Special Guest Alert! The Wives at the Well are finally joining us in the proverbial recording booth! Welcome to the final episode of 2021, everyone--wherein the 5 of us will be pondering and discussing the greatness and expectancy wrapped up in the liturgical season of Advent. Praise be to God--whose Son is Jesus Christ!  BIBLE VERSES: Luke 2:10-14; Revelation 21:1-4 

This may be a hot take, but you’ve got to be pretty remarkable to be the mother of God. Mary’s life; talking with an angel, giving birth in a barn, raising the Messiah, and following alongside Him as He went to His death are acts that detail immense faithfulness, humility, and strength. Mary was an incredible disciple and there’s a lot that we can learn from her. BIBLE VERSES: Luke 1:26-38, 46-55, 2:8-20 

Naomi endured a series of Job-Esque years that must have felt like a waking nightmare. First, her husband Elimelech passes away. He is followed shortly after by her sons Chilion and Mahlon. In the wake of this devastation, Naomi still had two daughters-in-law to care for. A bitter Naomi faces Orpah and Ruth in a torrent of pain and uncertainty. Her message, simple… “Take care of yourselves. Forget about me.” BIBLE VERSES: Ruth 1:6-18; 3:1-14 

Hannah’s inability to conceive a child took a heavy toll on her. She brought this matter to the Lord over and over again through tears. This put a strain on her relationship with her husband Elkanah as he struggled to support her. Hannah persisted in asking God for a child, eventually resolving that she would rather have one and give them completely to God than not have a child at all. BIBLE VERSES: 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Two sisters are just minding their own business when they hear that Jesus of Nazareth, THE Jesus of Nazareth is in town. They drop everything, decide to invite Him over, and rush to make preparations for His arrival. Well, at least one of them did… BIBLE VERSES: Luke 10:38-42

If you thought that last week’s episode left on a bit of a cliffhanger--good! We pick up exactly where we left off with the story of Deborah. Sisera, the defeated and humiliated commander of Canaan’s army, flees to the wilderness in desperate search of a place to hide and get a reprieve from the battle. Well, soon enough, he found it...or so he thought. BIBLE VERSES: Judges 4:17-24

The book of Judges falls into a familiar pattern: Israel falls into a pattern of sin, God allows a rival nation to seize control of them, God sends a judge to call the people to repentance, Israel repents, God gives them victory over their enemies. It’s predictable but still makes for one of the most entertaining books of the Bible! Deborah was one such judge. During Israel’s oppression under Jabin, King of Canaan, and the commander of his army, Sisera, Deborah knew that the Lord was ready to deliver them into Israel’s hands. There was just one thing standing in the way; Barak, the very timid commander of Israel’s army. So Deborah decides it’s time to have a word with him... BIBLE VERSES: Judges 4:1-16

Mary Magdalene is featured heavily in the Gospels. One of Jesus’ running mates since He cast 7 demons out of her, Mary was a faithful disciple who must have been devastated when the LORD was crucified. In the midst of grief and an uncertain future, she journeyed with Mary, the mother of Jesus, to the LORD’s tomb to pay her respects. Nothing could have prepared her for the next chapter of her journey with Jesus. BIBLE VERSES: Luke 24:1-12

This famous passage in the last chapter of Proverbs features a king getting advice from his mom. Out of motherly concern, or perhaps skepticism pertaining to her son’s dating preferences she outlines her criteria for what she calls a virtuous wife. The resulting passage describes what has come to be known as “The Proverbs 31 Woman”; an industrious, creative, generous woman who is the joy of her family and a force to be reckoned with.  BIBLE VERSES: Proverbs 31:10-31

John closes this letter by stating its purpose; to aid these disciples in their belief in a God who meets them in prayer and offers them eternal life. This simple, yet profound mission statement perfectly encapsulates his vulnerable writing in this letter and models a heart for the Body of Christ that each of us would be wise to emulate.  BIBLE VERSES: 1 John 5:13-21