How long have you been waiting for the longing you have been praying about to be fulfilled? A longing you have felt certain God has invited you to pray about, that you feel certain God has indicated will be fulfilled? Anna's story can be told in three stages: There was tragedy early in her life, … Continue reading HER STORY: The Birth of Christ, Anna the Prophet
A Virgin Shall Bear a Son
Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NRSV) Isaiah was prophet to King Ahaz, among others, and it was to this young king Isaiah delivered the prophecy of a young woman with child. Isaiah's prediction held near-term significance for the beleaguered Judean ruler. … Continue reading A Virgin Shall Bear a Son
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HER STORY: The Birth of Christ, The Midwife
She is an imagined character, but she was surely there, a midwife to help the young Mary give birth to her first baby. What if the midwife was local to Bethlehem? What if she had already helped the aging Elizabeth give birth to her one and only child? Even though the character is imagined, there … Continue reading HER STORY: The Birth of Christ, The Midwife
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HER STORY: The Birth of Christ, Virgin Mary
As the most written about woman in the whole Bible, what is your impression of Mary? There are thousands upon thousands of images of her, the beatific and holy Madonna, mother and child, otherworldly in her serenity; and the grieving mother holding her crucified son, again beatific, serene, otherworldly.We might get the impression that as … Continue reading HER STORY: The Birth of Christ, Virgin Mary
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HER STORY: Birth of Christ, Elizabeth
What fascinated Luke, the scientist and doctor, was Jesus’ special emphasis on prayer, the activity of the Holy Spirit, and joyfulness and in his account of Jesus’ birth he highlighted the Holy Spirit’s activity in the lives of five people in these first two chapters. Luke’s chronicle of Jesus’ life is the longest of the … Continue reading HER STORY: Birth of Christ, Elizabeth
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HER STORY: The Birth of Christ, Candle of Joy
Have you ever wondered why the third candle in the advent wreath is pink? Why pink? Why the third Sunday? The short answer is joy! But the long answer is fascinating, and it has something to do with Lent, and something to do with an early Gnostic movement that dismissed Jesus as a real human … Continue reading HER STORY: The Birth of Christ, Candle of Joy
