As I’ve mentioned multiple times, I have mixed feelings about Christmas. I do NOT think Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, and I do not start celebrating or decorating until Thanksgiving is firmly behind us. But this year, I am happy to report I am less Grinchy and more at peace. Part of it comes from personal healing. Part comes from the fact that my kids are grown and gift giving is easier. They also help with cookie baking and food prep. And yet another part comes from a book I want to recommend. If you are a Christian who celebrates Christmas, and especially if you love holiday music, please consider reading All Is Calm, All is Bright by Ann Marie Stewart during this advent season.
Full disclosure, Ann is my friend, and I previewed All is Calm, All is Bright before it got published late in 2022. Because printing got delayed, it wasn’t released until advent was upon us, and her sales suffered. Publishing is a tricky business. But you shouldn’t buy Ann’s book just because you feel bad for her, or because she’s my friend. Ann’s devotionals offer thoughtful, inspiring ways to keep yourself grounded during the holidays. (I’m also a fan of her devos Preparing My Heart for Advent and Preparing My Heart for Easter.)
What separates All is Calm, All is Bright from other Christmas devotionals
If the title All is Calm, All is Bright turns your mind to “Silent Night,” the reverent carol of the night of Jesus’s birth, then this devo is definitely for you. Ann uses Christmas carols as the context to guide readers through important passages of scripture, from the prophecies of the Old Testament to the Nativity story of the gospels. Her short, easy to read devotionals begin on December 1 and end on January 6, Epiphany. The daily lessons and prayers incorporate Ann’s personal experiences, holiday traditions, songs of the season, and even Christmas movies.
Ann’s focus on the songs of Christmas helped me incorporate their lyrics and melodies into a mindful celebration of the holiday last year. Music provided the medium I needed to hold the truths about the holiday with me even in exhausting, frustrating, or sad situations. All is Calm, All is Bright provides wonderful reflections and prayers for each day that helped me, someone who has trouble embracing the holiday, truly prepare for celebrating the birth of Jesus. I plan to use it again this year to focus my mind on what truly matters during this busy, glittery holiday, and I encourage you to do the same.
All is Calm, All is Bright would also make a wonderful gift or could be used with church groups or Sunday School classes.
Do you have a book you can recommend to help me stay grounded in joy and peace this holiday season?
Other books I’ve recommended at the holidays: (and not all are devotionals!)
- Skipping Christmas by John Grisham (Who knew Grisham did humor?)
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson – great read aloud for with kids
Thanks for getting nerdy with me!
