What were you born for?

"I am not brave, I'll never be. The only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy. I'm just a girl, nothing more. I am willing, I am yours." Be Born in Me - Francesca Battistelli

Today we celebrate Mary, the mother of God. There's a beautiful song that I quoted above. I know I shared it last year and I'll share it again because it's worth listening to twice. It can be easy to forget about Mary in a story that's all about her child, the savior that we'd been waiting for for so many years. I remember a friend telling me about her account of giving birth to her first son and just what a painful experience it was. All of her family and friends came to visit her in the hospital to ooo and aww at this precious child, but she couldn't help but think as they would come in with smiles on their faces "Don't they know what I just went through?"
It's easy once the story is played out to forget the sacrifice that got us there. When I think about Mary she is my ultimate role model as a woman, a mother, and a Christian. She was humble and sacrificial. She put others first without thought to herself. And most of all, she let go of her own plans for her life completely so that God's plan could be revealed. When I think about her, Brave is exactly the word that comes to mind. To say yes to something so incredible must have been terrifying. This wasn't just a nine month commitment, it was her entire life flipped upside down. But she doesn't take long to answer. Her heart, free from sin, was so planted in God she just trusted him. There's another line in the song that says "before my head agrees, my heart is on it's knees". Sometimes we over think things. The truth is, today we celebrate Mary's immaculate conception, the fact that she was born without sin. Before she was conceived, this was the plan God had for her life. She was litterally born for this. It would have been quite a dissapointment if she had missed out on what she was born for.
So as you reflect on Mary today, what were you born for? Before your head can overthink it, what does your heart say? And if it's scary or unknown territory, remember: you don't have to be brave, just willing to offer your heart and God will do the rest.

Here's a link to the song if you'd like to listen...
http://youtu.be/QsXOP7aQeqQ