This week Julia Allan continued our Advent series by focusing on the story of Mary’s disorienting visit with the angel Gabriel. Mary is a young woman from a village so small and insignificant it wasn’t included on maps. And yet, this unknown and unimportant person experiences God’s unmerited kindness as her entire life is upended with the news that she is pregnant and will carry and give birth to a son named Jesus who is to be the Savior of the world. We see Mary experience peace at a time when she should’ve experienced great turmoil. We can experience peace, too, by engaging the spiritual practices of worship, prayer, and submission. Mary’s humility and faithfulness show us how the peace of God is available to us when we most need it.