Mary, mother of Jesus, walked the path of all struggling mothers today

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Shannon Bream celebrates faith and family in new book

'Fox News @ Night' anchor shares what she learned during the process of writing 'The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak.'

Shannon Bream's new book, "The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak," takes a deep dive into the lives of women portrayed in the Bible — mothers and daughters who are central to both the Old Testament and New Testament — and who can be seen in a new light today and looked to for both consolation and inspiration.

Bream is anchor of "FOX News @ Night with Shannon Bream" (weekdays 12AM-1AM/ET). 

Her latest book follows an earlier success, "The Women of the Bible Speak," which came out last year.

"Any mother who has ever faced financial difficulty knows something of the pain Mary, a homeless refugee, felt on [the] journey to Egypt."

Through the stories she tells in her new book, Bream explains the intimate connection between faith and family — and brings them right into modern times. The book is just out from Fox News Books. 

Here's an engaging excerpt from "Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak."

Read this excerpt from Shannon Bream's new book

Shannon Bream in "The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak": Mothers only want the best for their children. So much of the time leading up to their arrival is about nesting. 

Family and friends usually come together to help provide the basics you need to create a safe environment that’s warm and welcoming. Everyone wants a nursery space for their little one, with a sturdy crib and soft sheets and blankets — maybe some wall art or matching curtains. 

Shannon Bream is the author of "The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak," just out from Fox News Books/HarperCollins.

There is great delight in crafting a beautiful physical place for that baby to begin growing and in dreaming of all the firsts to come. The last thing any mother wants is to have to snatch up her baby and run for her life — but that is exactly what Mary had to do.

A dire warning and clear directive came straight from heaven right after the Magi left [after visiting Jesus, Mary and Joseph]. Though these wise men from the East had previously promised to tell King Herod the whereabouts of the new Messiah, they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. 

Instead, they traveled home via a different route. Meanwhile, an angel appeared to Joseph and instructed him to flee to Egypt to escape Herod’s evil plan.

"The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak," on sale now, brings home the stories of pivotal figures in both the Old Testament and New Testament. (Fox News)

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. 

"Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son" (Matthew 2:13–15). 

"We walk the path of Mary, too, when our plans for our children turn out very differently from what we had imagined."

In essence, Joseph was living out parallels to his namesake — a chosen man who was gifted with the ability to understand important dreams — and one whose journey to save the nation of Israel led him through Egypt. I wonder if Jesus’s devout human parents took note of the similarities.

They were faithful to God’s guidance, and Herod was not happy about it …

‘Much more painful scenario’

Any mother who has ever faced financial difficulty knows something of the pain Mary, a homeless refugee, felt on [the] journey to Egypt. It’s easier to do without for ourselves, but it’s a much more painful scenario when it comes to our children. 

I have no doubt my mother struggled financially during the years it was just the two of us. I remember our clunker of a car regularly breaking down and lots of baloney and ketchup sandwiches, but we had each other and plenty of laughter too. 

"Mary knew that the child she was carrying in her arms was a greater wonder than all of them."

My mom was an expert at shielding me from the realities of our situation, and my grandparents were always present to help and care for us when we needed it most. I look back now and wonder how a single mother in her mid-twenties managed to work nonstop, sew our clothes, and make me believe my childhood was magical! 

My mother-in-law, Jouetta, together with her husband, raised six kids on a tight budget and did the same thing. In both my and my husband’s family, our mothers modeled faith, perseverance, and grit. Mary would have needed those in abundant supply.

Mothers have real anxieties about their children’s futures when it comes to things like choosing a college or enlisting in the military. Will they choose friends whose influence will be positive, or will they get tangled up with people who draw them into addiction or danger? 

A mother is shown comforting her child. "Because we know the end of Mary’s story, it’s easy for us to see that what may have felt like failure, fear, and despair to Mary was just the beginning of a far larger and more glorious adventure," writes Shannon Bream in her new book.

Who will they marry, and when can we expect grandkids? But let’s take that one step further. 

What about mothers who truly don’t know where their next meal is coming from? What about the mother who flees the chaos of a collapsing country or the poverty or violence that threatens her child’s life? 

She is journeying on a path that Mary and Jesus knew.

We walk the path of Mary, too, when our plans for our children turn out very differently from what we had imagined. Just as Mary held Christ close on that perilous journey to Egypt, we too must cling to Christ through our most daunting seasons. 

"When you see your children suffering, it’s often hard to take the long view of your own story. Scripture reminds us, however, that God is ever present."

Because we know the end of Mary’s story, it’s easy for us to see that what may have felt like failure, fear, and despair to Mary was just the beginning of a far larger and more glorious adventure. 

When you see your children suffering, it’s often hard to take the long view of your own story. Scripture reminds us, however, that God is ever present. 

He is as interested in the details of your struggle as He was in the plight of Mary and Joseph all those centuries ago. That family on the run finally arrived to witness the pomp and glory of Egypt. 

Yet, for all the glitz and glamour of those human achievements, Mary knew that the child she was carrying in her arms was a greater wonder than all of them.

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Excerpted from "The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak" by Shannon Bream. To purchase a copy, click here. 

"The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak," copyright 2022 by Shannon Bream, is published by Fox News Books/HarperCollins. All rights reserved.