Mary & Elizabeth: The Power of Women Supporting Women

Voices of the Nativity part 3 

Summary

Mary and Elizabeth's time together in Luke 1:39-45 serves as a powerful example of how women can support each other through challenging and miraculous experiences. As both women navigate unexpected pregnancies, they find solace and strength in their shared journey, highlighting the importance of sisterhood and divine connection. The episode delves into the significance of Elizabeth's affirmation of Mary's calling, as she recognizes the miraculous nature of Mary's pregnancy even before it is officially revealed. With heartfelt discussion, the hosts explore the emotional landscape both women faced, emphasizing the joy and encouragement that comes from being in community with one another. This discussion not only sheds light on their unique bond but also invites listeners to reflect on their own relationships and the divine nudges that guide them toward supporting those in need.

Show Notes

A heartfelt examination of the sacred bond between Mary and Elizabeth unfolds in this engaging podcast episode, where hosts Tamara K. Anderson and Jen Wright dissect the biblical account found in Luke 1:39-45. This portion of scripture captures a significant moment in the lives of these two remarkable women as they share their miraculous experiences of impending motherhood. The discussion begins with Mary’s swift journey to visit Elizabeth following the angel Gabriel's remarkable announcement, highlighting the theme of urgency in seeking support during transformative times.

The hosts explore the emotional intricacies of both characters, emphasizing Elizabeth’s initial seclusion and the joy brought by Mary’s visit. Reflecting on their unique circumstances—Elizabeth, once barren, now pregnant, and Mary, a young girl with an extraordinary calling—the conversation reveals how they embody the power of shared faith and encouragement. The hosts delve into the significance of the Holy Spirit's presence during this encounter, noting how Elizabeth's proclamation of Mary’s blessedness serves as a divine affirmation for both women.

Listeners are invited to consider the role of community in navigating life's challenges, particularly for women in their journeys of faith. The episode challenges the audience to recognize and act upon divine promptings to support others, nurturing relationships that can offer strength and solace. By highlighting the scriptural narrative, the episode culminates in a powerful reminder of the blessings that arise when women come together to witness and uplift one another in their spiritual journeys.

Takeaways

• Mary and Elizabeth's relationship exemplifies how women can support each other during challenging times.
• The story highlights the importance of community and companionship in miraculous experiences.
• Both Mary and Elizabeth experienced unique journeys that connected them through divine purpose.
• The act of visiting a friend in need can bring joy and reassurance to both parties.
• God often orchestrates encounters that lead to mutual support and encouragement among women.
• The significance of being filled with the Holy Ghost empowers women to share profound truths.

Hosts & Guests

Tamara K. Anderson

Tamara, founder of Women Warriors of Light, is a dynamic speaker, award winning author, and a podcaster. She is driven by her Christian faith to inspire faith in Jesus Christ. Alongside her husband, Justin, she navigates the joys and challenges of parenting four children with autism, ADHD, and mental health hurdles. You can find out more about Tamara on her website: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/

Jen Wright

Jennifer Wright is a member of the Women Warriors of Light advisory board. She is a nourisher of bodies and souls. She is a Therapeutic Recreation specialist and an administrator for a non-profit. Although busy pursuing her graduate work in Public Administration, she still finds time to mother and help the youth in her area learn to love and understand the scriptures. @jencromarwright

Keywords

Mary and Elizabeth, Luke 1:39-45, miraculous births, women in the Bible, support among women, Bible stories for women, faith and comfort, Elizabeth's pregnancy, Mary's visit to Elizabeth, Holy Spirit guidance, women of faith, New Testament women, friendship in the Bible, spiritual journeys, empowerment through scripture, testimonies of Jesus Christ, miracles in the Bible, stories of motherhood, women's roles in scripture.

Transcript

If you’d like to read the transcript of today’s episode, you can find it on our Women Warriors of Light website blog. Link in the bio.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:00:01.240 - 00:00:30.455

How do women support each other when they get hard things that they have to go through or assignments from God or things they feel that they need to do?

Today we have an amazing story that we find in the New Testament that we are going to cover in the story of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth and what an example they were for us women today and how we can love and support each other through difficult things. So stay tuned.

Podcast Host / Announcer

00:00:32.835 - 00:01:09.245

Welcome to Bible Women in Bathrobes, the podcast where faith meets comfort.

Join us Tuesday morning as the gals from Women warriors of Flight and their guests don bathrobes and dive into the inspiring stories of women in the Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ. From Esther's bravery to the Sermon on the Mount, we explore it all with warmth, laughter, sisterhood, and maybe even a few sleepy eyed moments.

Tune in live or at your leisure as we learn lessons from scripture which empower women today.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:01:14.905 - 00:01:24.285

Hello and welcome to another episode of Bible Women and Bathrobes. I'm your host, Tamara K. Anderson, and joining me today is Jen Wright. Welcome back, Jen.

Jen Wright

00:01:24.685 - 00:01:25.741

Thanks, Tamara.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:01:25.853 - 00:02:35.351

I'm happy to be here and we are so happy to have you. And today, guys, we are continuing with that story leading up to the Nativity of Jesus Christ. We've covered the story of Elizabeth and Zacharias.

We've covered the story of the angel appearing to Mary. And now we're in Luke chapter one. We're going to cover verses 39 through 45. This is Mary right after the angels appeared.

And that's kind of where we pick up the story.

And we talked last week, Jen, about how when the angel Gabriel came to Mary, the example he gave her of how the nothing is impossible with God was that her cousin Elizabeth was six months pregnant with a baby. Oh my gosh. Right. And this is a woman who has already gone through menopause. So she's older.

I mean, I know how draining pregnancy is on was on me as a younger mom, but I, I can't even, I'm kind of perimenopausal right now. I can't even imagine like getting pregnant at this point in my life. Like I would be exhausted. I'd probably be in bed like most of the time.

Jen Wright

00:02:35.543 - 00:03:22.665

Right, right. Well, and I think it's so interesting because Mary, of course is this young girl. Right. She's probably somewhere in her mid teens is what we think.

And she would have known Elizabeth her whole life as someone who was barren. And at the time the stakes of that were very high.

And so it would have been something that she would have had compassion about or really kind of known about. And so this miracle for her would really change how Mary kind of would look at this, at this cousin, right at her friend.

So I think it's really, it's amazing that they get to go through this experience of divinity together and that their roles can shift with each other. I think it's really cool.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:03:23.245 - 00:04:13.743

Yeah.

And I think it's interesting we, we read last week, or maybe it's the week before, where Elizabeth, when she conceived it says she hid herself for five months. So, you know, here we are the next month. I don't know if word had started to spread yet or not. Obviously Mary hadn't heard.

But the angel tells Mary, hey, your cousin's pregnant. Like what? You know, and, and it's interesting.

That's kind of where we are when we pick up the story in verse 38, known verse 39, it says, and Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste. I love the wisp. Haste. She's like, holy cow, Elizabeth is pregnant. I better go help. Do you know what I mean?

Jen Wright

00:04:13.799 - 00:04:14.279

Yeah.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:04:14.367 - 00:05:00.245

And I'm sure there was a little bit of God's nudging there, you know, that she went with haste into the city of Judah. And having Elizabeth, you know, here she is. She has just gone through several months where she's kind of been secluded by herself.

I can't believe this is finally happening to me. And that's where Mary comes into the story. You know, Elizabeth, obviously six months pregnant. You can't hide that anymore. You know what I mean?

She's just been through the nausea phase. Her old bones are creaking. She's probably moving, you know, tired, so, so tired. And Mary has just had this miraculous event happen to her.

Jen Wright

00:05:00.585 - 00:06:13.125

You know, Tam, we're talking about the effects of that on Elizabeth.

And I just have, I have so much compassion for her because in our fertility journey, right, those, that first part of pregnancy is exciting, but it's also really nerve wracking. Like we don't know Elizabeth's whole story. We just know that she wasn't able to have children.

And waiting every month to find that out is so heartbreaking that she would have gone through that time and, and then having hit menopause, right. Like having been beyond that time, really thought that that matter was kind of at rest.

So I think it's really interesting to think about her coming back to that.

And man, I'm not sur that she was nervous for those first couple of months about whether this pregnancy would last or Just not knowing a totally new, like, re. Wrap your head around it moment. And I think it's.

It's really cool that Mary's had this moment, too, and that they're gonna go with haste to each other, right? Like, she's gonna go and find her friend. Yeah.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:06:13.665 - 00:08:05.821

Yeah. It. It is so beautiful. And. And as you remember, Zacharias at this point, can't talk. So it's interesting that this whole conversation.

We don't know if Zacharias was there when Mary and Elizabeth had the conversation. He couldn't have contributed, you know? No, but. But he could have been there.

But we have now this whole conversation that happens between Mary and Elizabeth. And it is so beautiful what God does with these women. It says in verse 40. So Mary entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth.

And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leapt within her, leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she spake out with a loud voice and said, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leapt in my womb. And blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. So amazing.

So this beautiful, beautiful thing here, and I think it's really cool that the same salutation that Elizabeth uses is what the angel says when he greets her. Blessed art thou among women. You see it again? Elizabeth says it. Blessed art thou among women. Oh, talk about a second witness right there. Bam, bam.

Any thoughts? I mean, there's a ton that we need to unpack in these verses here. Jen.

Jen Wright

00:08:05.973 - 00:09:03.725

I really love that second witness. I think often when we're moving forward in life, we take those first initial steps, right? And we can have a lot of energy.

And I think the thing that keeps us going are those small second witnesses of being on the right track. And we do. We get that through prayer. We get that through continued relationship with the spirit, relationship with others.

But as we go there, there are those milestones that we can expect and that we can be surprised by with God, where he says, this is it. You're doing it. And I. So I love the repetition and language. I really like that you brought that up. I think it's really, really cool.

And I love that John Lepton in the womb, right? John's always gonna witness. He's gonna be that forerunner for Christ. And so I just love that, man. It started early. These. These cousins.

It was very sweet. What do you think?

Tamara K. Anderson

00:09:04.025 - 00:09:43.015

Oh, my goodness. Well, I. I was also impressed. And it was interesting. If we kind of go back to.

In Luke, same chapter, chapter one, verse 15, when the angel Gabriel talked to Zacharias, he said that John would be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And so I think this kind of ties in as well, that here he is still in his mother's womb and he is leaping for joy.

Jen Wright

00:09:43.475 - 00:09:44.163

Yeah.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:09:44.299 - 00:10:05.705

Mary shows up. Like you said, this is something. And. And I think it also shows us some.

You know, we have the scientific question, you know, when does a soul enter the womb? We don't know, but obviously it's happened already in this case. Do you know what I mean?

Jen Wright

00:10:05.825 - 00:10:30.621

Yeah. Right, right. That's really sweet.

The other phrase that kind of sticks out to me, and this is important one, when it talks about the babe leaps in her womb, but Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Ghost. And what I like about it is that it's this into Christ's life.

Like, here's the beginning of his life, and the Holy Ghost is testifying to Elizabeth about who he is.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:10:30.773 - 00:10:31.085

Right.

Jen Wright

00:10:31.125 - 00:11:04.905

John leaps, but it's the Holy Ghost who tells and who inspires her with what. With who it is that Mary is carrying.

And it's going to be again in the upper room that Christ is teaching his disciples that it's the Holy Ghost who will tell them who he is.

So I like that it's this start, and it's going to be the end of Christ's life, too, that how we come to know him is through that testimony of that still small voice of that Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit. So I really love it.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:11:06.325 - 00:11:33.119

I just had a thought that was really cool as well, that it's interesting to me that these first witnesses of Jesus Christ that speak things verbally are women. Because Zacharias couldn't tell his story yet, you know, his mouth was shut. And so who is one of the first witnesses besides Mary? It is Elizabeth.

Jen Wright

00:11:33.167 - 00:11:45.983

Elizabeth. And then it's going to be Anna, and then it will be Simeon. Right. But it is. It is these women who testify of the Christ child's coming.

And I think that's really. That's a really good point. I like it.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:11:46.159 - 00:12:18.875

Yeah. And so sometimes, I know I've heard a lot of women ask.

And in fact, as I was starting this podcast, there were women who were saying, I would love to have you talk about women in the Scriptures, because often we feel marginalized because back in this day, you know, women just didn't speak up and speak out as much. There's so few witnesses of women compared to men in the Bible.

And so I love that we see these witnesses of Jesus Christ being so key and so pivotal that it started with women.

Jen Wright

00:12:19.575 - 00:12:56.601

Well, and I love it, too, because Christ, of course, and telling his own lineage is going to go through women, right? He's going to talk about tomorrow. He's going to bring that forward. And I don't think it's an accident.

Of course, at his time, it was a patriarchal society, and in some ways it is here now, too. But Christ saw the role of women in bringing about divine roles and purposes, and he still sees that now. And I just. I love that.

I mean, we're going to come back to that later, in later verses. How women in Scripture influence each other. It's pretty cool.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:12:56.753 - 00:14:02.555

Yeah, absolutely. Oh, my goodness. I love how you also said she was filled with the Holy Ghost.

And I think this is something we can look for in women and each other, that God will often fill us with the Holy Ghost. And when we speak with the power of the Holy Ghost, that amazing things can pop out of our mouths. I know that there's times, like when I've been.

When I've had a friend come to me or even a child come to me, and they'll say, mom, here's what I'm dealing with, or my friend, here's what I'm challenged with. And, you know, in my brain, I'm thinking, I honestly have no idea what to say in this instance. And I'm praying, dear Lord, help me know what I shall.

What I should say. Because I. I am speechless. I don't. I don't have the answer to what they're talking to me about.

And then I sit back and I'm amazed sometimes at what comes out of my mouth. I'm just like, whoa, where did that come from? I don't even know.

Jen Wright

00:14:02.935 - 00:14:07.927

I like when you learn something, too, right? When you're like, yeah, thanks. Yeah.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:14:07.951 - 00:14:11.075

I'm like, wow, that was really smart. Where did that come from?

Jen Wright

00:14:13.375 - 00:14:15.395

I'm gonna write that down. Yeah.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:14:17.055 - 00:14:17.679

So I think.

Jen Wright

00:14:17.727 - 00:14:18.915

I think that's cool.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:14:19.255 - 00:14:39.295

It's a cool thing that we can kind of pull out of this, is that we can invite the Holy Spirit to be with us, to be the words coming out of our mouth in situations where we may not know what to say and then watch what happens. I mean, just stand back and be Amazed.

Jen Wright

00:14:40.675 - 00:15:07.995

You know, you saying that it does remind me, in verse 42 of her, of the way that it describes. Elizabeth is speaking out with a loud voice. I don't. I think we just sometimes can be hesitant to speak. And I like what you're saying.

As far as relying on that Holy Ghost to fill in those gaps. Let's speak. Speak of your experience, speak what you've learned, and let's see how the Holy Ghost can work things together for good.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:15:08.535 - 00:16:12.935

Oh, yeah, yeah. Absolutely, yeah. Loud voice. I like that you brought that out. And then she repeats the words of the angel.

Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. How amazing that Elizabeth gets to testify her witness of Jesus Christ, you know, and she doesn't even see it. Like, Mary, you.

At this point, Mary, you probably can't even see that she's pregnant. You know, she's got to be in the very, very beginning stages of a pregnancy. And. And yet Elizabeth knows, by the power of God, like a.

Like, Mary doesn't even have to broach the subject. I'm sure she was traveling from. From Nazareth over to Judah to this, into a city of Judah. We don't know where, but she had.

Imagine what she is thinking as she is taking that journey. How do I even bring this up to Elizabeth? Hi, I saw an angel. You know what?

Jen Wright

00:16:13.315 - 00:16:15.803

I'm pregnant. Like, this isn't gonna come.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:16:15.859 - 00:17:02.265

I know. Like, how do I bring this up? And it's like, God solves problem before she even has to bring it up? And.

And so I was just thinking, how many times do I sit and fret and stew? Like, I've been prompted to stop by people's houses before. Like, tamara, you need to go visit so and so.

And I'm just like, okay, what am I supposed to say? I don't know why I'm here. I'm here. God sent me. You know?

I mean, and I love how she's probably thinking about that the whole time she's walking to visit Elizabeth, and yet God just takes care of it. You know, he's like. And the problem that you were fretting about and stewing about, problem solved, done.

Jen Wright

00:17:02.305 - 00:17:02.625

Yeah.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:17:02.705 - 00:17:14.385

She has her own witness. You don't have to try to explain it. She is. And now they get to be there for each other, right? Oh, it's so good.

Jen Wright

00:17:14.765 - 00:17:17.225

It's so good. It's so good.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:17:18.485 - 00:17:26.791

Oh, my goodness. Any other thoughts on those few little verses right there? 43, 44. No. I do.

Jen Wright

00:17:26.915 - 00:18:40.275

I really love. Later in 44, like, Elizabeth is saying, Call. She's just recognizing this blessing from the Lord. Right. She's already been blessed. She.

And she's witnessing that Mary is the mother of the Lord and how sweet that she gets to come to her. Right. I love at the end of 44, when she's describing how the Holy Ghost worked on her, but that the. Her feelings she describes as for joy and.

Oh, my gosh, like, that she could reach through and access that joy in that moment is amazing. I think friendships do that. As far as offering us spaces to set down, maybe outside trouble and reach for joy.

Certainly Mary's going to have a time ahead right there. The discussion about what Joseph is going to do with her. This is all ahead of her. Right.

But in this moment, Elizabeth accesses joy, and I just think it gives Mary probably permission to do the same. Right. So I just like that little. That descriptor for how she's feeling.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:18:41.415 - 00:19:22.809

I love that word joy. And I think when we have those anxious moments in our lives where we're like, how is this going to work out?

I don't know, maybe to look for those little sips of joy that God sends our way, there's just the little tiny miracles, the little tiny blessings that is something that the adversary can't replicate, that joy, that peace that comes from God. And so maybe just when we're feeling anxious or stressed, take a breath. Give it to God. Give it to.

Jen Wright

00:19:22.857 - 00:19:27.165

Behold, behold the handmade. Okay. Right. Be it.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:19:27.825 - 00:19:41.561

Yeah, I know. But how beautiful that is that. That. That they were both able to. In. They're both in a. In a totally unforeseen circumstance.

Jen Wright

00:19:41.713 - 00:19:44.049

Absolutely. Yes. Yeah.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:19:44.097 - 00:20:18.245

And. And God sends them to the one person who can relate woman to woman. I'm having a miracle happen to me. Me too. Exactly.

There's only two women probably in all of Judea and all of Israel that are having this exact thing happen to them. Both connected to the angel Gabriel, both connected with the Savior's birth, and yet the Lord brings them together. So follow those impressions.

If you feel impressed to go visit somebody, go. They might be having a circumstance that you. They need you and you need them.

Jen Wright

00:20:18.365 - 00:21:36.397

You know, you are uniquely suited to me. Yeah. I love that. And to tie into that. I know it's not in this section, but when you look at 46, it says, Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord.

What I love about this is it's a connection to Hannah and Samuel. Like these are. This is language that Hannah uses way back. Right. This would have been a scripture.

It would have been A scripture story that Mary relies on and knows and is familiar with about a child that comes to a woman who prayed for this child. Right. This is Elizabeth's full circle. Right. That Elizabeth is testifying to Mary about her goodness and her joy.

And Mary is again tying them in through scripture to their experience that they're experiencing right now of this joy of blessing and of answers from God. So I just really love that, that we can magnify our souls when we allow God access to them, they magnify him.

And I love that she reaches back to scripture as a comfort and a second, you know, even a third witness. Here we have Elizabeth as a second and a third witness being in. In those scripture stories of women. Right. I really love it.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:21:36.421 - 00:21:49.905

And it's cool that these women in the New Testament could draw from the stories of the women in the Old Testament and we can do the same thing now. We draw from Testament. My goodness, we have more stories than they did in the New Testament times.

Jen Wright

00:21:50.485 - 00:22:02.185

We do. Right.

And that it applies to us and that you can reach for those things and feel connected to women through time in this search for relationship with Christ.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:22:02.885 - 00:23:31.995

Yeah. Oh, it's so beautiful. I love in verse 45 it says, and blessed is she that believed. Isn't that a wonderful phrase? And.

And it says, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord, basically saying, God has witnessed this to me and it will come to pass. You know, let's tack on one final verse before we conclude and then we'll do two quick takeaways. Verse 56.

And Mary abode with her about three months and returned to her own house. So basically, Mary was with her for the duration of her pregnancy and the beginning of hers.

And I think it's so cool that Elizabeth has just gone through pregnancy for the first time and now Mary's coming into this. Who knows if she's even told her mom. I don't know.

But at least she has this confidant in Elizabeth who knows that the child that she has is of God and she's not going to be shunned by Elizabeth. It's so miraculous how God brought them together and to be and support each other through miraculous pregnancies. Right.

All right there, Jen, any thoughts on that? And then your takeaway?

Jen Wright

00:23:32.855 - 00:24:30.745

Well, I love that she stays with her. I think that's a sign of friendship. I think that that that ability to show up for each other is a divine ability of showing up in time and of.

Of really meeting each other where needed. And sometimes it's just going to be in a moment, but other times it is over time and through experience.

And I'm grateful for a God who trusts in relationship development over time and who asks those things of us to believe in the relationship with him and that that belief is divine and that we can rely on the Holy Ghost to confirm when we have questions about the path that we're that next straight step. Those are kind of my takeaways from this part. What about you?

Tamara K. Anderson

00:24:35.405 - 00:24:49.815

I think God, there's so much in these few little verses here. I think my biggest takeaway is to trust those feelings we get from God pointing us towards someone.

Jen Wright

00:24:51.075 - 00:24:51.619

Yes.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:24:51.707 - 00:25:18.065

Especially when it might not make sense in your brain.

But I, I love that, that Mary went with haste once she knew what, what she should, where she should be going, that she went quickly and what a blessing it must have been to both of them. I mean, I like, yeah, Zacharias couldn't even talk yet. So, you know, poor Elizabeth was probably dying to talk to somebody.

Jen Wright

00:25:21.405 - 00:25:32.673

But. So it's funny, but it, she was right. Especially this person having this common experience like you said. That's really, it's really sweet.

Go with haste. I like that.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:25:32.769 - 00:25:54.005

Go with. Hey. So if you feel impressed to visit someone or interact with someone or feel a heavy burden, ask God, who should I talk to about this?

Will you put someone in my path? It may even be someone you don't know yet, but God will put the right person in your path at the right time and go with haste. Right?

Jen Wright

00:25:54.345 - 00:25:59.057

Yeah. That's great. That's a great take away.

Tamara K. Anderson

00:25:59.241 - 00:26:21.685

Yeah. All right, thanks guys for joining us today. Stay tuned for next week.

We will keep the story going of the naming of John's birth and just the miracles around that Elizabeth had to speak up, which back in that society wasn't quite done. But. But we'll talk more about that next week. Thanks for joining us and have a blessed day.

Podcast Host / Announcer

00:26:23.265 - 00:27:03.685

Thanks for tuning in to Bible Women and Bathrobes, hosted by Women warriors of Light. We've loved exploring the stories of remarkable women or the teachings of the Savior today with you.

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Until next time, stay faithful and may your journey be blessed and illuminated by God's love.