“Now consider this: the first person to hold the newborn Christ was Mary of Nazareth, and the first person to touch the newly risen Christ, however briefly, was Mary of Magdala. God placed himself in a woman's care when he came to earth, then entrusted a woman to announce his resurrection when he came back to life.””
“And consider this: the angel appeared to Mary first, not to her husband-to-be, Joseph. 'She had no status or honor apart from him,' yet Gabriel came to Mary”
“Long before silver bells jingled, Christmas lights twinkled, and horse-drawn sleighs went dashing through the snow, God reached down from heaven with the best gift of all. Love, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Hope, nestled in a manger.””
“From beginning to end he was poor, with few material goods to call his own.The Lord chose to be born into poverty, to identify with the unseen of society--the unkempt, the unpopular, the undernourished. His earthly parents had nothing the world counts as valuable. 'Had they been rich, room would have been made for them.' Instead, they were poor, yet they made room in their hearts for God.””
“The Lord hadn't forgotten Elizabeth, nor had he tarried in answering her prayer without a good purpose. He chose her”
Mary HiggsMary Ann Higgs, known for her contributions as a writer and social reformer, was a prominent figure in early 20th-century Britain. Born Mary Ann Kingsland in 1854, she became closely associated with O...
“Our love for people doesn't end when they pass away. More often our feelings deepen as we realize how much they mean to us and how dearly we miss them.””
“In the end the women of Christmas quietly stepped aside, making room for the One who truly matters.””
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19 Mary focused on caring for her baby while she stored all she’d seen and done “like a secret treasure in her heart” (NIrV). Some women like to talk their way through experiences; others prefer the Mary approach: “weighing and pondering” (AMP), “mulling them over” (CJB), and “trying to understand them” (ERV). Sometimes the Lord does such a profound work in us and through us that sharing it with others would sound like bragging. Even if we say, “Look what God has done,” others may perceive it as “Look what I’ve done” or “Look how special I am!” God, as always, knows best. The shepherds were noisy, yet the mother of Jesus was quiet.””
“First the Lord used Elizabeth, who was ‘too old,’ then he used Mary, who would be ‘too young’ by today’s standards. At any age we can serve the Lord.””
“An army bringing news of peace! And not 'good will toward men,' as we often say, but 'peace among people of good will!'. Peace comes from knowing God.””
“In those days men were the ones who usually conferred blessings. Yet here we have a woman proclaiming a blessing upon another woman. Wow. Even from the womb, Jesus was changing the culture.””
“This wasn't the sixth month of the year; it was 'six months after Elizabeth knew she was to become a mother'. Imagine the Lord using an expectant mother's growing waistline to measure time! Never doubt for a moment that women matter to the Almighty.””
“The loss of speech wasn't punishment; it was the proof Zechariah had asked for, the assurance of God's power.””
“Even serving God in his holy temple, Zechariah was unprepared for something holy to happen.””
“Joseph was faithful to the letter of the law, but he was also faithful to the spirit of the law. He was grace giving. He was loving. He was merciful. Would God the Father entrust the upbringing of his Son to anyone else? The Lord made certain that Mary was betrothed to a man who was 'mild, amiable, and tender.' A man like Joseph of Nazareth.””
“For no word from God will ever fail.” Luke 1:37””
“Even the things we don't understand are a display of the goodness of God.””
“Every conception has a touch of the miraculous - this one far more than most.””
“Marrying a woman of priestly ancestry was a special blessing.””
“What we call miraculous, God calls business as usual.””