A woman named Jen Hatmaker made an observation that I love,
“In the wild, when a mama elephant is giving birth, all the other female elephants in the herd back around her in formation. They close ranks so that the delivering mama can not be seen in the middle.
[…] They send a clear signal to predators that if they want to attack their friend while she is vulnerable, they’ll have to get through 40 tons of female aggression.
When the baby elephant is delivered, the sister elephants do two things: they kick dirt or sand over the newborn to protect its fragile skin from the sun, and then they all start trumpeting, a female celebration of new life and sisterhood.
[…] This is what we do, girls. When our sisters are vulnerable, when they are giving birth to new life, new ideas, new ministeries, when they are under attack, when they need their people to surround them so they can create, deliver, heal, recover…we get into formation. We close ranks and literally have each other’s backs.
[…] And when delivery comes, when new life makes its entrance, when healing finally begins, when the night has passed and our sister is ready to rise back up, we sound our trumpets because we saw it through together. We celebrate! We cheer! […] We give thanks.”
What a beautiful example of what Zion could look like. One heart. One mind. No poor among them. (Moses 7:18).
Observing, lifting, protecting, cheering.
This scripture isn’t some future advice for a future time.
Jeffrey R. Holland said to “build Zion where you are.”
Because “the work of Zion commences in the heart of each person.” Brigham Young.
It starts with your heart.
It starts with mine.
Form up, ladies. Zion is waiting for us.
come follow me daily 