Treasure These Things, Mary’s Story

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Hey friends, Merry Christmas and welcome to this special Christmas episode.

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Thank you for joining me for a bit of encouragement and inspiration in your walk with the Lord.

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I'm your host Jodie Chiricosta, ministry leader at Somebody Cares America and International,

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author and traveler on this journey with Jesus.

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You know, all the expectations and activities that come with holidays can cause a whirlwind

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of emotion, lots of fun and laughter, filled bellies and of course, drowsy eyes.

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And after the flurry of gift opening and special meals, unexpected interruptions and visits

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with family and friends, we often switch immediately over to clean up mode or organizing the next

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day without taking time to really capture the joy of the one we just experienced.

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One of our family conversation starters for the holiday table is tell us about your favorite

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Christmas or Christmas presents.

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Too often people respond with, I can't think of one.

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Now I know they all had good Christmases, but they all began to run together, indistinguishable

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from one another.

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Each one, however, has something worthy of remembering.

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In Luke 2, Mary, who was fully pregnant and Joseph her betrothed, had to set off on a

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difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem by order of Caesar.

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They finally arrived, exhausted and about to give birth, to find that Bethlehem was

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bursting at the seams with other travelers.

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With no proper lodging available, they took refuge in a stable with the animals.

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Mary went into labor and with only the help of Joseph, she gave birth to Jesus.

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If you've given birth, I'm sure you can imagine the flood of emotions and fear and

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joy that filled Mary's heart.

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And as she and Joseph swaddled Jesus and made him a bed in the manger, a group of excited

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shepherds arrived.

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They told Mary and Joseph how angels appeared to them singing, glory to God on the highest

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heaven and on earth, peace to those on whom his favor rests.

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When the shepherds finally left, they both must have been overwhelmed with exhaustion

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and concerned about how to care for their newborn son.

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They needed a better place to live, of course.

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Where would Joseph find work?

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On and on.

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But before Mary let her mind race on to make out her to-do list, Luke 2, 19 says, but Mary

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treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

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Years later, Mary still remembered and was able to recount in some detail what happened

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so that Luke, the writer of this gospel, could record it for us all.

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We're able to do that because she had stopped to capture the moment, the shepherds, the

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singing, pondering them in her heart.

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As the festivities continue for you and your family and friends, I encourage you to pause

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throughout the week, capture precious moments, divine conversations, the kindness of others

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in your heart.

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Ponder them so you'll remember them.

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I know I need to follow Mary's example.

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See the hand of God and hear his voice in the midst of your life, your day, and your

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family and treasure them.

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If you journal, write them down.

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Take pictures with your phone or in your mind.

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Years from now, you will be able to encourage yourself and others with stories of these

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moments as you create treasure special things in your heart.

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You'll be so glad you did.

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Now before you take out your earphones and rejoin the holiday fray, spend a few minutes

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thinking about what you have experienced so far.

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Thank the Lord for his goodness and tuck that memory in the treasure chest of your heart.

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Again, Merry Christmas.

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And I have a special gift for you, a six-week devotional on Women of the Bible to help you

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start your new year off right.

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Just go to HerGodStory.org and sign up for it.

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Or you can purchase a 12-week devotional on Women of the Bible that we'll send to you

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for just $12.

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And you will know you are also helping widows and orphans through the proceeds.

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We'd love to pray with you on our 24-7 prayer and text line.

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So give us a call or text anytime at 855-459-CARE or email us at prayer at somebodycares.org.

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And now, dear friends, I bless you with the proclamation of the angels in Luke 2-14.

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Glory to God in the highest and peace and God's favor rest on you, dear friend.

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Her God Story is a ministry of Somebody Cares America and international.

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To find out more about or support the ministry, go to somebodycares.org.