Choosing Christmas, Day Ten
Day Ten December 12 In Elizabeth’s initial greeting to Mary, we find these words, “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” Consider Mary’s feelings as she hears these words. She had been told, in private—by an angel no less!—that she would carry the Son of God. There was no witness to talk it
Choosing Christmas, Day Nine
Day Nine December 11 Yesterday I left you to consider how you could invite God into your conversations with others. Again, I’d love to read your responses—but only to learn from you, not to grade your answers! Scrutinizing each other’s lives to determine who is more mature in the faith will always be a spirit draining exercise. The Apostle Paul, under the influence of the Holy Spirit,
Choosing Christmas, Day Eight
Day Eight December 10 Hey! If Christmas Crazy’s knocking on your door, don’t answer it! We’re back. The stage is set, and the pregnant women are wide-eyed with wonder. Perhaps Mary is still carrying a backpack and Elizabeth is wiping her hands on a dishtowel. My storytelling brain could supply endless details, but we can count on God’s Word to tell us what we need to know. So
Choosing Christmas, Day Seven
Day Seven December 9 Welcome back! When we last left off, Mary and Elizabeth were standing at the door to Elizabeth’s house. Mary’s eyes no doubt are bugging out at Elizabeth’s belly, which is swollen with physical confirmation of Gabriel’s words. And while I’m beyond eager to get into their meeting, we can’t afford to skip Mary’s response to her own calling back in Nazareth. Without it,
Choosing Christmas, Day Six
Day Six December 8 I want to explore another reason God has Gabriel tell Mary about her relative’s late-in-life pregnancy. I see God’s tender compassion toward a startled teenager, whose life changes forever in a single moment. I see His great big heart nudging Mary into the arms of one woman who would listen to her fascinating story and believe what so many others were bound to
Choosing Christmas, Day Five
Day Five December 7 There’s another part of Gabriel’s announcement I want us to explore together. After telling Mary her aunt had conceived, Gabriel added these words, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” I personally like the American Standard Version Bible translation of this verse, which reads, “For no word of God shall be without power.” Gabriel’s pronouncement acknowledges to the young girl that all he
Choosing Christmas, Day Four
Day Four December 6 Yesterday we discussed how we can encourage one another in our faith. Did you know Scripture instructs women of faith to be intentional about this? Titus 2:3–5 reads, “Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to
Choosing Christmas Day Three
Day Three December 5 I wish I could read your individual responses to yesterday’s journal prompt. Hearing from other women is what I love about group Bible study. I learn so much from y’all! The fact is, we aren’t told why God had Gabriel reveal Elizabeth’s pregnancy to Mary; but over the next few days, I want to explore a couple possibilities that have occurred to me. First,
Choosing Christmas Day Two
Day Two December 4 Welcome back! It’s time to set the stage for this fascinating meeting between two otherwise average women. I’d love to have some props, a few hints of period costuming, and some sound effects; but even without them, there’s no lack for drama in this story. The moment is pulsing with emotion as the curtain rises. Let’s lean in and listen carefully. Elizabeth’s younger cousin
Choosing Christmas Day One
Day One December 3 The scripture passage for our Advent is familiar to most, but I’m asking the Spirit of God to breathe fresh revelation into our study. The passage opens with an exchange between two women—one old, one young; one barren-until-blessed, one virginal-past-conception. Meet Elizabeth, the aging wife of a Hebrew priest, expectant with John the Baptist, and Mary, a young teenager pregnant with Promise Himself. The