The Virgin Birth is a difficult belief to swallow for many in our contemporary world. But when we take a hard look at Isaiah's original prophecy we find surprising depths to what Matthew is doing with Jesus' birth story - depths that offer hope and meaning for a world that desperately craves peace. The Virgin Birth means that God is with us, and that changes everything.
[/one_half][one_half_last]Why do we love stories about monsters? Vampires, werewolves, zombies and ghosts fascinate us – which is strange. Monster stories aren’t really about monsters – they’re about us. Monster stories externalize our deepest fears about ourselves. If we’re willing to face our monsters head-on, we can find freedom and hope.