“Emptiness itself can birth the fullness of grace, because in the emptiness we have the opportunity to turn to God, the only begetter of grace and there find all the fullness of joy.” -Ann VosKamp The path to healing comes in many forms. God did not wield a cookie cutter when He created each of us, so it’s not surprising…
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A winter story
“Joy in affliction is rooted in the hope of resurrection, but our experience of suffering also deepens the root of that hope.” -John Piper Sometimes I wonder what it’s like to live through winter. I mean a real winter, not the “oh-my-gosh-it’s-gonna-be-in-the-forties-today!” I’ve experienced Florida winters my whole life. Reflecting on the stark bareness of an icy landscape, frigid and…
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Treasured by God
Where did Mary’s yielded and faithful heart come from? Was it a strength that came from within her that is available to any human being who responds to God, or was she somehow unusually equipped and therefore uniquely gifted with the courage that she needed? If she was extraordinary and unattainable, then her life as an example to us ordinary…
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Mary treasured up all these things
Mary’s marvelous song of praise stirs hope in our hearts. How could this young woman express such confidence in God under extreme circumstances (have we mentioned that she was pregnant and unwed?). How did she have the strength of spirit to say “yes” to God under such challenging circumstances? We have discovered that her yielded heart enabled her to surrender to God…
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The power in our praise
“And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.” Luke 1:56 We join Mary as she calls her Uber and heads home to Nazareth. Just kidding! Wouldn’t that have been convenient? Mary has just spent three months with her cousin, Elizabeth, and I’m sure it was comforting and soothing to Mary’s soul. I can imagine Elizabeth being more…
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My soul magnifies the Lord
If you thought we would be leaving Luke chapter one just yet, think again! We are just getting to the part where we see and hear a first-hand account of the beautiful relationship between Mary and her relative, Elizabeth, an older cousin who is “advanced in years.” After Mary’s encounter with Gabriel, she decided to make the trek seventy or…
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