Mary, the mother of Jesus, was probably about 14 years old when we meet her in Scripture. She was a simple Jewish girl living in the village of Nazareth, up in Galilee, the northern part of Israel. Mary had just become engaged to a young carpenter named Joseph. During this year of engagement, Mary and Joseph would never be alone or unescorted for any length of time. One day a top-ranking angel named Gabriel visited Mary. The angel told her that she was to be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah, the son of the living God. Gabriel was asking a lot. A young, unmarried pregnant girl in that day and time risked disaster. She could easily lose her fiancé, her family, her reputation and even her life. Never these, Mary's simple faithful response was "I am the Lord's servant, May it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)