Several years ago in preparation for the Christmas season I read a book called Two from Galilee by Marjorie Holmes. It’s written from the view of Jesus’ mother Mary, Joseph and their parents. This year I decided I wanted to come into the season differently than I have the last few years. So, to prepare my heart, I decided to read this book again.
As I read along one of the sentences stopped me. Jesus’ grandmother was reflecting on her daughter Mary “becoming a woman” and remembering herself when she “became a woman.” “And thus it was that every Jewish woman cherished her body for all its faults and thought: Even I could be the one.” Even I could be the one! Wow!
What if I embraced and cherished my body, heart, mind and soul? Who knows what I may be “the one” for? What if…
Who knows what could happen if I, if every woman, allowed our hearts to truly embrace that? What if we surrender to Jesus those parts of us that hold us back? The lies that say, “I’m too much. I’m not enough. I’m not educated. I’m too heavy. I’m too thin. (Hey, it could happen!) I’m not pretty enough.”
What if this season we gave ourselves the gift of embracing all our imperfections and giving them to Jesus? Even I could be the one…
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Deanna Sturgeon lives in Michigan with her husband of 30 years. A mother of three boys and three grandchildren, she loves spending time with her family and friends, camping, lounging at the beach, and reading. She is learning to embrace what wild Jesus has for her through love, dreams, hope and laughter.
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I believe he also wrote two other books. One called “The Man from Galilee” about what Jesus’ youth might have been like, and I can’t remember the name of the other one. I loved them. Made the Christmas story come alive! Also love the historical tradition, that it is thought that Mary’s mother’s name was Ann! I like to think I have a mother’s heart – a gift from God and that is why my parents chose that name. Not to mention in Greek it means grace, and I need to work on giving myself and others more grace! 🙂
Ann, “he” is actually “she”. Marjorie Holmes wrote the trilogy. The second book is “Three From Galilee.” The last book is “The Messiah.” It is a great trilogy to begin reading in November and finish by Easter.
I love your perspective, Deanna. Your heart is a beautiful part of you to see being shared.
I love this…every Jewish woman cherishering her body because perhaps she could be the one. Thanks for sharing your own thoughts and connections Deanna. Glad you are writing.
Thank you for the reminder. All those imperfections don’t matter, but the heart does. Oh what God can do with the opening and giving of our hearts. Thank you for sharing your heart so sweetly:)
I also read that book many years ago, and I don’t remember that at all! What a powerful reminder for us as women, and so hard when it seems like everything is telling us we couldn’t possibly be “the one”. I love the simplicity of every woman imagining it could be her.