Mary: Devoted to God's Plan

Chosen to be the mother of Jesus, Mary played a singular role in God's plan of redemption. And her life, relationships, and faith continue to hold significance for believers today. By responding faithfully to God's call, Mary began an extraordinary journey of transformation from Jesus' loving mother to one of His devoted followers. In this 8-week study, authors Miles Custis, Michael R. Grigoni, Douglas Mangum, Matthew M. Whitehead, Rebecca Brant, John D. Barry, and Elizabeth Vince help you discover new meaning in the life of Mary. Each chapter of Mary: Devoted to God's Plan is structured to maximize your study by exploring the themes, context, and background of events Mary's life, as well as offering biblical parallels, extra-biblical references, and insights into how Mary's experiences are relevant to your journey of faith. Walk through life with Mary, learning along the way how her story is like your story. Contents Each chapter of Mary: Devoted to God's Plan is structured to maximize your study: Theme: Introduces the meaning and relevance of an event in Mary's life Literary Context: Illustrates the conditions surrounding that event Historical and Cultural Background: Presents relevant data about the ancient world A Closer Look: Gives a walk-through of the event while exploring issues of interpretation, original language, and theology Throughout the Bible: Examines discussion of the event elsewhere in the Bible Beyond the Bible: Treats references to the event in ancient documents and extracanonical texts and references and by theologians, the church fathers, and contemporary thinkers Application: Concludes the chapter by exploring the event's relevance to your journey of faith You'll also find Quick Tips offering insight into difficult passages, historical information, original language wording, and ancient thought. Praise for Mary: Devoted to God's Plan "Mary's story is familiar to most Christians and can inadvertently be limited to a manger scene at Christmas. Yet there is so much more to ponder and learn from her life, as you will see in this study."-Arlene Pellicane, speaker, author, and blogger "The study of Mary: Devoted to God's Plan is not for the faint of heart. Take this study seriously-embrace the young teenager Mary as your role model-and you will have embarked on a journey that requires courage and self-sacrifice and may mean standing alone."- Carolyn Custis James, author of "Half the Church"