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Step into Advent with this captivating study and devotional, where angelic encounters come to life, echoing the timeless message of overcoming fear.What would you do if you were not afraid? Life can be daunting, filled with uncertainty and fears. It wasn't any different two thousand years ago when Jesus was born. An aged priest is told he is about to become a father for the first time. A young woman is told she is going to give birth – outside the protection of marriage. A simple carpenter is asked to believe the impossible. A group of shepherds'night on a hill is interrupted by a bright host of angels in the sky.Yet, each of these encounters begins with the same refrain: do not be afraid.Those words, though, are not just words of comfort; they are an invitation and a calling from God. In this captivating Advent study and devotional, pastor Erin Wathen challenges us to take this timeless message and apply it to our lives today. Calling All Angels asks us to contemplate what would change in our relationships, vocations, congregations, and communities if we have the courage to overcome our fears like Mary, Joseph, Zechariah, and the Shepherds in the story. Included in this book are:Weekly studies perfect for individuals or groups Questions for reflection and discussionDaily reflections Worship resources including liturgies, prayers, and children's momentsAn uplifting playlist to accompany you through the Advent seasonFree videos featuring the author are available online - perfect for beginning weekly studies, sparking meaningful conversations, and deepening your understanding of that week's story.Step into Advent where stories of angelic encounters come to life, echoing the timeless message of overcoming fear. Just like the characters in the nativity story, we're invited to embrace courage and join in God's transformative work.

The Joy of Advent is an easy, guided celebration of Advent and Christmas for any family that hopes to bring richness and meaning into the holiday season. From Advent through Epiphany, activities for all ages including daily Bible readings, reflections, songs, and prayers, provide a guided celebration that will infuse depth and delight throughout the Advent and Christmastide season. The Joy of Advent gives families the opportunity to come together and focus their hearts on the scarlet thread of Christmas—Christ's love and sacrifice—woven through the tapestry of Scripture, and utilizing the Jesse Tree, to create poignant memories and beloved traditions. Readers will: Create meaningful traditions and activities that family members will enjoy year after year. Experience companionship through accessible readings and thoughtful reflections. Appreciate the amazing story of God's redemptive work in the world. Have every day moments transformed into lasting memories of rich spiritual significance. Extend the celebration of Christmas through the full Twelve Days of Christmas. Features of The Joy of Advent: • PERFECT GIFT for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany celebrations • TIMELESSLY CLASSIC PACKAGING: With a beautifully ageless, full-color, holiday design, this family activity book is perfect for decorating a coffee table or bookshelf, and the sturdy hardcover package ensures durability. • DESIGNED FOR FAMILIES WITH KIDS: This book includes family devotions and reflection questions for different age levels, and activities the whole family can enjoy together.

Award-winning author and storyteller, John Shea shares a poetic word of hope to help us “make it” this Christmas season.Whether your “it” is the overwhelming pressure to get it all done, the task of just getting through it, or simply being present this holiday season, award-winning author John Shea urges us to slow down during the rush of the season and open our hearts and minds to how the Spirit is calling us to renewal.By focusing on theological, scriptural, and liturgical themes—as well as the familiar sights, sounds, and happenings of the season, Shea's poems in Borrowing Wonder become the lens through which we experience the spirit of the season reflected in our own lives. By connecting soul to season, Shea hopes that we will allow the memories and moments of these reflections to illuminate the light that shines in the darkness. Christmas will come. You will make it.

Connect with what truly matters this holiday season In the hustle and bustle of the season's endless to-dos, it can be difficult to truly connect with what matters—honoring beloved traditions with family and friends, being present in our communities, and experiencing God in the celebration of Jesus'birth. In Comfort and Joy, authors Sherah-Leigh Gerber and Gwen Lantz offer a unique blend of thoughtful reflections and inspiring spiritual practices grounded in noticing the sacred amid the ordinary. Two friends who forged a friendship and a blog through a shared love of writing, together they bring fresh insight, warmth, and opportunities for spiritual nurture and growth. In these pages, you'll find ways to engage more deeply with favorite traditions and cultivate creative space for new ones. With readings to walk through the Advent and Christmas season, the weekly offerings include a variety of devotional meditations and invitations. Scripture texts drawn from A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church by Wilda C. Gafney accompany reflections, journal prompts, and spiritual practices to help us slow down and savor this meaningful and holy Advent journey.

Daily Advent devotions that will help you to slow down and appreciate the wonder of Christmas.

Expect the unexpected this Christmas.This four-week Advent study focuses on the experiences of four sets of often overlooked characters in the Nativity story. During this Advent season, Rachel Billups guides readers through the themes of hope, love, joy, and peace by sharing the stories of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Herod, the Magi, and the shepherds. Each set of unexpected characters has something to teach about living faithfully on the journey to Christmas.The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the four-week study, including session plans, activities, discussion questions, and multiple format options. Additional components for the four-week small group study include the book and DVD/Video Sessions featuring Rachel Billups.

Expect the unexpected this Christmas.This four-week Advent study focuses on the experiences of four sets of often overlooked characters in the Nativity story. During this Advent season, Rachel Billups guides readers through the themes of hope, love, joy, and peace by sharing the stories of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Herod, the Magi, and the shepherds. Each set of unexpected characters has something to teach about living faithfully on the journey to Christmas.Additional components to use the book as a four-week small group study include a leader guide and DVD/Video Sessions featuring Rachel Billups.

ECPA Christian Non-Fiction Bestseller, Christmas 2023 Does the Christmas season feel rushed and chaotic? Have you ever gotten to the end of Christmas Day, exhausted and wondering, how do I make this more meaningful for my walk with Christ? For my family? In a season celebrating peace and joy, December is often anything but peaceful and joyful. After seeing a challenge online, Pastor Gregg Matte read one chapter of the Gospel of Luke each day of December, recording his reflections in a devotional. Spending time in the entire story of Jesus—from birth to death, to resurrection and ascension—centers us on the true reason for the season. We serve a Savior who was born and a Savior who is risen! Our celebration at the manger flows from our celebration at the cross. This set of twenty-five devotionals seeks to center us on the beauty of the full story of the Gospel of Luke with a reflection for each day in December leading up to Christmas. By Christmas Day, just maybe, you will have a renewed sense of joy and peace as you center your heart on Who and why we celebrate Christmas.

A convenient and affordable Advent devotional for the entire church.Advent: A Calendar of Daily Devotions provides daily devotions for Christians as they prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ. This annual favorite is a wonderful resource for churches to give to each family to emphasize the importance of the Advent of our Lord. Each day's reading, from Sunday November 27 to Christmas Day, is based on the Revised Common Lectionary and includes the Scripture, a short devotion, and a brief prayer and it's printed with a larger font for ease of reading.

The God Who Is with Us takes readers through a twenty-five day Advent journey. Daily reflections on gospel truths drawn from Scripture will stir the imagination of the season while also reminding readers that God never abandons his people, but is present with them even in their most difficult seasons. Complete with beautiful, unique, thought-provoking illustrations and space for daily journaling and reflection, The God Who Is with Us provides readers with a meaningful keepsake to prepare them for the challenges of the New Year in light of the beauty of Advent. This beautiful, contemplative book will be a staple for many individuals and families around Christmastime for years to come!

At Christmas, God came into our ordinary world in the form of a child, and still today, God is at work through the ordinary stuff of life, if we train our eyes to see.In this daily devotional for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, Jill J. Duffield draws readers'attention to ten ordinary objects that appear in the biblical narratives of messianic prophesy and incarnation—objects we encounter in our own lives. Through objects such as gates, trees, cloth, light, and water, readers will find new meaning in the biblical account of Jesus'coming. By connecting everyday objects with biblical texts, Advent in Plain Sight prompts readers to see the near kingdom of heaven on earth and ponder what that divine proximity enables and asks them to do and be. Each daily devotional features a Scripture reading, prayer, and reflection, reminding Christians that God still dwells among us, even in the most ordinary places.

Celebrate the Advent season with this beautiful and heartwarming collection of devotions and stories from beloved, bestselling author Glenys Nellist. Told in the style of the classic ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas poem, make this read aloud your new holiday tradition.‘Twas the Season of Advent is a 25-day devotional that will inspire your family as you eagerly await the arrival of Christ's birth!?Written in both prose and poetry, this beautiful picture book will engage children and adults alike and become a new holiday tradition for families everywhere!?‘Twas?the Season of Advent:Is a wonderful holiday read aloud for children ages4-8Brings Advent to life through 25 devotions featuring stories from the Old and New TestamentsFeatures beautiful artwork by celebrated illustrator Elena SelivanovaServes as the perfect gift for the family as you prepare for the Christmas seasonPresents portions written in the familiar rhyme scheme of Clement C. Moore's ‘Twas?the Night Before ChristmasMakes a great holiday, Advent, or Christmas gift for readers young and oldIs the perfect addition to a Sunday school or children's ministry lesson, classroom setting, or homeschool library Join Glenys and families around the world as you and your family wait, prepare for, and look forward to the arrival of God's son, Jesus.Look for additional inspirational children's picture books from Glenys:‘Twas?the Morning of Easter'Twas?the Evening of ChristmasSnuggle Time seriesLove Letters from God series

Prepare spiritually for the coming of Christ with this popular and inviting annual guide. During the especially busy Advent and Christmas seasons, this book offers brief, down-to-earth reflections that bring prayer and Scripture into everyday life in a thought-provoking and lasting way. Through Catherine Upchurch's reflections on Lectionary readings from the weekday and Sunday Masses, readers will grow in their understanding of the word of God. This book will help busy people achieve their goal of enriching their prayer life during the seasons of Advent and Christmas.

The world is slowly emerging from the worst global emergency in a century, and the myriad struggles of the contemporary moment—division, isolation, illness, and uncertainty—make living our faith a challenge. For Christians, a number of questions have gained new urgency: Where do we find hope when it seems in such short supply? Where are the signs of God's peace in this divided world? Where do we find a deeper sense of joy?Thomas G. Long and Donyelle C. McCray remind us that these are the questions of Advent in their new daily devotional, A Surprising God. Mindful of the stresses of life today in a world torn apart by conflict, marked by political division, and in the midst of a global health crisis, these devotions for Advent and Christmas invite readers to honest reflection on the challenges of being people of faith in this moment. Long and McCray explore what it means to wait for our salvation, to be open to the surprising thing that God is about to do, and to find hope in God's choice of the small and the insignificant.

Advent is an intentional season marked by reflections on hope, peace, joy, and love as we remember and anticipate the coming of Christ, but Advent is not marked only by reflection and waiting. During this uniquely Christian season, disciples of Jesus are also called to act in specific ways that, however small, God wants to use for kingdom purposes. In COME PEASANT, KING Olivia Metcalf reminds us that, as we prepare our hearts and lives for the coming of Christ, we also engage in a willingness to fully surrender to the call of God on our lives, wherever that may lead us.

Thirty-one encouraging devotions to help busy moms pause and ponder the true miracles of the Christmas season--the wonder of a Savior who would leave heaven to save us and the love of those who share our home.Between holiday baking, hunting for the perfect tree, decorating, preparing for visiting relatives, and making sure everyone gets the ideal gift, Christmas can be anything but peaceful for a busy mom. Too often, the stress and busyness of the season make it difficult to find time to just sit and reflect on the wonder of the Savior's birth. If this sounds familiar, allow Simply Christmas to be your personal invitation to slow down and savor the beauty of the manger this year. These thirty-one devotions are not dated, so you're welcome to begin reading anytime--whether that's on December 1, Christmas Eve, the day after Thanksgiving, or the middle of July--without even a smidgen of guilt or shame.Accompanied by seasonally inspired full-color photographs, this thirty-one-day devotional brings a bit of calm to each day through a short reflection and Scripture, together with points to ponder and fun ideas for simplifying your Christmas traditions.

Advent, a joyful time of preparation for the birth of Jesus, can be further enriched with Sacred Space for Advent and the Christmas Season 2019-20, a daily prayer experience from Sacred Space, the internationally known online prayer guide. Sacred Space—Advent invites readers to develop a closer relationship with God during this season of preparation and anticipation.What we know and trust about the Sacred Space online prayer experience is now available in a compact, portable print format to heighten our Advent prayer practice in a way that is accessible, engaging, and meaningful to daily life.Throughout the Advent season, each day includes a Scripture reading and points of reflection, as well as a weekly topic enhanced by six steps of prayer and reflection. With its small size and meaningful message, Sacred Space—Advent is a simple way to build a richer relationship with God and embrace the Advent season as a sacred space.

This is the seventh volume in this popular series, and the first for Year C, the Year of Luke.By exploring the context and background to all three readings, the author hopes to make the readings available for personal prayer and as a preparation for taking part in the Sunday liturgy. This book is a very useful resource for all who wish to get more out of the season's readings. Fr Kieran is very well-known for his hugely popular'Weekly Notes'– an email resource for each week's readings throughout the year.Praise for previous volumes in the series:'...concise and helpful, useful both to the preacher preparing his thoughts and to the reader who wishes to contemplate the scriptures.'- Church Review'...all you need to know to enrich your experience of reading and hearing the Scriptures... a book that you can select from, finding what speaks to you.'- The Tablet

Donal Neary SJ, editor of The Sacred Heart Messenger and well-known author, presents the first in a series of seasonal Messenger booklets.The scripture of Advent is one of the most enriching series of readings in the Church's year. The Old (Hebrew) Testament presents some of the best known and favourite texts of the prophets, especially from the Isaiah tradition. The gospel links the life and work of Jesus with the Old Testament reading. These short reflections on both readings of the daily Liturgy explore this link in a deep and relevant way with some of the big themes and words of Advent: waiting, expectation, hope, joy, forgiveness, compassion, fulfilment. Many of the reflections present a simple hint or encouragement of how to live our Christian calling in Advent as we prepare for the birth of Christ.In the busy-ness of the season this booklet can open the meaning of God's love, which is the primary message of Christmas: that ‘God so loved the world as to send his only Son to save the world'. Advent encourages us to wonder and be amazed at the way God did this and continues to do so in his people today. The Messenger Advent Booklet opens us to find the meaning of Christmas in the secular as well as the more religious and spiritual celebrations of the feast. It is best used a day at a time, in a prayerful mood. A prayer to start and finish the reflection is also included.

Journey Through Advent with John Wesley's Means of Grace. The season of Advent offers time and space for Christians to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas through reflecting on the story of salvation. In All the Good: A Wesleyan Way of Christmas, a group of diverse Wesleyan scholars will take you on an Advent journey guided by the practices in John Wesley's means of grace. John Wesley's emphasis upon practices of piety and mercy—or good works—drew from the larger Christian tradition. Such practices are often referred to as means of grace.The devotional contains 28 daily devotions for the four weeks of Advent corresponding to the themes of Altogether Love, Altogether Hope, Altogether Joy, and Altogether Peace. Written by pastors and other leaders, the devotions celebrate and bring together the season of Advent and the best of our Wesleyan heritage.Additional resources sold separately include a book, Leader Guide, and a DVD with weekly video segments. Perfect for a small group Advent study.

Advent devotional for Christmas that will stir hope and inspire worship.

Make a life-changing pilgrimage, beginning this Advent. Oriens is a Latin word meaning “rising” and “dawn.” Your Oriens journey begins on the First Sunday of Advent and continues until the feast of the Presentation on February 2. Every day, you'll take a step closer to “the dawn from on high.” Father Joel Sember is your leader on this pilgrimage, one in which you will learn what God is revealing to you through Scripture and prayer. With Oriens as your guidebook, you'll learn how to pray, or to pray more deeply. Each day you'll read a Scripture passage, receive Father Joel's guidance on how to pray with that passage, and find questions for reflection and journaling. If in years past you have found yourself on Christmas wondering how you missed Advent, this book will speak to you. If you utilized Oriens for the first time last year to deepen your preparation during Advent and celebration during Christmas, then you already know this book will open your heart to hearing the voice of God. Welcome, Oriens pilgrim.

Advent, a joyful time of preparation for the birth of Jesus, can be further enriched with Sacred Space for Advent and the Christmas Season 2019-20, a daily prayer experience from Sacred Space, the internationally known online prayer guide. Sacred Space—Advent invites readers to develop a closer relationship with God during this season of preparation and anticipation. What we know and trust about the Sacred Space online prayer experience is now available in a compact, portable print format to heighten our Advent prayer practice in a way that is accessible, engaging, and meaningful to daily life. Throughout the Advent season, each day includes a Scripture reading and points of reflection, as well as a weekly topic enhanced by six steps of prayer and reflection. With its small size and meaningful message, Sacred Space—Advent is a simple way to build a richer relationship with God and embrace the Advent season as a sacred space.

Providing daily devotions for Christians as they prepare to celebrate Christ's birth, this annual favorite is a wonderful resource for churches to give to each family to emphasize the importance of the Advent of our Lord. Each day's reading, from December 1 to Christmas Day, is based on the Revised Common Lectionary and includes the Scripture, a short devotion, and a closing prayer.Larger font for ease of reading. Sold in packs of 10, booklets are designed to fit in a #10 envelope, enabling churches to include them in Advent mailings, and making it easy to mail to visitors or share as a part of home-bound or prison ministry.

This December, spend a few moments of each day leading up to Christmas helping your family focus on the true joys and meaning of Advent with 25 Days of the Christmas Story: An Advent Family Experience. This is a devotional perfect for families of all shapes, sizes, and schedules. Each of the 25 days highlights a different person, place, or object from the Christmas story—from the prophet Isaiah to Baby Jesus, from the Christmas star to the gift of frankincense. All devotions include an easy-to-read story, character trait, activity, and more—each designed to reinforce the main theme of the day. Your family can choose simply to read each day's story or to go deeper and engage with each day's features. Either way, parents and children are sure to learn and celebrate the season of Advent together while having fun in the process! A true heirloom in the making, the book includes pages in the back where parents and kids can record memories of each day's activities and write journal entries to look back on year after year, Christmas after Christmas. Also Available: What Am I Feeling?

Pause from the whirlwind of the holidays to imagine God's vision for a new world in Christ's coming. Inspired by the'peaceable kingdom'scripture from Isaiah 11, these daily, five-minute devotions include scripture, reflections, and a prayer.'The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.'-Isaiah 11: 6. In this Advent devotional centered on the beloved scripture on the'peaceable Kingdom,'reflect on God's vision for a new world and what it means for us today. Daily, five-minute devotions explore the courage to imagine, permission to change, and freedom from fear. A scripture verse and prayer round out each devotion. Written by Terri Hord Owens, the leader of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Imagining a New World offers an inspiring pause during the day to reflect more prayerfully on what the season of Advent inspires in you and your community.

The title of this book, Very Short Reflections--for Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, Ordinary Time and Saints--through the Liturgical Year, accurately describes its contents. Chapter 1 presents a short reflection for every day of the Advent Season. Chapter 2 does the same for every day of the Christmas season. Lent is covered in chapter 3, the Sacred Paschal Triduum in chapter 4, and the fifty days of the Easter season in chapter 5. Chapter 6 covers Ordinary Time. And chapter 7 presents a short reflection for every solemnity, feast, and memorial of saints, whose special day falls during the liturgical year. The short reflections are based on sets of Mass texts--Entrance Antiphon, Collect, Prayer over the Offerings, Preface, Communion Antiphon, Prayer after Communion, and Prayer over the People--presented for every day of Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, Ordinary Time and saints in The Roman Missal. The reflection identifies the theme of the day and presents how it is manifested in the Mass texts. These very short reflections are designed to expose to the reader the liturgical spirituality that emanates from the Mass texts.

In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's easy for families to forget the true meaning of the season. In this new book of faith practices for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, parents, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, pastors, and anyone who cares about kids will find 100 easy, fun, and meaningful ideas for bringing the sacred back into the season. Divided into three sections of prayers, practices, and lessons, with pages decorated with whimsical Christmas doodles from the cover, Faithful Families for Advent and Christmas will delight kids and adults alike and offers families an abundance of ideas for making the Christmas season sparkle with faith and spirit.

For the followers of Jesus, the new year begins with Advent. And what a beginning it is as we start by looking to the very end of the age and the second coming of Christ. Advent issues a clarion call to wake from our slumber, realign life, and get in step with the Holy Spirit. The Christian New Year unfolds a journey from the second coming all the way to Bethlehem and the first coming, setting the stage for the year ahead. Gather with family, friends, and neighbors and take the journey together. Our calendar is the most important document in life for it reveals to us how we spend the most valuable thing we have: our time. The Christian New Year will help us understand our calendar like never before and live into our times with the fullness of life.

Explore the biblical context for Advent in this series of contemplations.The pieces of the beginning of the Christian story come together, not from one set of hands, but many. For instance, in the four Gospels, Mark makes no mention of the events leading up to and surrounding the birth of Jesus. John, for the most part, points back to Genesis. Most of the historical pieces come to us primarily from Matthew and Luke. The scriptures together are the key to telling the story of the season. Allusions and references to other scriptures are accompanied by brief meditations so that readers may step more deeply into the Advent story and find its meaning and impact for their own lives.

Enrich Your Christmas with the Sounds of the SeasonMusic has always been central to celebrating the coming of Christ into the world. With Hosanna in Excelsis you can experience the hymns of the season like never before. This devotional couples the lyrics and score of a new hymn daily with a devotional message about the hymn's biblical and spiritual truths. You'll find hymns of advent like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” that anticipate the coming of Christ, hymns of Nativity like “O Little Town of Bethlehem” that celebrate His birth, and hymns of Epiphany like “Go Tell it on the Mountain” that marvel at His glory. Go deeper with classic Christmas favorites like “O Holy Night” and learn others that may be lesser-known like “On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry.” Each devotional teaches you about the background of the hymn, while inviting you into worship and praise.Celebrate the coming of Christ by immersing yourself in the legacy of music that truly honors the Christmas season. Hosanna in Excelsis is a great Christmas gift for the musicians in your life or for anyone who wants to go deeper celebrating the birth of our savior.

Reflections for Advent that help us to lift our eyes to the wonder of the incarnation and worship Jesus.

William Stringfellow, activist lawyer and advocate for the underprivileged of New York, was either embraced warmly or rejected as a radical by Christians in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s when he was writing. Nonetheless, his writings remain timeless, pertinent, convicting, and spiritual directives. Taking his hopes in the two Advents of Jesus from out of his writings gives us a piercingly dynamic devotional for Advent. These readings will make one think, pray, and act. Possibly his words are most applicable today.

Prepare spiritually for the coming of Christ with this popular and inviting annual guide. During the especially busy Advent and Christmas seasons, this book offers brief, down-to-earth reflections that bring prayer and Scripture into everyday life in a thought-provoking and lasting way. Through Michelle Francl-Donnay's fresh and meaningful reflections on Lectionary readings from the weekday and Sunday Masses, readers will grow in their understanding of the word of God. This book will help busy people achieve their goal of enriching their prayer life during the seasons of Advent and Christmas.

The Advent wreath symbolizes the passage of time during the four weeks leading to Christmas. Jay Cormier encourages individuals and families to not just admire their home wreath, but to pray together around the wreath throughout the season. This popular leaflet has been updated in full-color to include revised prayers and Scripture text from the New American Bible, Revised Edition. Three-minute prayer services for each week of Advent, and also for Christmas Eve, are offered to prepare hearts for the coming of Christ.

By popular demand, Follow the Star returns for 2019 with 12 brand-new reflections for the Christmas period. For each of the twelve days of Christmas, it offers a reflection, a short Bible passage, a simple prayer and a challenge to reflect or act. Ideal for churches to give away at Christmas services and events.

Alan Hilliard is keen that people feel they can still connect with their God: he has written these reflections on faith and spirituality to show that God is a loving, supportive and ever-present reality. His style is accessible to regular faith practitioners, as well as to those who may have a remote interest in matters of faith. The reflections, complemented by Fr Alan's own photographs, vary in length allowing the reader to absorb a short reflection or ‘dip'into a deeper, longer one. An ideal book to keep beside your bed the bed or to leave somewhere people sit for awhile.

‘This is the hour of crisis: it is high time for you to wake out of sleep, for deliverance is nearer to us now than it was when first we believed.'St Paul's encouraging words to the Christians in Rome are the springboard for the Archbishop of York's Advent book for 2019. With prayers and stimulating questions for reflection at the end of each daily meditation, here is fresh spiritual food for the Advent journey – pressed down, shaken together and running over. ‘Wake up! Clean up! Feed up! Grow up!'Walk alongside Archbishop Sentamu this Advent, as he discusses the meaning and influence of those four gospel imperatives in this lively and invigorating book.

In 1741, John Wesley preached his famous sermon titled “The Almost Christian” in which he encouraged people to follow Christ wholeheartedly. We should not be satisfied with being almost Christian but rather strive towards being altogether a Christian.In Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience, author and pastor Magrey deVega leads a group of authors to explore how we can make the same commitment to Christ during Advent, connecting our Wesleyan heritage with the traditional Advent themes of Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace.In this book, perfect for Advent, deVega and the other authors break down the barriers that prevent us from experiencing an “altogether” love, hope, joy, and peace in Christ in our lives and in the world around us. They demonstrate the promises God offers to us that makes those longings a reality, inviting us to claim those promises for ourselves this Advent and celebrate an altogether Christmas.The devotional contains 28 daily devotions for the four weeks of Advent corresponding to the themes of Altogether Love, Altogether Hope, Altogether Joy, and Altogether Peace. Written by pastors and other leaders, the devotions celebrate and bring together the season of Advent and the best of our Wesleyan heritage.

Explore your longing for God's presence this Advent Season.

Keep Watch With Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers is a collaborative daily devotional featuring diverse contributors: black, white, LGBTQ, Latinx, Palestinian, incarcerated, Native American, Australian, Americans, Irish, South African, clergy, laity, activists, authors, organizers, and more. The season of Advent, as the church prepares for the birth of Christ, is a penitential season of reckoning with our need and the needs of the world. Keep Watch With Me offers stories, reflections, prayers, and spiritual practices to sustain and challenge the faith of those who work for justice and peace, and long for the coming of God with us.

As we gaze upon the face of baby Jesus, we are often moved by the peace and stillness of the nativity scene. Is it possible that we have settled for a version of the birth of Christ that merely soothes and comforts us? What does it mean that the Creator of the universe was born an infant in a manger? How do we prepare our hearts to receive this child as the King of all kings? More than just a cozy affair, the season of Advent should disrupt our lives as we pause to reframe the story of Christ's birth in a way that compels us to bend a knee to his lordship in every part of our lives. Born the King is a four-week devotional journey that weaves together Scripture, stories, prayer, and interactive moments that draw us to engage with a Savior whose majesty proclaims the coming of the kingdom.

In this daily Advent companion, members of the Daughters of St. Paul share their reflections and lead readers in lectio divina on the Scripture readings for the season. Includes reflections for the Octave of Christmas.

Prepare spiritually for the coming of Christ with this popular and inviting annual guide. During the especially busy Advent and Christmas seasons, this book offers brief, down-to-earth reflections that bring prayer and Scripture into everyday life in a thought-provoking and lasting way. Through Fr. Daniel Groody's fresh and meaningful reflections on Lectionary readings from the weekday and Sunday Masses, readers will grow in their understanding of the word of God. This book will help busy people achieve their goal of enriching their prayer life during the seasons of Advent and Christmas.

Für viele Menschen ist die Vorweihnachtszeit mittlerweile die stressigste Zeit des Jahres. Wie konnte es nur so weit kommen? Ist doch die Adventszeit traditionell die Zeit, in der Ruhe und Besinnlichkeit angesagt sind. Eine Zeit, in der man Einkehr hält in der Stille des Herzens und behagliche Stunden im Kreise der Lieben genießen sollte. Und doch gibt es gerade an diesen Tagen so viele Dinge zu planen, zu organisieren und zu besorgen. Wie kann es da in der Adventszeit gelingen, bei sich selbst zu bleiben, anstatt außer sich zu geraten? Wie kann man im Trubel der Vorweihnachtszeit das innere Gleichgewicht und Gelassenheit bewahren? Dieser Adventsbegleiter möchte genau darin unterstützen. Er erinnert immer wieder daran, innezuhalten, still zu werden und jeden Augenblick mit allen Sinnen zu erfahren. Er inspiriert dazu, die einfachen Dinge des Alltags wertzuschätzen und auszukosten, im Hier und Jetzt zu leben anstatt sich über das Morgen Sorgen zu machen oder über das Gestern nachzugrübeln. Man kann sich jeden Augenblick dafür entscheiden, diese Adventszeit ganz bewusst, mit einem offenen Herzen, einem wachen Geist und einem entspannten Körper zu genießen. Das klingt reichlich ambitioniert – doch ein Versuch ist es wert. Die täglichen Impulse und Übungen dieses Buches helfen, diese 24 Tage dafür zu nutzen, um sich auf das Fest der Liebe einzustimmen. Denn wann, wenn nicht jetzt, ist die Zeit, die Herzen zu öffnen und sich liebevoll den Mitmenschen zuzuwenden, die Fülle des Lebens wahrzunehmen und andere großzügig daran teilhaben zu lassen?

Seasonal devotions from Teer Hardy.

Advent devotional on 1 Corinthians 13, reflecting on Jesus—the source of authentic, divine, transforming love.

Seasonal devotions from Sue Mink

Rejoice at the meaning and miracle of Christmas!

Prepare spiritually for the coming of Christ with this popular and inviting annual guide. During the especially busy Advent and Christmas seasons, this book offers brief, down-to-earth reflections that bring prayer and Scripture into everyday life in a thought-provoking and lasting way. Through Sister Genevieve Glen's fresh and meaningful reflections on Lectionary readings from the weekday and Sunday Masses, readers will grow in their understanding of the word of God. This book will help busy people achieve their goal of enriching their prayer life during the seasons of Advent and Christmas.