Hannah's Supplication

In the first chapter of 1 Samuel, the author presents to us the predicament that Hannah is in. Married to a man that she loved and who loved her, but was incapable of giving him children. His other wife had given him many children and she taunted and tortured Hannah with it everyday. One time during a festival, Hannah promises God that if he gives her a son she would return him back to him for God's work. Eli the priest comes to her and although he first thought she was drunk, saw her desperation and encouraged her to keep her faith and that God would bless her supplication. God did bless her and she gives Samuel back to God, leaving him at the temple to be raised by the priest/God. Later it is mentioned that she blessed with more children. Its incredible to me the faith of Hannah. A woman who lived in a culture where women recieved their respect from being married and how many children she had given her husband, yet she had no children. I cannot imagine how hard it must have been for her to watch as her husband's other wife have the joy of these children while she was barren, especially while the other woman flaunted this fact in front of Hannah. Yet she remained faithful even to the point of desperation and tears! She laid out her supplication and kept her eyes on God and she was blessed with not just samuel who she gave back to God, but other children after him.I pray to have that kind of faith. Even in times where it seems impossible, I keep my eyes on God and keep my faith fixed in him. I know that God has great things promised to me and I hope that even in the most desperate of times I can keep the faith in those promises!