Little Warrior

In Mark Twain's book, Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, I read a passage about brave little Joan, beautiful and self-posessed, asking the governor for soldiers to escort her to the Dauphin. She intended to tell the Dauphin that he would make her his general, that she would drive the English out of France, and set the crown upon his head. The governor was surely astonished as he replied,  "What-you? Why you are only a child!"  Joan, forward, erect and selfposessed, replied, "Yet I am appointed to do it, neverthesless." 

Joan had a rocklike steadfastness in her convictions. She knew she was appointed to save France. "But indeed I would rather spin with my poor mother, for this is not my calling; but I must go and do it, for it is my Lord's will."  And at the age of seventeen, she held supreme command of the military forces of a nation. 

Her story is inspiring to me. It's amazing. I get so teary and proud of her that I can only read a few pages at a time. I've thought, I want to meet her in heaven, but when I picture the scene in my mind, I see myself overcome by emotion, making that ugly cry face and my nose running. It's awkward. So maybe in heaven I'll write her a letter...if that sort of thing is done.

I'm the mother of three beautiful, strong girls. Each of them has talents and challenges. I think of them as little warriors. I hope they see themselves as little warriors. I want them to be armed and prepared to meet the challenges in their futures. I well know the future is unpredictable. I've learned that some challenges are brought on by our own choices and some are forced upon us by the choices of others. Either way, if we, like Joan, have courage, we can be little warriors.