the answer. We look for sustenance.

We are not the answer but we can lead by example.
We can encourage the herd onward.
We have calves who depend on us.

The matriarch knows how to find the source of water. She is not the source but she knows from experience the direction in which to go.

She knows there is Hope to be found.

There are living waters.

Be brave matriarchs – even in a drought of your own, when you are famished and longing for water you can still journey on and bring others with you. You know where there is water, and your tenacity and faith, your encouragement and hope might just be the answer to a calf who is struggling.

Matriarchs are made to lead.