This week, in the final episode of our Advent and Christmastide series, we are studying Mary and her response to God's call on her life, and how that response can so inform the way we truly go into 2025.

1. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE PASSAGE SAY?

Luke 1:28-30; 38: The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Maybe true for Mary, but is it true for us?

2. WHAT'S THE BACKSTORY?

What do we know about Mary:

-She knew some scripture
-She was faithful
-She was among the believers [not venerated, but in community]

Acts 1:14 (They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.)

Mary had no qualifications for being chosen.

This beginning also mirrors our beginning when it comes to receiving the good news.

All of the good news is contained here:

You who are highly favored.

In the context of the world, she is not highly favored. When we think of what makes someone highly favored, we tend to think of the examples we have in the world. But that wasn’t Mary at all. 

3. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Accepting the incredible surprise of the good news means releasing control.

Receiving the gift of our favor means opening our hands to everything God gives. “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word be fulfilled.”

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us…that we would be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1

4. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME?

What sets Mary apart is her radical acceptance of God’s invitation, and what defines us as children of God is our radical acceptance of the same invitation.

Radical Acceptance:

God has not given up on me, no matter how I feel.

I do not need to try harder.

My pain and struggle is not wasted.

 

My false self protects me with:

I am what I do.

I am what I have.

I am what others think of me.

 

My true self:

I am. (I am worthy)

I am the Lord’s. (I belong)

I am the Lord’s servant. (I have purpose)

THIS WEEK'S RESOURCES:

Sign up for Nicole's newsletter and get regular encouragement straight to your inbox: https://nicoleunice.com/realtalk/

Help! My Bible is Alive!

Nicole’s Newest Book: Not What I Signed Up For 

When you go to NicoleUnice.com/notwhatisignedupfor you'll get the intro, first chapter and a free prayer guide! 

Find all of Nicole's books and resources on Amazon or Barnes & Noble

 

This week, in the final episode of our Advent and Christmastide series, we are studying Mary and her response to God's call on her life, and how that response can so inform the way we truly go into 2025.
1. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE PASSAGE SAY?
Luke 1:28-30; 38:&nbsp;The angel went to her and said, &ldquo;Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.&rdquo; 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, &ldquo;Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
38 &ldquo;I am the Lord&rsquo;s servant,&rdquo; Mary answered. &ldquo;May your word to me be fulfilled.&rdquo; Then the angel left her.
Maybe true for Mary, but is it true for us?
2. WHAT'S THE BACKSTORY?
What do we know about Mary:
-She knew some scripture -She was faithful -She was among the believers [not venerated, but in community]
Acts 1:14 (They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.)
Mary had no qualifications for being chosen.
This beginning also mirrors our beginning when it comes to receiving the good news.
All of the good news is contained here:
You who are highly favored.
In the context of the world, she is not highly favored. When we think of what makes someone highly favored, we tend to think of the examples we have in the world. But that wasn&rsquo;t Mary at all.&nbsp;
3. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Accepting the incredible surprise of the good news means releasing control.
Receiving the gift of our favor means opening our hands to everything God gives. &ldquo;I am the Lord&rsquo;s servant, may your word be fulfilled.&rdquo;
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us&hellip;that we would be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1
4. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME?
What sets Mary apart is her radical acceptance of God&rsquo;s invitation, and what defines us as children of God is our radical acceptance of the same invitation.
Radical Acceptance:
God has not given up on me, no matter how I feel.
I do not need to try harder.
My pain and struggle is not wasted.
&nbsp;
My false self protects me with:
I am what I do.
I am what I have.
I am what others think of me.
&nbsp;
My true self:
I am. (I am worthy)
I am the Lord&rsquo;s. (I belong)
I am the Lord&rsquo;s servant. (I have purpose)
THIS WEEK'S RESOURCES:
Sign up for Nicole's newsletter and get regular encouragement straight to your inbox: <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/realtalk/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nicoleunice.com/realtalk/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1727966241794000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0tVRclOME9LHyn54IIEPfh">https://nicoleunice.com/realtalk/</a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Help-My-Bible-Alive-Understand/dp/1641580216">Help! My Bible is Alive!</a>
Nicole&rsquo;s Newest Book: <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/not-what-finding-strength-purpose-through/9781496448651/pd/44865X">Not What I Signed Up For&nbsp;</a>
When you go to <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/notwhatisignedupfor/">NicoleUnice.com/notwhatisignedupfor</a> you'll get the intro, first chapter and a free prayer guide!&nbsp;
Find all of Nicole's books and resources on<a href="https://www.amazon.com/shop/nicoleunice/list/1RSVU2ZK7YHKC?linkCode=spc&amp;tag=nicoleunice-20&amp;domainId=influencer&amp;asc_contentid=amzn1.ideas.1RSVU2ZK7YHKC"> Amazon </a>or <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Nicole%20unice">Barnes &amp; Noble</a>
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As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do!

But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way.

In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 

Topics covered in this podcast:

💡 Three Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible
💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life
💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!)
💡 Topical Bible study lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and more
💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life
💡 4 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture

To find more from Nicole, visit https://nicoleunice.com/.

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do! But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way. In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 
Topics covered in this podcast:
💡 Three Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible 💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life 💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!) 💡 Topical Bible study lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and more 💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life 💡 4 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture
To find more from Nicole, visit <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/">https://nicoleunice.com/</a>.

How to Study the Bible - Bible Study Made Simple

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do!

But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way.

In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 

Topics covered in this podcast:

💡 Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible
💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life
💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!)
💡 Topical Bible Study Lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and More
💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life
💡 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture

To find more from Nicole, visit https://nicoleunice.com/.

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do! But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way. In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 
Topics covered in this podcast:
💡 Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible 💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life 💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!) 💡 Topical Bible Study Lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and More 💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life 💡 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture
To find more from Nicole, visit <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/">https://nicoleunice.com/</a>.

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