This Advent Season, let the great and prolific Doctor of the Church, St. Alphonsus Liguori, guide you on a daily prayerful pilgrimage from the start of Advent through the birth of our Lord to the Epiphany. Drawing on Sacred Scripture and his profound saintly counsel, St. Alphonsus takes you into the details of Christ's birth for prayerful reflection that will have your imagination placing you at the feet of our infant Lord. With meditations on the...

Do you long for peace and rest during the stressful holiday season? "31 Days of December Peace" is a companion for Stanton Lanier's 2009 Best Holiday Album "December Peace" (ZMR Awards). Short stories and reflections from Stanton, and special friends from his musical journey, invite you into blissful moments each day during December (best while listening to the album). Stanton's journey to founding Music to Light the World, and becoming an award winning...

Most of us parents want our young children to believe in Santa Claus and we try hard to keep the 'truth' away from them for as long as we can to preserve the 'magic' of Christmas. But why would we think that such an untruth could be good for our children? On the face of it, getting presents on Christmas morning, whether deserved or not, whilst serving well that label of 'magic', doesn't seem very useful in aiding a child's understanding of the real...

It's just a week before Christmas and the Clauses have been working nonstop since September. Santa decides to treat his Mrs. to a quick trip below the Mason-Dixon Line, where the livin' is easy and the weather is fine! Join them on their merry adventures to Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, where they experience Southern grandeur at its best. In the "land of gray moss and sweet tea" they...

Christmas, a beloved holiday celebrated worldwide, has a rich and fascinating history that traces back through centuries and across diverse cultures. This exploration delves into the origin of Christmas, unraveling the intertwining threads of religious significance, ancient festivities, and the evolution of customs that have shaped this festive season. This book respect any believes as the best thing in life is Believing, and no matter what historical...

Through the tradition of Advent this devotional will help you unplug from all the bustle and experience your own Advent Encounter. Each chapter features a weekly devotional reading, a video, Scripture reading, candle lighting, prayer and discussion questions. This book has been designed for individuals, families and small groups. Hope. Provision. Purpose. Belief. What do you need to encounter this Christmas? The tradition of Advent invites each of...

How might a house look for Christmas based on what each Gospel says about it? In Christmas in the Four Gospel Homes, beautiful illustrations from architect Kevin Burns reimagine each of the four Gospels as a house, which the church visits at Christmas. In each section, Cynthia M. Campbell reflects on the distinctive perspective of the birth of Jesus or the incarnation offered by each Gospel. Suitable for individual or group study, Christmas in the...

Usually when we think of the Advent story, Mary, Joseph, and the angel Gabriel come to mind. Okoro approaches Advent a little differently, inviting us to sit for a while with Zechariah and Elizabeth and the story of how they came to bear their only son, John. "The Advent story we so often associate with the joy of Christmas actually begins with deep sorrow and longing. But thankfully, in the kingdom of God, there is always more to the story than meets...

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...

A word wreath can be a Christmas wreath decorated with words from the Bible, an Advent activity for the family, or a Christmas devotional for children, teens, and adults. A Word Wreath: Creating Christmas Poems provides a guide for this family craft, including suggestions for creating your own traditional or contemporary poems about Jesus. Author Marsha MacLeod shares Scriptures about Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, Simeon, Anna, Herod, and the wise...