Joseph and Mary embark on a treacherous journey to Bethlehem. Joseph struggles to keep up his strength, and Mary makes a mistake that may cost them the entire journey.
Today's Bible verse is Romans 8:35, from the King James Version.
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<v Speaker 1>Who shall separate us from the love of Christ, could
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<v Speaker 1>oppression or anguish, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or
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<v Speaker 1>peril or sword Romans eight thirty five. Dear Heavenly Father,
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<v Speaker 1>in the midst of festive lights, shared laughter and the
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<v Speaker 1>joy of giving, we remember the unparalleled gift of your
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<v Speaker 1>son Jesus. His birth was the beginning of a promise,
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<v Speaker 1>a promise that no circumstance or challenge can ever sever
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<v Speaker 1>the bond of love. He offers. As carols fill the
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<v Speaker 1>air and we gather with loved ones, let us be
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<v Speaker 1>reminded of the unbreakable love of Christ, a love that
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<v Speaker 1>chose a humble manger, a love that endured the Cross,
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<v Speaker 1>and a love that overcomes every obstacle. May the warmth
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<v Speaker 1>of the seas, the joy of Christ's birth, and the
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<v Speaker 1>depth of your love remind us that we are never
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<v Speaker 1>alone and nothing can truly separate us from the embrace
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<v Speaker 1>of Jesus. Thank you, Father for the gift of your
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<v Speaker 1>love made manifest in the birth of our Savior. May
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<v Speaker 1>our Christmas celebrations be filled with gratitude, joy, and the
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<v Speaker 1>everlasting hope found in Christ. In the loving name of Jesus,
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<v Speaker 1>we pray Amen. Thank you for praying with me today.
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<v Speaker 1>Stay tuned now for another episode of Stories of the
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<v Speaker 1>Messiah with Rabbi Schneider.
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<v Speaker 2>Ee. By order of Caesar Augustus, all men in their
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<v Speaker 2>families are to be registered for US Census in the
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<v Speaker 2>city of their family lineage. Failure yield to register will
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<v Speaker 2>result in punishment. This is the will of Rome.
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<v Speaker 3>His voice, steely and unemotional, echoed through the streets and alleys,
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<v Speaker 3>leaving a chill in the hearts of those who heard it.
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<v Speaker 3>His soldiers nailed the decree onto the doorpost of every home.
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<v Speaker 3>Pyrineus's voice shouted through the city streets of Nazareth, where
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph was buying supplies for his workshop. The proclamation threw
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<v Speaker 3>him into a storm of uncertainty and worry. The house
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<v Speaker 3>of David. Joseph's lineage was traced back to Bethlehem.
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<v Speaker 4>Hello everyone, and welcome to another Christmas episode of the
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<v Speaker 4>Jesus podcast i'm Ethan from pray dot Com. Today's episode
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<v Speaker 4>is a narrative based on Luke Chapter two, verses one
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<v Speaker 4>through five. Although the Bible doesn't describe the long journey
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<v Speaker 4>Mary and Joseph took from Nazareth to Bethlehem. We know
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<v Speaker 4>that it must have been wrought with challenges that tested
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<v Speaker 4>their young marriage. Romans Chapter eight, verses thirty eight and
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<v Speaker 4>thirty nine says, who shall separate us from the Love
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<v Speaker 4>of Christ shall tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine
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<v Speaker 4>or nakedness, or danger or sword. Every episode from now
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<v Speaker 4>until the end of our series will showcase a new struggle.
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<v Speaker 4>Mary and Joseph must endure robberies, storms, rejection, and conspiracies.
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<v Speaker 4>Yet God's love and divine plan will cut through the
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<v Speaker 4>tragedy and turn it all into triumph. The Journey to
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<v Speaker 4>Bethlehem is a poignant reminder of God's powerful love, a
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<v Speaker 4>love willing to journey through hardship, risk, uncertainty, and the
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<v Speaker 4>darkest valleys to obey God's will. We can imagine their
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<v Speaker 4>challenges the physical strain of the journey, societal judgment due
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<v Speaker 4>to Mary's mysterious pregnancy, and the anxiety of a young
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<v Speaker 4>couple about to become parents. On top of that, there's
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<v Speaker 4>the mounting pressure of knowing their child was the promised Messiah.
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<v Speaker 4>This episode will feature a new type of challenge for
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<v Speaker 4>Mary and Joseph. Trials challenges and hardships can tear a
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<v Speaker 4>relationship apart or strengthen it. Will this journey solidify Mary
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<v Speaker 4>and Joseph's bond or tear them apart. I'd like to
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<v Speaker 4>promise you this episode has a happy ending, but it doesn't.
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<v Speaker 4>Just like Mary and Joseph, we must endure momentary trials
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<v Speaker 4>before stepping into triumph. We must endure momentary trials before
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<v Speaker 4>stepping into triumph. Let's immerse ourselves now in the story.
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<v Speaker 4>In the end, we'll unpack Christmas themes to strengthen our faith.
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<v Speaker 3>The streets of Nazareth, usually a buzz with laughter and trade,
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<v Speaker 3>grew anxious and frantic. Family is huddled in corners to
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<v Speaker 3>discuss the journey ahead. Rumors and tales of treacherous roads
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<v Speaker 3>rife with robbers, grew more terrifying by the day. Amidst chaos,
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph waded through the marketplace, gathering the last of their
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<v Speaker 3>supplies for the journey ahead. He was no stranger to
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<v Speaker 3>the dangers of travel. As a Stonemason, he often needed
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<v Speaker 3>to do business outside of Nazareth, but with Mary and
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<v Speaker 3>her delicate condition, the journey was a heavy burden on
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<v Speaker 3>his heart. They'd heard dark tales of bandits lurking in
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<v Speaker 3>the desert shadows, striking unsuspecting travelers and leaving them with nothing.
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph felt the weight of his responsibility to protect his
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<v Speaker 3>wife and the unborn child. Night after night, as they
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<v Speaker 3>prepared for the journey, Joseph would glance at the horizon
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<v Speaker 3>as if trying to discern what lay in wait. Mary,
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<v Speaker 3>watching him from their doorway, could see the furrows of
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<v Speaker 3>worry deepen on his brow. She was relieved that her
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<v Speaker 3>husband was strong and capable, but Mary bore a strength
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph liked. She didn't share Joseph's fear. Instead, she had
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<v Speaker 3>a peace that God would provide. She was not naive
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<v Speaker 3>to think tragedy wasn't possible, but she also knew God
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<v Speaker 3>wouldn't begin this work if he did not intend on
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<v Speaker 3>completing it. One evening, as twilight painted the horizon with
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<v Speaker 3>hues of gold and red, Mary approached her husband. He
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<v Speaker 3>was lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the distant roads.
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<v Speaker 3>His face was painted with a familiar look of worry.
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<v Speaker 3>Mary gently touched his shoulder and spoke softly.
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<v Speaker 5>What are you thinking about?
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<v Speaker 3>She asked, already knowing the answer about tomorrow's journey, Joseph replied,
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<v Speaker 3>going through the list in my head to make sure
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<v Speaker 3>we have everything we need. His face betrayed his words.
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph was consumed with doubt, not in God, but in
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<v Speaker 3>his own ability to carry out his duty. Mary resisted
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<v Speaker 3>the urge to remind him that he didn't need to worry.
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<v Speaker 3>Telling somebody who was anxious to stop worrying was about
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<v Speaker 3>as useful as telling a dog not to eat from
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<v Speaker 3>the ball while it was eating. Instead, she leaned against
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<v Speaker 3>his shoulder and looked quietly at the horizon. Joseph leaned
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<v Speaker 3>his cheek closer to her head and sighed, I know
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<v Speaker 3>I shouldn't worry, but it's hard not to, especially with
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<v Speaker 3>what's at stake. She smiled the kind of smile that
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<v Speaker 3>made Joseph's heart melt.
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<v Speaker 5>You have a protector's heart, Joseph. I love that about you. Together,
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<v Speaker 5>we can face anything, I am sure of it.
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<v Speaker 3>Her words were reassuring at the moment, but Joseph still
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<v Speaker 3>felt a weight on his shoulders growing heavier. They embarked
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<v Speaker 3>early the following day. Joseph packed the donkey tightly and
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<v Speaker 3>hoisted Mary on top. She smiled down at him and
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<v Speaker 3>they left. Families old and young streamed down the pass
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<v Speaker 3>out of Nazareth, each one burdened by the Edict of Caesar.
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<v Speaker 3>They all began in the same direction, but eventually split
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<v Speaker 3>down many roads to register in the city of their heritage.
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<v Speaker 3>The town of Nazareth slowly receded into the distance. It's
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<v Speaker 3>familiar sights and sounds replaced by the vastness of the road.
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<v Speaker 3>As the days wore on and the sun deceased, Mary
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<v Speaker 3>and Joseph set out camp under the vast canopy of
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<v Speaker 3>the stars. The heavens seemed to wink down at them,
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<v Speaker 3>casting a silvery glow over the landscape. While Mary rested,
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph remained awake, his eyes scanning the horizon for any
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<v Speaker 3>sign of danger. The weight of potential threats kept him vigilant.
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<v Speaker 3>He refused to sleep. Instead, he leaned back on a
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<v Speaker 3>stone with his hands firmly placed on his dagger. He
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<v Speaker 3>refused to let anything harm Merry or the child. I
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<v Speaker 3>can't let them down, Joseph sighed. He peered down at
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<v Speaker 3>his bride. She shivered from the cold, so Joseph removed
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<v Speaker 3>his coat and placed it on her. I love you,
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<v Speaker 3>he whispered, softly stroking her dark curls. The days melted
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<v Speaker 3>into one another, a blur of sunrises and sunsets. The
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<v Speaker 3>vastness of the desert stretched before them, its ever changing
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<v Speaker 3>peaks and valleys, seeming both majestic and menacing. With every
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<v Speaker 3>the weight of their journey grew not in their.
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<v Speaker 1>Bags, but in their hearts.
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<v Speaker 3>By day, the sun bore down on them, its rays unrelenting.
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<v Speaker 3>Mary's pregnancy sapped her of strength, but not of her hope.
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<v Speaker 3>As they walked, she would wax poetry about the Lord's
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<v Speaker 3>blessing on them. Her relentless hope gave Joseph enough to
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<v Speaker 3>keep walking beside her and the donkey. By night, the
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<v Speaker 3>desert came alive with its secrets, the sounds of wolves
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<v Speaker 3>and the distance, and the whispers of the wind. Joseph,
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<v Speaker 3>determined and ever watchful, grew wearier with each passing day.
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<v Speaker 3>The shadows of rumored bandits played tricks on his mind,
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<v Speaker 3>making every rustling bush or distant noise a potential threat.
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<v Speaker 3>On the fourth evening, as the sapphire sky turned deep indigo,
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<v Speaker 3>Mary took his hand and saw the exhaustion on Joseph's face.
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<v Speaker 5>You've borne the weight of our journey for so long,
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<v Speaker 5>she said gently. Rest Now, let me keep watch.
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<v Speaker 3>There was a silent battle in Joseph's eye, the protective
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<v Speaker 3>husband against the weary traveler. In the end, fatigue one,
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<v Speaker 3>he nodded his eyelids heavy and lay down, wrapping himself
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<v Speaker 3>in a blanket. Wake me if you sense any danger,
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<v Speaker 3>he murmured, his voice ad tired whisper. Mary nodded, her
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<v Speaker 3>gaze fixed on the horizon. Ears a tuned to every sound,
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<v Speaker 3>she hummed softly, a lullaby she had once heard long ago,
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<v Speaker 3>letting its gentle cadence soothe Joseph into a deep sleep.
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<v Speaker 3>But the road, with its myriad of mysteries, had its
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<v Speaker 3>own plans. As the night deepened, two shadowy figures approached
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<v Speaker 3>their campsite. Drawn by the soft glow of the dying campfire,
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<v Speaker 3>they moved stealthily, their intentions clear, they began to pilfer
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<v Speaker 3>through Mary and Joseph's belongings in search of money and food.
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<v Speaker 3>Engrossed in her thoughts and nodding off from exhaustion, Mary
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<v Speaker 3>didn't notice them until it was too late. She turned
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<v Speaker 3>to see them and held back panic. Mary wasn't foolish
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<v Speaker 3>enough to scream. She knew that if she shouted for Joseph,
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<v Speaker 3>they would kill him before he could even reach his feet.
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<v Speaker 3>Mary remained still pretending to sleep, occasionally looking over. The
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<v Speaker 3>heart was pounding. She was paralyzed in an unwinnable situation
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<v Speaker 3>as she watched the robbers take the donkey with them.
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<v Speaker 3>That is when Mary finally chose to speak.
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<v Speaker 5>Joseph.
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<v Speaker 3>She whispered in an intense tone.
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<v Speaker 5>Do men, I've taken everything.
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph rose frantically and unsheathed his dagger. Hearing Joseph, the
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<v Speaker 3>robbers quickened and ran into the thick of the night.
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph began to run after them, mind racing with rage
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<v Speaker 3>and weariness. However, just as he was beginning to gain
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<v Speaker 3>on the thieves, he heard Mary's voice. Joseph, where are you?
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph stopped. If he continued, something might happen to Mary.
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<v Speaker 3>He watched the dim figures disappear into the night. Joseph
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<v Speaker 3>turned back to camp. We've lost everything, he shouted, his
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<v Speaker 3>voice trembling with anger and regret. Mary said nothing. Silent
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<v Speaker 3>stretched between them, heavy and thick, words unspoken and hung
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<v Speaker 3>in the air. As Joseph buried his face in his hands.
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<v Speaker 3>He was frustrated and boiling over with regret. Mary, trying
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<v Speaker 3>to bridge the gap between them, reached out a hand,
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<v Speaker 3>but Joseph pulled away, consumed by his internal turmoil. How
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<v Speaker 3>are we going to survive without any food or money?
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<v Speaker 3>How are you going to finish the journey without the donkey?
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph had sold all his tools to pay for these
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<v Speaker 3>supplies and the donkey. He had sacrificed so much, and
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<v Speaker 3>now it was all gone. He seethed in anger and disappointment.
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<v Speaker 3>Mary thought of defending herself, but chose to remain silent instead.
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<v Speaker 3>If Mary was good at anything, it was pondering things
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<v Speaker 3>in her heart and allowing deep emotions to be fully processed.
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph was uncharacteristically upset, so she gave him space and
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<v Speaker 3>returned to her blanket. Neither of them slept that night.
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph spent the rest of the night replaying the events
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<v Speaker 3>in his mind. The following day wore on in oppressive silence,
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<v Speaker 3>Joseph grappling with his guilt turned inward, while Mary, battling
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<v Speaker 3>her own regret, longed for the comforting embrace of her husband.
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<v Speaker 3>She wanted to hear him forgive her. She wanted them
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<v Speaker 3>to talk and embrace the trial as a team, but
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<v Speaker 3>instead they walked in silence. The desert around them seemed
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<v Speaker 3>to mirror their emotional state. Its vastness was a reflection
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<v Speaker 3>of the growing cousin between them. Their journey, which had
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<v Speaker 3>started with hope and faith, now felt heavy with despair
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<v Speaker 3>and doubt. But as with all nights, these too would pass,
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<v Speaker 3>giving way to a new dawn and the promise of redemption.
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<v Speaker 4>During a wedding ceremony, couples vowed to stick by each
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<v Speaker 4>other through thick and thin. Before God and witnesses, they
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<v Speaker 4>stare into each other's eyes and promised to love each
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<v Speaker 4>other for better or worse, richer or poorer, and in
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<v Speaker 4>sickness or health. During the euphoria and bliss of a wedding,
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<v Speaker 4>it's easy to make those vows, but when hardships are rise,
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<v Speaker 4>the foundation of a marriage is tested, just as gold
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<v Speaker 4>is refined by fire, removing in purities. The trials faced
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<v Speaker 4>in a marriage can purify and strengthen the bond between spouses.
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<v Speaker 4>This requires intentional dedication, faith, mutual support forgiveness, and most
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<v Speaker 4>importantly of all, love. Today's episode brought new struggles for
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<v Speaker 4>Mary and Joseph. As if the journey wasn't hard enough.
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<v Speaker 4>They lost everything they had for the rest of their journey,
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<v Speaker 4>and we get the sense that Joseph blames Mary for it.
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<v Speaker 4>Yet we hold on to hope that Mary and Joseph's
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<v Speaker 4>relationship will be strengthened in the coming days. Our relationship
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<v Speaker 4>with God can be solidified and deepened in the hardest trials.
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<v Speaker 4>Our faith is tested when everything seems uncertain, chaotic, or challenging.
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<v Speaker 4>When we trust in God's promises and love, we find
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<v Speaker 4>hope that endures and love that strengthens us. Hope in
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<v Speaker 4>difficult circumstances is a theme that resonates deeply with all
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<v Speaker 4>of us. Life can be challenging, it can be unpredictable,
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<v Speaker 4>but amidst the storms, there's a beacon of hope we
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<v Speaker 4>can cling to. That hope is Jesus the Savior, born
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<v Speaker 4>in a manger in a little town called Bethlehem, after
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<v Speaker 4>a challenging journey by two faithful servants. In your own life,
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<v Speaker 4>you might be facing a difficult road right now. Remember
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<v Speaker 4>that God's promises stand firm, just as he was with
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<v Speaker 4>Mary and Joseph, guiding them He's with you. Cling to him,
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<v Speaker 4>trust in his promises, and let his enduring hope shine
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<v Speaker 4>in your circumstances. Remember that our God is great later
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<v Speaker 4>than any challenge we might face. The God who guided
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<v Speaker 4>Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and raise Jesus from the
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<v Speaker 4>dead is the same God with you today. Let's trust him,
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<v Speaker 4>Let's rely on his promises. Let's allow his love to
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<v Speaker 4>be the anchor of our hope in any circumstance. In
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<v Speaker 4>our next story, Joseph and Mary will desperately search for
0:16:25 --> 0:16:29
<v Speaker 4>supplies as they venture into a nearby city. Joseph's dedication
0:16:29 --> 0:16:32
<v Speaker 4>to Mary will require him to take even more risks.
0:16:33 --> 0:16:36
<v Speaker 4>Join us for our next episode, The Road to Bethlehem,
0:16:36 --> 0:16:37
<v Speaker 4>Part two,
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