Lake Deaton at Home

Writer’s Name:  Teresa Burgess 

Writer’s Ministry: Bloom Ministry/Card Making 

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

In 1992, Wayne had finished his Residency in Family Medicine and the Navy was sending us to Sasebo, Japan.  We had been trying to start a family for 2yrs without any success.  We had been through the tests, and I had taken fertility drugs and I still couldn’t get pregnant.  The moving truck was arriving that day and I had some tests done and found out I was pregnant.  It was a big surprise for both of us.  We knew once we got to Japan we’d have a lot of decisions to make.  Our base was small, and we’d have to decide if we wanted to deliver in town with a Japanese doctor or go to the Navy base in Tokyo 500 miles away.  We’d have to buy baby furniture and our options were limited to what we could find on base since the Japanese live differently than Americans.  This was in the days before Amazon and online ordering.  

I think of Mary, preparing for her marriage to Joseph, and having children after the marriage.  Now, she was going to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit before her marriage. She was going to be the mother of the Messiah!  Her response was “Behold I am the servant of the Lord”. Yet, I’m sure she had plenty of other questions.  Could she move up the date?  Would Joseph believe her?  Was she up to the task of raising the Messiah?  The verse before Gabriel said, “For nothing is impossible with God”. 

We went on to have a healthy baby girl whom we named Faith.  She is married and living in Baltimore.  

Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem, and she and Joseph raised him in Nazareth.  The Gospels go on to say he was obedient to his parents and grew in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52) 

Daily Prayer: Lord, may we be obedient to you as we live our lives.  May we increase in wisdom and favor with God and man as we do your work.  Thank you for reminding us that nothing is impossible with You.  Continue to remind us of these things during this Advent Season.  Amen.

Discussion/Reflection Questions:

1. What is a time that God worked in your life to make a seemingly impossible situation possible? 
2. Did God answer your questions during this time? 
3. During this Advent Season, think about how nothing is impossible with God