By Dannah Gresh, Founder of True Girl
Read Luke 2:8-21
“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19
Bob and I adopted our sweet daughter Autumn when she was almost fourteen. A few years back, we had the pleasure of traveling back to China to the village where she was born and spent the first few years of her life. There I found some of the greatest gifts I will ever know.
There was the cement wall with the stick figure of a smiling girl—Autumn’s early artwork still there for us to see on the wall that watched her learn to walk and talk. I took many pictures of that little drawing because I treasure it. I plan to have one framed and placed on a wall where I have two pieces of art that my other two children created when they were small. These treasures mean more to me than any other painting or little piece of art in my house.
There was Grandma K, an elderly woman who babysat Autumn when she was only an infant until she was a young girl. This dear lady rocked the cradle that held my baby. She sat with me for hours to tell me stories. I think about them over and over. This is how I ponder them in my heart…by rolling them around again and again in my mind.
The Bible says that Mary observed her first few hours and days with Jesus and she treasured the things that happened in the walls of the dirty stable. Walls that though feeble, watched the Savior of the world breathe his first breath. Walls that heard the first wails of King Jesus.
When the shepherds came and told their tales of a great host of angels celebrating the birth of her baby, she pondered it. She rolled the story around in her head over and over again.
I bet your mom has done some treasuring and pondering of your birth story. Today, listen to her treasures and ponderings about you. In yesterday’s optional girl gab activity you would have heard about that a little bit. What did she tell you she remembered? Treasured? What stories has she rolled around in her head over and over again?
I think Jesus wants you and I to treasure his birth and ponder the stories. As you do that, you’ll find that it becomes more and more alive to you. God will show you things you did not see before. As I’ve pondered the story these five days with you, he’s taught me so much. Has he taught you too?
Let us learn from Mary to treasure the story of Jesus and to ponder it often.
Mom+Daughter mini-date: Find a barn, stable, deck, or outdoor nativity scene. Sit there and ponder out loud together. Talk about baby Jesus and the night he was born. (Hot chocolate is recommended!)
If you’ve enjoyed this Mother+Daughter Devo, consider having devos with your daughter all year long using the True Girl subscription, her new Bible Study BFF! Intentionally packed with your tween (7-12) girl in mind, it’s full of daily devos to get her in the Word, mom+daughter dates that get you connecting, and exclusive bonus items from True Girl and other ministries we trust! It’s the most fun you’ll ever have digging into God’s Word together at home.
True Girl theme verse:
"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31,32
Mom, the best way to teach your daughter to live like an authentic True Girl is to live like an authentic True Woman. And to do that, you've got to get your life lined up with the Truth of the Bible. Listen to Dannah Gresh every weekday on Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth's Revive Our Hearts podcast. The program features biblical teaching, interviews that offer godly advice, and other opportunities to abide in God's Word.