As we approach Christmas, we’ll consider Anna this week, a prophetess who modeled a life dedicated to God despite living in the pain of widowhood. Anna’s story unfolds forty days after Jesus' birth. Since Mary and Joseph were godly people, they wanted to observe the Old Testament law. It said a new mother should bring an offering to God after giving birth and that the new parents should present their firstborn son to God (Luke 2:22-24, Lev. 12:6-8, Ex. 13:2).