Once there was a very young woman...

...who was visited by an angel. The angel visited her to tell her something that would change her life forever. What he told her would bring her physical pain, heartache, scorn, misunderstanding.... and joy in the midst of it... What he told her would happen had never happened before to anyone nor would it ever happen again. How he told her that her life would change, would've been hard to believe even for the most faith filled person. She wonders "How could that possibly happen to me?" The answer, "By the power of the Holy Spirit, for God is limitless and He has a purpose". Her response, when facing all of that? "I am a servant of the Lord, let it happen just as you say"... later on, it is said of her, "blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord".

When I put myself in her shoes, I can hardly imagine having that response. She was childlike in her response, something that is required to enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mark 10:15). Childlike because she trusted that the impossible was possible. I mean, honestly, if anything would be impossible... it would be this. That the God of all creation would humble himself and wear humanity, coming as a baby, for the rest of eternity; it hurts my head when I even think of it. What was going through her mind and heart when the realization hit her that the Christ child would come forth from her very body? This story moves my heart. As a woman who has both had a child and lost a child to heaven, I know that what  was going to take place inside her womb and inside of her heart was really a big deal. Anyhow, I just love reading over this story in Luke 1-2 and Christmas is a great time to do it.