Mary travels to the hillcountry of Judah to be with her cousin, Elizabeth. There, she seeks comfort from the swirling doubt within her.
Today's Bible verse is Galatians 6:2, from the King James Version.
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Speaker 1: Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of
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Speaker 1: Christ Galatian six two. De Heavenly Father, as we celebrate
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Speaker 1: the birth of your son, we were reminded of the
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Speaker 1: ultimate act of love and sacrifice he performed for us.
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Speaker 1: We are also reminded of the beautiful example he set
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Speaker 1: for us, an example of empathy, compassion, and selflessness. As
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Speaker 1: we exchange gifts, sing carols, and enjoy festive cheer, let
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Speaker 1: us not forget to share these blessings with those around
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Speaker 1: us who may be carrying heavy burdens. Teach us to
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Speaker 1: extend a helping hand, a comforting word, or a shoulder
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Speaker 1: to lean on. Let our actions echo the spirit of
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Speaker 1: your son, our Savior. Fill our hearts with your love
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Speaker 1: this Christmas and always strengthen us in our resolve to
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Speaker 1: bear one another's burden. And in doing so, may we
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Speaker 1: become a source of comfort, peace and joy to all
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Speaker 1: those around us. In the name of Jesus, the reason
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Speaker 1: for the season, I pray, Amen, Thank you for spending
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Speaker 1: time in prayer and reflection. Stay tuned for more tales
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Speaker 1: of hope with stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider.
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Speaker 2: In the stillness of the morning Mary left the quiet
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Speaker 2: city of Nazareth, her heart was heavy with the new
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Speaker 2: secret growing within her. She hadn't told her family what
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Speaker 2: was happening. She didn't even know where to begin. But
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Speaker 2: one thing was certain. God was on the move. Something
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Speaker 2: monumental was happening. God's divine plan was unfolding, and Mary
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Speaker 2: played a vital role. The angel Gabriel told her that
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Speaker 2: God had already visited her cousin Elizabeth and enabled her
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Speaker 2: to conceive in her old age, So Mary decided to
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Speaker 2: visit her to uncover more of the mystery. Mary spent
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Speaker 2: what little she had on a cart to carry her
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Speaker 2: from Nazareth to an Korrem. The road was a long
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Speaker 2: coil of earth, snaking through the undulating Judean hills, shimmering
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Speaker 2: with emerald foliage. The summer air was filled with the
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Speaker 2: scent of wild herbs and the distant echoes of bird song.
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Speaker 2: A symphony of creation surrounded her. Mary looked upon every deer, rabbit,
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Speaker 2: and bird with curiosity. It was as if they knew
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Speaker 2: her secret. She felt exposed and vulnerable. Hope and fear
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Speaker 2: intermingled in her heart.
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Speaker 1: What will come of me?
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Speaker 2: Mary thought to herself, what is God Doing?
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Speaker 3: Hello everyone, and welcome to another Christmas episode of the
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Speaker 3: Jesus Podcast Imethan frompray dot Com. This month leading up
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Speaker 3: to Christmas, we are immersing ourselves in the story of
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Speaker 3: Christ's birth. The story of the Nativity is one of faith,
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Speaker 3: triumph and the enduring love of God. In our last episode,
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Speaker 3: the angel Gabriel visited Mary and gave her the news
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Speaker 3: that she was favored among women and chosen to bear
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Speaker 3: God's child within her. This calling came with an immense
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Speaker 3: weight that Mary would struggle with her entire life. At
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Speaker 3: this point in the story, Mary has only been given
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Speaker 3: a sliver of God's plan. She doesn't know how her
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Speaker 3: family will react or what will happen when she tells Joseph.
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Speaker 3: All Mary knows is that Elizabeth, her cousin, is also
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Speaker 3: a part of this plan, so she ventures off to
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Speaker 3: uncover what God is doing. This intimate encounter between Mary
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Speaker 3: and Elizabeth is a heartwarming snapshot of acceptance and mutual
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Speaker 3: strength amid unimaginable circumstances. As we reflect on this during Christmas,
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Speaker 3: we learn valuable life lessons. Lessons of acceptance, support, and
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Speaker 3: strength in the face of adversity. At this point in
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Speaker 3: our story, Mary is alone with a great secret. She
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Speaker 3: feels exposed and vulnerable. Mary's feeling of isolation is something
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Speaker 3: many of us are familiar with. Sometimes we can feel
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Speaker 3: like no one understands us or supports us in our struggles.
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Speaker 3: Sometimes we feel like we have to carry our burdens alone.
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Speaker 3: Galatians chapter six, verse two reminds us to bear one
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Speaker 3: another's burdens. Mary runs to Zechariah and Elizabeth to seek
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Speaker 3: refuge and understanding. Will she find it. Let's immerse ourselves
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Speaker 3: in this dramatic story inspired by the Gospel of Luke. Afterward,
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Speaker 3: will unpack its Christmas things together.
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Speaker 2: Mary rode silently. Her mind was a canvas of emotions,
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Speaker 2: splash with hues of hope, fear, and wonder. There were
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Speaker 2: so many questions left unanswered. What would Joseph think? Would
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Speaker 2: her father disown her? In a small village like Nazareth,
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Speaker 2: Mary could be publicly stoned without the Roman government even noticing.
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Speaker 2: She could completely disappear and be forgotten. She found solace
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Speaker 2: in the angel's words. She clung to them like a
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Speaker 2: life raft. Mary leaned back and closed her eyes, trying
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Speaker 2: not to imagine the inevitable look of hurt Joseph would
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Speaker 2: have on his face. Instead, she held her belly and
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Speaker 2: thought about what her baby would look like. What would
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Speaker 2: he sound like? Would he cry like other babies? Would
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Speaker 2: he stumble and fall like other children? The thought of
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Speaker 2: her child gave her a smile. With that faint flicker
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Speaker 2: of affection in her mind, she drifted off to sleep.
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Speaker 2: The cart finally arrived at ain Korem. The home of
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Speaker 2: Zacharia and Elizabeth was in the center of town. The
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Speaker 2: streets were alive with hope and anticipation. Although Zachariah was
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Speaker 2: mute and couldn't report what he had seen and heard
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Speaker 2: from the angel, everyone knew Elizabeth's pregnancy was a miracle.
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Speaker 2: It was as evident in the fact that she was
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Speaker 2: well past child bearing age. Mary found their house nestled
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Speaker 2: in a meadow, draped in the shadows of towering fig trees.
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Speaker 2: Elizabeth was outside, tending to her garden. Mary approached silently,
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Speaker 2: unsure how to begin, Elizabeth I But before Mary could continue,
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Speaker 2: Elizabeth turned round and looked at her. She was nearly
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Speaker 2: nine months pregnant and beaming with the glow of an
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Speaker 2: expectant mother. Yet another aura surrounded Elizabeth, a joy overflowing
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Speaker 2: in the form of tears. Elizabeth ran to Mary and
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Speaker 2: held her tight.
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Speaker 4: Oh, my sweet cousin.
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Speaker 2: She exclaimed with a tender voice. Her embrace was a
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Speaker 2: balm to Mary's soul. She felt herself melting under Elizabeth's warmth.
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Speaker 4: Said are you among women?
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Speaker 1: She said?
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Speaker 2: Mary froze and backed away. Those were words Gabriel had
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Speaker 2: used to describe her.
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Speaker 4: But what did you just call me? I called you blessed, Mary,
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Speaker 4: Elizabeth said gently, And blessed is that child you hold
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Speaker 4: within your womb? Oh? How did you?
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Speaker 2: Mary was speechless. How could Elizabeth possibly know she was pregnant.
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Speaker 2: Elizabeth stepped closer and held Mary's hands in hers. She
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Speaker 2: kissed them and then placed them on Mary's womb.
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Speaker 4: When I heard your voice, my baby leaped for joy
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Speaker 4: in my womb. Here feel.
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Speaker 2: Mary placed a hand on Elizabeth's belly and felt the
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Speaker 2: exuberant kicks of her little one. His kicks were a confirmation,
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Speaker 2: resounding in the chords of Mary's heart. The fears and
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Speaker 2: uncertainty that previously clouded her thoughts dissolved into the ether.
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Speaker 2: She was not alone. She was chosen and appointed with
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Speaker 2: a purpose. That transcended human comprehension. In the presence of Elizabeth,
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Speaker 2: Mary felt a soothing balm of acceptance. Elizabeth's warm smile
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Speaker 2: was a reflection of Mary's inner resolution. They stood together,
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Speaker 2: two women touched by divine intervention, bearing the promise of
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Speaker 2: redemption in their womb. In that shared moment, Mary understood
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Speaker 2: the strength that comes from faith, the courage that springs
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Speaker 2: from acceptance, and the love that is borne from God's promises.
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Speaker 2: Elizabeth took Mary inside. Zachariah was there and gave her
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Speaker 2: a hug that only an uncle could. He spun her
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Speaker 2: in the air and beamed with expectant joy. Here her
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Speaker 2: burden was understood, her joy shared, and her fears acknowledged.
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Speaker 2: It was an affirmation that stilled the turmoil of her thoughts.
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Speaker 2: The world outside could wait, could doubt, could scoff. Here
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Speaker 2: she was known. She was in a safe haven. There
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Speaker 2: she found courage. She was carrying the promise of salvation.
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Speaker 2: A torch amidst the darkness. Mary shook her head, laughed,
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Speaker 2: and finally got out of her own head. She was
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Speaker 2: in the home of her beloved aunt and uncle.
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Speaker 4: Elizabeth.
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Speaker 2: You're with child, Mary shouted with excitement.
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Speaker 4: How can I help you? Do you need me to
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Speaker 4: cook anything? Also, I brought some fresh cheese from mother's goats.
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Speaker 2: Everyone laughed and enjoyed each other's company. Mary served Elizabeth
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Speaker 2: until the time came.
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Speaker 1: For her to give birth.
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Speaker 2: Being in the presence of Zacharia and Elizabeth gave her strength.
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Speaker 2: Her journey had barely begun, but the power of God
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Speaker 2: was renewed in her every day.
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Speaker 3: This story perfectly exemplifies how the Holy Spirit moves to
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Speaker 3: provide comfort, love, and acceptance. Our ministry discovering the Jewish
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Speaker 3: Jesus is always searching for how God's character is consistently
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Speaker 3: shown through the Old and the New Testaments. This story
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Speaker 3: is similar to the story of Elijah running for his life.
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Speaker 3: Elijah was tired and weary. God provided everything Elijah needed.
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Speaker 3: He provided comfort, care, and sustenance to accomplish the mission ahead.
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Speaker 3: God provided the same thing for Mary. She had a
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Speaker 3: tumultuous journey ahead of her, and the home of Elizabeth
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Speaker 3: and Zechariah was precisely what she needed to gain her strength.
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Speaker 3: This story also highlights key themes we can carry into
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Speaker 3: the Christmas season. The first theme is acceptance. Upon Mary's
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Speaker 3: arrival Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, immediately recognizes this
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Speaker 3: significance of Mary's child. In Luke chapter one, verse forty two,
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Speaker 3: she says, blessed are you among women, and blessed is
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Speaker 3: the child you will bear. Despite the potentially scandalous situation
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Speaker 3: of an unwed, pregnant woman in their society, Elizabeth does
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Speaker 3: not judge or reject Mary. Instead, she wholeheartedly accepts and
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Speaker 3: blesses her. She knew that Mary's child was from God
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Speaker 3: and that she had done nothing wrong. Not everyone would
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Speaker 3: feel the same about Mary's situation. They might jump to
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Speaker 3: conclusions or reject her. Mary's situation is a good reminder
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Speaker 3: that we shouldn't be too quick to judge someone's circumstances.
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Speaker 3: Sometimes God is on the move and weighs we can't see. It.
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Speaker 3: Takes sensitivity to God's spirit and an understanding heart to
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Speaker 3: see what's happening in people's lives. Ephesians chapter one reminds
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Speaker 3: us that we have been accepted and adopted into God's family.
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Speaker 3: Is there anyone in your life this season that needs
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Speaker 3: your acceptance? Is there anyone without a family or companion
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Speaker 3: that you need to welcome in pray on these things
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Speaker 3: and see how the Lord moves you. Another theme will
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Speaker 3: explore is strength and adversity. Both Mary and Elizabeth faced
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Speaker 3: unique hardships, Mary a young, unwed mother carrying the son
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Speaker 3: of God, and Elizabeth an elderly woman pregnant for the
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Speaker 3: first time after a lifetime of barrenness. Yet Elizabeth's words
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Speaker 3: to Mary were not of fear or worry, but of joy, blessing,
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Speaker 3: and faith. Elizabeth's encouragement must have brought much needed comfort
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Speaker 3: to Mary, reminding her that she was not alone, but
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Speaker 3: she was blessed that she had a supportive companion. Elizabeth's
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Speaker 3: faith fuelled strength into Mary's faith. At Christmas, we celebrate
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Speaker 3: the birth of Jesus, who is God with us. His
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Speaker 3: coming is the ultimate demonstration of God's acceptance of us.
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Speaker 3: During our celebrations, let's remember the decisive encounter between Mary
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Speaker 3: and Elizabeth. Their story is a testament to the transformative
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Speaker 3: power of acceptance and the strength we can offer each
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Speaker 3: other during adversity. May the Christmas season fill us with
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Speaker 3: the compassion to accept those around us, the strength to
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Speaker 3: face our own adversities, and the faith to recognize the
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Speaker 3: workings of God in our lives. Like Mary and Elizabeth.
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Speaker 3: May we find comfort, companionship, and strength in our relationships,
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Speaker 3: demonstrating the same love and acceptance at the heart of
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Speaker 3: the Christmas story. Join us next time as we are
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Speaker 3: wrapped up in the beautiful Song of Mary.
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