Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna. Three very different women, at different ages and stages of life. One single, one married, one widowed. One just beginning to experience life. One coping with the challenges and changes of midlife. And one coming close to the end of her life.

But these women had one thing in common. They chose to submit to God's will, even when it didn't seem to make sense. Take a closer look at their words and actions, and see how each woman had a unique purpose in God's great plan to bring His Son to earth.

A willing heart, a hearing heart, and a faithful heart.

The Three Wise Men, though mentioned only briefly in the Gospel of Matthew, are well-known characters in the Christmas story. But we know very little about them-not even their names, or if in fact there were three of them.

But the Scriptures do teach us for certain about three wise women-Mary, mother of Jesus; Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist; and Anna, a prophetess who proclaimed the good news of Jesus' birth.

Each woman played an important role in the Christmas story. They didn't give Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, as the wise men did. But they did offer Him their most precious possessions: their hearts.