Wake Up To Advent

‘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.

Every day of December brings a delightful new Christmas tradition in this unique advent book. Each day features a festive activity to countdown towards Christmas. It might be a recipe for a delicious homemade treat, instructions for a cozy craft, a game to play, a carol to sing, or a beautifully illustrated story to read with the whole family. This inviting twist on the traditional advent calendar is perfect for families who love to put their own spin on celebrating the holidays • Offers fun-filled activity based advent calendar for families • Designed to be shared together year after year • Beautifully illustrated with accessible and stylish images Fans of Once Upon a Magic Book and Cookie Advent Cookbook will love this book. This book is perfect for: • Anyone who celebrates Christmas • Families who love holiday traditions • Parents, grandparents, and gift givers

Valuable not only for their sublime musical expression, the African American spirituals give us profound insights into the human condition and the Christian life. Many focus on an essential scene of the Christian drama: the coming of God as the child in Bethlehem and as the hope of the world and the liberator of God's oppressed people. In these devotions for the season of Advent, Luke Powery leads the reader through the spirituals as they confront the mystery of incarnation and redemption. In Rise Up, Shepherd! each devotion features the lyrics of the spiritual, a reflection on the spiritual's meaning, a Scripture verse, and a brief prayer.

This year, don't let Christmas sneak up on you again. The wonder and awe of the Christmas season can easily get overshadowed by lights, tinsel, bows, and paper—not to mention last-minute trips to the mall and visits to the in-laws. In all the hustle and bustle, we often lose sight of what's most important. This book of daily readings for the month of December by best-selling author Paul David Tripp will help you slow down, prepare your heart, and focus on what matters most: adoring our Savior, Jesus.

Open a window each day of Advent onto the natural world.

Advent is the perfect time for families to gather together and celebrate the birth of Jesus. Using pictures of Jesus from Isaiah's prophecies—the Light, the Branch, the Shepherd, and the Savior—brings to life the true meaning of Christmas. Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, God spoke to his people through the prophet Isaiah, promising them a Savior. To communicate God’s message, Isaiah used striking, stunning, and surprising imagery—the "wonders" of his love! Isaiah pointed God’s people to the future, when one day, through his birth, death, and resurrection, Jesus would deliver his people from sin and sorrow forever. Perfect for busy families with younger children, each week of Advent focuses on one of Isaiah’s images and has readings related to the week’s theme—Jesus the Light; Jesus the Branch; Jesus the Shepherd; Jesus the Savior—and, on Christmas Day, Jesus the Bread. Each week also includes fun stories, discussion questions, crafts, recipes, games, and suggestions for family service projects. Illustrated by Jeremy Slagle, this four-week devotional will draw families closer to Jesus and to each other.

In her quest to live a vibrant spiritual life, Karen Wright Marsh had a revelation: she didn't need to find and follow the perfect plan; she needed people she could follow. In Wake Up to Wonder, Marsh introduces us to those people--faithful yet oh-so-human Christians from across centuries and cultures. Inspired by their example, she offers playful, simple practices that bring deeper meaning and purpose to everyday life. In the company of diverse spiritual companions--from Dorothy Day, Francis of Assisi, and Fannie Lou Hamer to Patrick of Ireland, Wangari Maathai, and Henri Nouwen--readers journey through physical health, prayer, activism, Scripture reading, creativity, and beyond. Each chapter includes hands-on invitations such as writing prompts, space for personal reflection, and "Try This," a collage of spiritual and personal experiments anyone can do. As readers wake up to wonder, they'll discover what these twenty-two historical figures already knew: that a life of spiritual depth, amazement, and connection is within reach--today and every day.

'Shot through with hope.' STEPHEN COTTRELL, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK ‘Like Bach’s great Wachet auf! chorale, this walk through the weeks of Advent is both a carefully constructed meditation, and an unsettling call to action.’ NEIL MacGREGOR, ART HISTORIAN Climate change is the most important, urgent issue of our day – but while there are technical and political issues, the fundamental poblem with the fight against climate change is spiritual. In Sleepers Wake, the Archbishop of York’s Advent Book for 2022, Nicholas Holtam explores how we can combat the obstacles to tackling the reality of climate change. With exhilaration and passion, he draws on his experience as former Church of England lead Bishop for the environment to urge us to transform ourselves, spiritually and culturally, so we can all do our part to preserve our world for future generations. Split into four sections for the four weeks of Advent, these practical suggestions and reflective meditations about climate change and the environment are set alongside beautiful fine art paintings relevant to the season. The Archbishop of York’s Advent Book for 2022 can be used as a study for both individuals and small groups, to help you get the most out of the season. With inspiring and motivating prompts for both prayer and action, Sleepers Wake encourages Christians to see Advent as an opportunity to wake up to the reality of climate change and hear God’s call to renew the earth. Radical change is difficult, but as Nicholas Holtam unforgettably reminds us in Sleepers Wake, it is something we all need to be a part of for the sake of our children and for the future God’s world.