Mary's Journal

Day One of the Sixth Month, 4 B.C.
Okay, I'm going to try this. Father says that the best way to make memories is to write them down, so I decided to use these pieces of parchment for my own personal journal. Well, I guess I should start at the beginning. My name is Mary, daughter of Jethro and Anna. The years I have lived are fourteen. My mother says that I am almost and adult. After all, I am getting married soon. Mother and Father have already picked out my husband, a good friend of mine called Joseph. Well, now that I have told you who I am, I can start telling you what I have been doing. Not much has happened here in Nazareth lately, I'm hoping for some excitement soon.

Day Two of the Sixth Month, 4 B.C.
When I said I wanted excitement I didn't mean this! Today Mother and Father left me at home while they went to the market. I was grinding the grain into flour, just one of my normal chores. Suddenly, I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I turned, and there was a man in the middle of the room! He had blond hair and pure white clothes. I screamed and dropped the grindstone, but he spoke calmly.
"Greetings you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." He said. "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His Kingdom will never end." Finally regaining my composure, I spoke to the angel.
"H...h...how can th...th...this be?" I stuttered. "I...I'm a virgin. I can't have a baby!" The angel, at least I thought he was an angel, smiled before answering.
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God." While I was still trying to process the fact that my baby would be the Son of God, the angel continued.
"Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." This was definitely interesting, but I guessed that I had but one choice of an answer.
"I am the Lord's servant." I said quietly. "May it be to me as you have said." As suddenly as the angel had come, he disappeared. I wondered if I might possibly regret my last words to him in the next days (after all, what am I going to tell Joseph? What about my family? And friends?), but, of course, I had no way of knowing. All I could do was remember what the angel had said, "for nothing is impossible with God". I fell sure I will need that assurance.

Day Six of the Third Month, 5 B.C.
I really am sorry it has been almost a year since I have written. Everything has happened so fast! I can only thank Jehovah for giving Joseph a dream that convinced him I tell the truth about the Son of God. Joseph was somewhat able to convince my parents. We're on the road the Bethlehem now, Caesar Augustus ordered that we all go to our own towns for a census. Joseph says we're not that far off. I hope that he's right, I think there is a possibility that Jesus will come even tonight. Oh! I can see the city now!

Later the same night
You won't believe it! Jesus really was born tonight! None of the inns had rooms for us, we ended up in a stable. More of a cave, really. Jesus has to sleep in a manger, but I hope He doesn't mind much. At least we aren't out in the cold with the Son of God! It's warm in here with all the people. That brings me to the best part. Just as Joseph and I were settling in for the night, we heard a loud commotion outside. Shepherds from the fields near Bethlehem came rushing into the stable, shouting:
"Give glory to Jehovah!" and falling on their knees in front of the manger. They say that they were visited by and angel (I believe it!) who told them where to find the Son of God. Since then, they have run up and down every street in town shouting the news. Many people have come to see since! I have been thinking through it all that I really don't know what the future holds for us now. All I do know is that God chose us, so Joseph and I will follow Him where ever it leads.

What courage. Mary and Joseph had no idea what they would have to go through for their
Son, but they willingly walked a path that no one in history had ever been down. Oh, that we would have their courage this season and always! God bless your Christmas!