“Yes, the manger signals something about this baby, but it is not simply his poverty. By being placed in the manger, he is revealed as both the rightful son of Adam charged with caring for his creation and also the eternal Son of God who created them and who provides for them. So instead of filling the manger with hay or corn, he fills it with himself.”
(Hannah Anderson | Heaven and Nature Sing)
Every year my joy for the Advent season grows. At no other time of year do we get to set aside an entire month to celebrate and reflect on the very definition of Advent itself; “coming” or “arrival”. As Christians, we celebrate the past arrival of our Messiah and the long for the second coming of our King. Lighting trees, buying presents, decorating our homes, hosting parties, and enjoying seasonal food are good gifts from our Creator. But these gifts have always been meant to point us beyond ourselves to the best gift in the manger, the Christ Child Himself.
I have found for as much planning as I put into the Christmas season for these other things, I need to spend just as much time planning spiritually. How will I get more of God’s Word in my life this holiday season? How will I remind myself of the promises of God when my expectations are not met and people fail me? How will I respond rightly when circumstances don’t go my way, when kids get sick, when we have to cancel, or when other life events happen? How will I stay guarded and focused on the true meaning of Christmas and not get swept away by materialism and wanting more?
One way I have found is to intentionally plan a few anchors in my life for the Advent season. I ask myself, “How will I get more of God’s Word in my life?” and I choose a tool that will help me do that. You do not need five devotionals and twenty children’s books this Christmas season, but you do need a plan. If you plan for nothing, you will get nothing. Set aside some time before the business of Thanksgiving to decide what you would like that to look like for your family. At the end of the day, God’s Word will always be enough. There’s nothing magical about these recommendations. They won’t magically transform your holidays or your heart. But sometimes and in certain seasons, they can be helpful in stirring us to a greater worship.
Let us be a people that remembers and celebrates well this Advent season.
Individual Devotionals
Advent for Exiles by Caroline Cobb
Emmanuel by Ruth Chou Simons
Good News of Great Joy by John Piper
Come, Let Us Adore Him by Paul Tripp
Heaven and Nature Sing by Hannah Anderson
Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller
The Christmas We Didn’t Expect by David Mathis
Unwrapping the Names of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu
Bible Studies & Commentaries
Luke: Good News of Great Joy (Flourish)
Luke: Part1 (At His Feet)
For Families
Promises Made Promises Kept by Marty Machowski
The Light Before Christmas by Marty Machowski
Prepare Him Room by Marty Machowski
Children’s Books
The Christmas Promise (board book)
Seek and Find Christmas (board book)
A few tips:
- Purchase one new devotional to do individually OR one to do as a family (but not both).
- Do a “book swap” with a friend (see what Christmas devotionals they already own and swap yours for theirs for the season).
- Grab a friend or two and one of the Luke Bible studies and dig more deeply into the gospel for the month of December.
- Read and re-read the first few chapters of Luke and use a commentary as an extra resource.
- Buy a devotional that was released last year or much older (if you buy the year they release, it will always be more expensive. But if you wait a season, the price dramatically drops).
- Check your library system. I am ALWAYS surprised by the Christian books I can get through the library. And by this I mean, ask about the interlibrary loans your library does. You can get books from all over the state, not just what is available at your local library.
- Head to a used book store and scope out the religious section. You never know what you might find here! Call ahead and ask if they have specific titles available. If you live in my area, there’s a fantastic one in Washington.
- Don’t forget Amazon sells used books! You do have to wait longer for shipping, but I’ve had great luck with the actual condition of the books. Other places I’ve purchased from include Thriftbooks and Abebooks.
- If it’s something you plan to use annually/ seasonally or pass on to your children, buy a hardcover. I’m learning that lots of these seasonal type books ARE worth the extra charge for the hardcover so they can last many years of little hands (or exchanging with friends).
Little Roots Co. 
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