Reading, Writing & Pondering

  Do you like having a special devotional for Advent? My devotional this year was The Spirit of Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti. Unfortunately, I did not receive this book until a few days after Advent started so I was behind from the beginning. I still enjoyed the book but I struggled to keep up with a busy month. I think I would like to start over and read the book better from start to finish. The Spirit of Christmas includes 25 readings--one for each day of the Advent season. Of course, the book could be read any time of the year but the focus is on the Christmas season and the birth of Christ. As you would expect, every day starts with a Scripture verse. Each day's reading is 3 or 4 pages long, followed by a section called Pondering, which includes questions to think about related to the day's reading. Then the reading concludes with a prayer.  The Spirit of Christmas book is a small size so it is a good size to take along and read on the go. Or it easily fits on your nights...

  Kid the Goat Won't Wear His Christmas Coa t by Lana Stenner is a board book aimed at children age four and under.  Kid the Goat Won't Wear His Christmas Coat is 20 pages long and measures roughly seven inches square. This book is sturdy and easy for little ones to hold and look at on their own.  While this sturdy book is easy for little ones to hold on their own, it is a good one to read as a family and discuss too. The story if a fun rhyme that gives children an idea of the consequences of not dressing for the weather. It also could serve as a discussion for how to handle it when children receive a gift that they don't really want as that happens in life. There is a place where it is said that adults know best for children. While this is usually the case, in some cases, it isn't. That could also be a discussion topic from the book. The back part of the book does feature the traditional Christmas story with a manger scene so for that reason, Kid the Goat Won't We...

      Do you need a new Advent devotional to read this year? Let Earth Receive Her King by Alister Begg is both beautiful on the outside and full of Christmas reflections to stir your heart on the inside. Let Earth Receive Her King is divided into five parts. Following the introduction: Part One: Christmas in the Beginning Part Two: Christmas in the Land Part Three: Christmas in the Gospels Part Four: Christmas in the Letters Part Five:Awaiting the New Advent I like how this book starts before the Gospels. The story of Jesus actually begins in the Old Testament, which many of us know and yet so many years we just read the Christmas story in the gospels and call it a day. I like that this book studies all aspects of Christ coming and then the full story of his birth. This Advent book has 25 readings that run from Genesis, Isaiah, Luke, and more right through to Revelations. It encompasses the whole Bible. For me, this is new to cover so much ground in an Advent Devotiona...

  Are you looking for a new book to use as a family of mixed ages to celebrate Advent? Discovering Christmas by Amanda Jass is a 25-day Advent Devotional with a mix of readings and activities to do with children as a family. Discovering Christmas is 7.25 inches square and is 98 pages long. This book is illustrated with beautiful full-color illustrations that have a lot of fun detail. I think it would be a fun book to use as a family for Advent. There are readings that go through the Biblical Christmas story, as you would expect. Then there are activities to go along with the readings such as making cocoa, going caroling, and other traditionally Christmas activities. Nothing is overly original BUT there are some good conversation starters as well as the fact that each day's activities are set and ready for you to use. I also think these simple traditional activities are ones that kids actually do enjoy so they work. Most families likely have what they need already to do the activi...

  Mary's Voice: Advent Reflections to Contemplate the Coming of Christ by Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing is a beautiful devotional book to read throughout Advent that focuses on Mary's thoughts about Jesus birth and life. Mary's Voice is unique because, as the author writes in the introduction, in our Christmas programs, Mary is often seen as a quiet woman with no voice. In the programs, she is usually seen as a passive bystander. However, as the Gospels unfold, Mary was anything but passive. Especially in the Gospel of Luke, Mary is at the heart of the Gospel passage as she is the Mother of Jesus, God's chosen son. She is a woman who pondered much, as the Scriptures said, and watched the life of Jesus unfold.  I think Mary's Voice is a unique book in looking at Advent from her perspective. There are 25 readings. Each begins with Scripture, lasts 3 or 4 pages, and ends with a prayer. This book also has beautiful antique painting/artwork photos throughout the book that are bea...

  Seek and Find: The First Christmas Activity Book written by Sarah Parker and illustrated by Andre Parker is an activity book that has a variety of fun paper-based children's activities. There are 35 activities for children ages four to seven.  Puzzles, mazes, counting and other activities all based on Jesus and the first Christmas. This book is thin and measures 8.75 by 10.25 inches in size. It would be an easy one to slide in a book bag, along with some colored pencils, to keep children entertained on the go. It easily compliments the hardcover search and find book that is part of this series.   I received a copy of this book from the Good Book Company. All opinions within this review are my own.

  The Christmas Surprise by Steph Williams tells the Christmas story to young children in a little different way. I love the way this book is written. It is a fun one to read aloud to help little ones understand the Christmas story. There is also a note for grown-ups in the back to guide adults as they talk to children about the Christmas story. There is also the text from Luke1:26-35 in the NIV version so adults could also read directly from the Bible at the end to the children as well. I think The Christmas Surprise is well done. It is written is such a way that young children can not only understand the Christmas story but also so they can get excited about it. As I already mentioned, it is fun to read aloud as an adult could ham it up and use different voices to make this book even more fun. It is also one that children could keep to re-read every year and learn to read on their own. Best of all, The Christmas Surprise is at a price point that is under five dollars so it wou...

  Are you looking for a fun activity to do for Advent with your little ones? The Press-out-and-play book, My Advent Nativity by Tama Fortner and illustrated by Keith Allen, is such a wonderful idea for Advent with small children. Small children are curious and love to touch as they learn. With the new board book, My Advent Nativity, little children, about ages three to seven, can press out pieces of the nativity each day of Advent until Christmas and they have a whole pressed-out creche set.  My Advent Nativity Press-out-and-play book is a great idea for little children. It gives them something to look forward to, it helps them use their skills to press out the pieces, and it helps them to have their own nativity set. If you have a special set that you would rather not have children touch, as my mom did, then you could direct them to their own set that they can touch. At the same time, they are learning the true meaning of Christmas and hearing the Christmas story in bite-size...

  Prepare Him Room by Susie Larson is a beautiful devotional book for Advent. I really enjoyed the readings and the cover makes this beautiful book a lovely gift too. Prepare Him Room contains 24 readings centered around the birth of Christ. In the introduction, Larson also shares that she based the fasts at the end of each reading on Dr. Alicia Britt Chole's book, 40 Days of Decrease, in which she invites the reader to a different fast each day. She recommends that book for the Lenton season but she draws on it to help the reader draw closer to God through the Christmas season. I liked that idea. Each day starts with a Scripture reading, then goes into a devotional reading that offers some good substance for those who wish to reflect on the meaning of the season. At the end of each reading, there is a prayer called Prepare Him Room followed by a brief section called Look Up with something to fast each day. I found this book to be helpful in drawing me in to the true meaning of th...

  If you are looking for a book with an activity that just may change the dynamics in your family, you need to look at The Giving Manger Boxed Set by Allison Hottinger. I love how this book changes the focus from getting to giving at Christmas. The Giving Manger is a nice large book, measuring about 10 inches square, with a 32-page story to inspire a family to focus on the joy of giving and the true meaning of Christmas based on Matthew 25:40b. I could see where this could be great fun in any sized family--and as I shared this story with my family, we are ready to make it a new Christmas tradition for us. The story encourages family members to be kind to family members, neighbors, strangers, anyone that you can think of. I was just thinking if everyone made a practice of doing this, just think of the effect this could have on others!  I received a copy of this boxed book set from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

The Jesus Calling series of books by Sarah Young have been my devotions for the past few years. My son and I have also done the regular children's devotional books. I was excited to see there is a special Jesus Calling:The Story of Christmas book. Jesus Calling:The Story of Christmas has twelve devotional readings for young children. At the start of the book, after the presentation page, Sarah Young write a one page letter to parents and grandparents telling about her family and why she wrote the book as well as her hopes for the book. I especially liked this added touch. The book then goes into the brightly illustrated pages with the devotions, most of which are on two pages. Each devotion has a Scripture reading, followed be the devotion and ending with a reminder of who Jesus is and what he does in the Jesus Calling section. I think Jesus Calling:The Story of Christmas would be a great addition to any family's Christmas readings and traditional books to use year after ...