Do you have an advent
wreath or calendar? We have an advent
wreath and use an old devotional with it that my husband used growing up that
is for kids. My kids still like lighting
the candles at dinner even though they are teenagers.
About this Book from the
Publisher: This four-week Advent family devotional by best-selling author Marty
Machowski combines devotions on the theme of light and darkness with the story
of eleven-year-old Mia and her grandmother as they prepare for Christmas.
Grandma loves to share her faith, especially at Christmas time, and although
she is blind, she can see the light of Jesus shining bright and helps Mia—and
children of all ages—to do the same.
Every year, Mia loves to
spend the month of December with Grandma getting ready for Christmas. This
year, they read a special devotional, The Light Before Christmas, together.
Machowski brings families into their devotional time, sharing the story of
Christmas. Through a Bible study of light and darkness, readers will discover
how the theme of light weaves its way through the Christmas story and God’s
plan of salvation.
The Light Before
Christmas contains thirteen devotionals—three for each of the four weeks of
Advent and one more for Christmas. Each devotional includes a Scripture for the
day, an object lesson, a question to discuss as a family, a song to sing
together, and a prayer.
Review: I thought it was fun to read through a new
Advent devotional. This is a good devotional
for a busy family with three devotionals for each week rather than one
daily. I love that it starts with a
craft – making your own Advent wreath.
If you have never done an Advent devotional before, this is a great way
to set the scene and get started.
Each week of Advent
starts with a story of Mia and her Grandmother.
I love that the story uses the Grandmother’s blindness to focus on how
she can still feel the faith and see the light of Jesus, even thought she is
blind. It is an engaging story that
teaches an important lesson.
I thought the devotionals
themselves were also great ones to use as a family. I like how they have on object, such as a
lamp with a clear bulb where you can see a filament, to use as a focal point to
start the introspection and the discussion.
I liked the questions too and they prompt good discussion. My daughter loves to sing Christmas songs and
I enjoyed that classics such as O Come O Come Emmanuel were included as well as
a brief history of the origins of the song.
This devotional would work best with preschool and grade school kids,
but it can also work through teenage years as well.
There is also a great
curriculum that you can use for your church Sunday school that goes along with
this devotional. “This two-level (preschool and elementary)
curriculum consists of lessons that
include Scripture readings,
dramas, object lessons, discussion questions, activity
pages, crafts, and songs.” I like that
there is a script as well as printables to use for your Sunday School
class. Until recently, I led a Children’s
Liturgy as my church and this would have been great to use.
Review Copy from New
Growth Press. Thank-you! I received a
complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are
completely my own.
