181: Living Out of Love (Advent Series #2) with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #36)

This week we are kicking off week 2 of our brand new solo podcast series, this one based on a book I wrote a few years back entitled “Good News for a Woman’s Heart: An Advent Devotional Study”. Today we are focusing on week 2 of the study, which centers on living out of the love we have in Christ.

What I Chat about in Today’s Episode:

~An in-depth look at Mary’s life and what we can learn from her example

~Why studying Mary’s story is a great way to commemorate the Advent week of love

~How love, and not legalism, is the only thing that can motivate and lead to heart change

~Mary’s background

~The amazing reality that Mary was theologically trained and knowledgeable in a culture when women typically were not; how God’s kindness and grace shines forth in this reality – He was equipping her for His call on her life

~How Mary’s theology was what enabled her to respond the way she did to the angel’s announcement

~The comforting truth that the Lord equips and prepares us for any call He has for us

~Mary’s response

~Mary’s theology

~Mary’s worship

~The difference between your worship of God only ever coming from a place of what you’ve received from Him and worshipping God simply for Who He is

~Becoming modern-day Marys

~What Mary’s Song (Mary’s Magnificat) teaches us about worship and theology

~The importance of living loved if we want to love well

~Understanding that we can walk forward in joy, rest, and trust no matter what we are facing in this season

~And more!

Resources Mentioned

Offer for a free audiobook and 30 day trial membership from Audible: www.audibletrial.com/HomeandHearth

Previous Solo Podcast Episodes

“Good News for a Woman’s Heart: An Advent Devotional Study”.

My free Advent Study on the YouVersion Bible App

QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

“Studying Mary’s life is such a great way to commemorate the Advent week of love because it was her love for God (stemming from her knowledge of Him, His love for her, and His trustworthy character) that enabled Mary to surrender every aspect of her life to Him. This is where legalism falls short – the upright behavior of the legalist is not driven by love, but by pride, and it never leads to lasting heart change.”

“It is specifically because of Mary’s intimate acquaintance with the truths of God’s Word that she was able to willingly surrender to God’s call on her life. Her theology was what enabled such a faith-filled response as the one she gave the angel. This is why theology is so important.”

“God had been clearly, graciously, tenderly equipping Mary all along for His special call on her life – for her to have had such deep theological prowess in a culture where women were not afforded such an education was a direct gift from a gracious God, a gift which enabled her to walk forward into the life-changing mission He had for her.”

“As was the case for Mary, whatever you have been called by God to do in this season of your life or whatever His mission for you is that is seemingly impossible, know this: He has already prepared beforehand the good works for which He has been equipping you to walk in all along. His unique calling for each one of us comes as no surprise to Him – He has been forming us for them before we ever knew they would be on the horizon.”

“It’s not that Mary was sinless or didn’t struggle with feelings, desires, fears, and frustrations as the rest of us do. It was that her love for her God was greater than her love for comfort. It was that her theology was so deep, rich, robust, and profound that she was able to trust in that God, able to rest in the knowledge she had of His surpassing goodness.”

“Whatever you are facing today, you can combat the fearful lies of the enemy with the truths of Who you know God to be. Go back to the truth of His character and allow yourself to not only view your current situation through that lens, but to also walk forth in hope, knowing your God has you in the palm of His loving hand.”

“In Mary’s day, women had little theological knowledge because of the patriarchal nature of the culture in which they lived. Today, many women too often have little theological knowledge because they are believing the lie that they are too busy to be in the Word.”

“Mary’s ability to surrender herself to the will of God and bear His Son even as unmarried young girl, stemmed not from her own self-help and motivational speeches or mantras she proclaimed over herself and her destiny. Her ability to surrender came from her knowing Who God is and that He could be safely entrusted with her life – every single day of it.”

“We love well when we live loved – when we live life remembering how very deeply we are loved by God.”

WHERE YOU CAN FIND REBEKAH ONLINE:

Websites – Hargraves Home and Hearth

Instagram –@rebekahhargraves

Facebook – Hargraves Home and Hearth

Twitter – @hhomeandhearth

Podcast – Home and Hearth Podcast

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