Christmas Season Of Wonder And Hope

It is not possible to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ, the very Son of God, in a single day. The church gives us a season—from Christmas eve to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord—to reflect with wonder on what God has done and is doing in our world. The gift of this child who would go on to give his very life for our salvation is the source of our hope in every age and through every storm. In Christmas, Season of Wonder and Hope, meditate with Catherine Upchurch on three New Testament passages that invite us to move through wonder to hope.

All about Advent & Christmas: Sharing the Seasons of Hope & Wonder with Children is a resource unlike any other. Explore the rich traditions surrounding Christ’s birth as you journey through Scripture to understand the story of salvation and discover the meaning behind many of our celebrations during Advent and Christmas. Highlighting treasured customs from throughout Church history, All about Advent & Christmas features the stories of saints we celebrate throughout December and explains numerous other aspects of Catholic liturgy and teaching. With detailed illustrations to make the liturgical seasons come alive, All about Advent & Christmas will guide readers of all ages closer to the Savior whose birth we look to with joy.

Easter is the high point of the church year and the very heart of Christian hope, and yet sometimes we are tempted to simply move on once Easter Sunday is over. Easter, Season of Realized Hope invites us to linger a bit. Join the women who visit the tomb of Jesus in the early morning and encounter the risen Lord. Travel with the disciples walking to Emmaus and let your heart burn with recognition. Learn from Paul what a difference it makes that Christ is risen. Let your deepest hopes be realized.

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.

It's that time of year ?Advent and Christmas are supposed to be seasons of quiet anticipation and peaceful wonder. Yet, despite what the carol says, we have few silent nights and even fewer days when all is calm. Advent and Christmas have become times laden with every kind of expectation: work parties, school break-ups, present buying, heavy traffic, people to remember, and so on and on.These prayers are a little breather. A rest from the hype. A chance to just be ourselves for a moment, just as we are, with the God who wants to keep things simple. Hopefully these words and images can help turn the silly season into the sanity season. They aim to bring us closer to the one we love.

Is there more to the Christmas story than just a baby in a manger? What if we could embrace the joy, hope, and anticipation that Christmas once brought into our life?For many of us, we stop believing in Jesus around the same time we stop believing in Santa. We grow up and learn life is complicated. A baby in a manger and a jolly man in a red suit seem to fall short. We can afford to stop believing in Santa, but we cannot afford to lose our belief in Jesus. In Chase the Wonder, Matt Manney reminds us of the simple hope of Christmas-a baby in a manger, humble shepherds, and wide-eyed wonder of the magi. Through heart-warming stories, he reminds us of the hope Christmas can bring to our hearts and home. We will hear God's message for us-never stop believing. We can do more than just endure the holidays. We can enjoy them once again.

Advent and Christmas are a time of mystery and wonder. During these days we are reminded that we live in a "now, arid not yet'' time. This is a book of devotions offering daily readings, meditations, prayers, and reflections through this time of anticipation. The Advent readings invite us to live with expectancy and hope as we prepare to greet the one who comes to us again and again. The wonder and awe of the Christmas story affirms yet again God's presence in uncertain times. The readings through the 12 days of Christmas help us to recognise the ways in which we gather strength from being grounded in God's wisdom. The 40 personal meditations in this book offer a wise and insightful guide through the days of Advent and Christmas, encouraging an opening of self to a deeper intimacy with God! and fresh insight into God's promises and faithfulness.

For some, Christmas is a time of excitement, celebration, and quality time with loved ones. For others, it's full of loneliness, grief, and loss. Join New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado as he unwraps the enduring promises of Christmas and discovers a lifetime of hope, all because of one baby born in Bethlehem. It's easy to lose sight of the remarkable story of Christmas. We forget that a king ordered a census, Joseph was forced to travel, Mary bounced on a donkey's back, the hotel was full, the hour was late, and the event was one big hassle. Yet, out of that hassle, hope was born. In Because of Bethlehem, Max invites us to look at the Christmas story from a different perspective. He reminds us that Christmas is about more than a pretty tree with presents piled up underneath it. Christmas begins what Easter celebrates: the child in the cradle who goes on to become the King on the cross. Because of Bethlehem, we have a place on earth and a Savior in heaven. In the midst of your hectic Christmas season, Max will give you the encouragement, advice, and tools you need to: Rekindle your connection to the Christ of Christmas Receive the promises of the Christmas season Lay down your endless Christmas to-do list and trust what Jesus has already done Heal your heartache by embracing the God who is always near you, always for you, and always with you Each copy of Because of Bethlehem will also include an Advent Devotional Guide designed to help you reflect on the miracle of Christ's birth and the promise of his return. As you curl up in a comfortable spot and take a closer look at the wild and wonderful story of Bethlehem, may you find enduring faith for all seasons of your life. No matter what this season holds for you, rest in the truth that the promise of Christmas has the power to bring you a lifetime of hope and healing.