“Mom, the baby sure is taking a long time to get here,” my 4-year-old son declared as we counted down the days before his baby brother arrived. The anticipation almost was too much for my son to handle.

The word anticipation, when used in conjunction with Christmas, usually implies a sense of hope, eagerness and excitement. We anticipate holiday parties, time spent with family, gifts, decorating and all the other elements that create a warm holiday atmosphere. Yet for one person in the Bible, anticipating the day of Jesus’ birth far surpassed any joy we could imagine.

Although the story is well known, let’s pause to consider the anticipation of Jesus’ birth. Maybe the reason we neglect to revel in the expectancy of the season is that the story is too familiar. To truly understand the magnitude of Christ’s birth, we need to first understand Mary’s anticipation as she awaited the birth of her son, Jesus Christ.

The Bible tells us that Mary, a young virgin betrothed to Joseph, received a visit from an angel who told her the unbelievable news: “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.” (Luke 1:31-33)

What incredible news! Yet something seemingly impossible does not trouble Mary. In fact, she never doubts God’s plan for her life or her unborn child’s life. She responds with humble inquiry, “How will this be ... since I am a virgin.” (Luke 1:34)

Mary even continues to praise God for this miracle, never once considering the incredible sacrifices she would make: her reputation, her family’s reputation and her personal future plans. Instead, she celebrates the calling God gives her.

Preparing for Christmas involves many things: errand-running, cookie-baking, gift-buying, present-wrapping, envelope-addressing, etc. We consume ourselves with trivial errands and to-do lists. Yet Mary, who experienced the most important Christmas of all, never worried about such frivolities. Instead, she visited her cousin, Elizabeth, who also found herself pregnant by miraculous means.

Realistically, neither woman should have been pregnant. Elizabeth was too old; Mary was a virgin. Yet they both shared in the miracles God worked through their lives.

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months before returning home. Although the Bible gives no detail as to what the women did during those months, I imagine they shared in the journey of pregnancy: daydreaming about the birth; thinking about raising a newborn; talking endlessly about their excitement, hopes and fears about motherhood; and most importantly, enjoying their season of life instead of letting day-to-day responsibilities rob them of their joy.

Let’s stop for a moment to consider this question: How are you preparing your heart and mind for the impending Christmas season? Are you consumed by the day-to-day tasks of the holiday? Or are you, like Mary, taking time to bask in the glory of the season?

When the blessed day finally arrives, we learn that Mary gives birth in a manger. Not the place we envision for the birth of a powerful king, yet perfectly fitting for the humble Prince of Peace. Mary and Joseph celebrated their son’s birth by sitting in his presence. If you have a child, you might remember those first few days and weeks of his life. New parents stare intently at their baby, noting each tiny movement and coo as a unique phenomenon. Mary and Joseph are no exception. The young couple most likely spent uninterrupted time together, getting to know their new family.

Mary also took a few precious moments to reflect on the enormity of this event. “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

This Christmas season will you, like Mary, take time to consider the miracle God is working in your own life? Maybe you are fighting an illness, have just lost your job, or are enduring a family crisis. Whatever mountain you climb, rest assured that Mary climbed a similar mountain of uncertainty.

Yet the book of Luke mentions nothing of worry or anxiety surrounding Jesus’ birth. Mary exudes confidence and faith in God’s plan. This year, let’s rejoice in the anticipation of the Christmas season and in what God has planned for us in the coming year. “For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

Elizabeth Oates (B.A. Baylor University; M.A.C.E. Dallas Theological Seminary) is a wife, mother and freelance writer. She and her husband, Brandon, founded Project Restoration Ministry. For more information on Elizabeth’s Bible study curriculum, Dealing with Divorce: Finding Directon When Your Parents Split Up, or to e-mail her, go to the website www.projectrestorationministry.org.