|
What Readers Say About The Advent Book
|
|||||
| Excerpts of letters from readers of The Advent Book I discovered your book two years ago and bought one for myself. It was wrapped in cellophane and I had no idea what I was getting. I just hoped that the title matched my expectations...a book version of the daily advent calendars which I had grown up opening each day of December. My expectations were so far surpassed that I returned the next day and bought all 4 of the remaining copies to send as gifts for my family and friends. With the help of your book, my three-year-old son has been more excited about opening the red Christmas door than opening the presents under the tree. And that is for two years in a row. Another result of the repetitive reading: he is walking around reciting Scripture (or in some cases, adaptations of it). Yesterday, he was over at our nativity set, picked up the angel and quoted word-for-word the proclamation of peace for all people. Thank you for sharing your family tradition with the mass market. It is something we look forward to every year. In addition to providing us a tool for refocusing our holiday attentions on Jesus, it has also proven to be a witnessing tool as well!... I love that John 3:16 is the one we wait for all month! I have to tell you how much our family and my sister's family enjoyed your Advent Book last year. Our children didn't focus on Santa Claus or the presents under the tree- they couldn't wait to open the next door of the book and to retell the Christmas story. So- I wish I could buy one of your books for all the families in our congregation... We are Americans living and working in China. We were home in the States in 2000, and purchased your book from Crossway. We have three children, two 3 1/2 years olds and a 9 year old. We can not begin to tell you what a treasure your book has become to our family. Advent is the biggest event in our family each year, and we all look forward in anticipation to preparing for our Lord's birthday. Our children just can not wait until it is time to get out our "door" book. Each night they take turns opening a new door and our oldest gets to read behind the door. We want to take this opportunity to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this book available. It has already become a tradition for our advent celebration, and has been a source of tremendous blessing to us. This is already a gift put away for each of our children on their wedding day, so they too can carry on the tradition. When I was growing up my parents had one based around the weeks of Advent, rather than the chronological calendar, but that one has long since passed its prime, and I wanted something that my children could remember and keep for years to come. Imagine my joy when I found your book! What a God-send! I purchased your gorgeous publication Dec. 2000, so this will be our third reading. To pull down this manual from our Christmas cupboard is a real thrill for me - such quality and love has gone in to its presentation. Each year I purchase something significant - when I laid my hands on your book, it was a dream realized, one of those blessings that I have over the years wondered if it exists or ever will. Thanks to your whole family. We have loved every minute of it. From Alice Springs, center of Australia, down under. Just wanted to tell you that the day after we received your beautiful book, a friend was here and fell in love with it also, and told me Monday that she had bought 15 copies! Thank you for your beautiful expression of God's love. For me, each door is a treasure and opening them to the drawings and words of inspiration is pure delight. The book “feeds” me and my spirit, I suppose my soul. I took a peek at the (upcoming) doors and the final one just brought tears of joy to my eyes. It is a real work of art that touches the heart... and soul. As I browsed through and opened each door I was immediately drawn in to that wonderful story again. The art is fresh, as if all the people just came to life! The Advent Book is truly amazing!!! I believe it will be a blessing to us, but most importantly an awesome ministry tool in our home. Thank you so much for the time and effort you poured into this Christmas book. I was moved this evening after reading it as a family (catching up since we didn’t get the book until today and it’s the 9th)— I was moved because I felt it such a privilege to have such a beautiful book around which we could celebrate and relish the time and meaning of Christmas— and of our lives really. Before the time this evening, I honestly would not have guessed a book like this could bless us as a family in this way. We just wanted you to know how wonderful your book is. This year we will begin a new tradition with our 11 and 13 yr. old children. We are Christians and have never observed Advent except when it was our turn to light the candle in church. Even then, we didn't pay attention to the meaning of what we were doing. We are so excited to begin...The toddler hands of my nieces found the colors and doors irresistible! We live in Cartersville, Georgia and plan to share your book with friends and family who visit during the Holidays.....for many years to come. People who are not interested in the story of Jesus will hear it. Simply because your book will pull them in. Every year my husband gives me one special book for Christmas and this year I knew it had to be this book. My gift came early to enjoy through the holiday and to see the joy and excitement it brought my 2 1/2 year old son was priceless. He was so excited to open the doors and see what was behind each. Many days we would open a door and he would look at the pictures and exclaim "wow". He was so excited to open the doors that one morning he couldn't wait for us to get up. As I moved from the ornaments to the Christmas Books in our local Christian Book Store, I saw "The Advent Book". So beautiful! I picked it up. It looked like it had never been opened. I hesitated to remove the band of paper, but had to look inside. My heart was overwhelmed when I saw the artistry, the obvious work of love, the beauty and the worship I saw expressed inside. I believe that the Lord kept that book for us. The Advent Book isn't just for Advent anymore! We're due to bring it over to for Question-and-Answer time (aka Bible Study!) any day now. Thank you so much for sharing your tradition. On Christmas Day, it gave the best present ever--it opened the doors of two, and possibly three, young hearts to Jesus for the very first time. And we believe their families will be following their footsteps soon! Reading of The Advent Book has been the best tradition we have instilled with our children. They beg for it each year. The pictures are beautiful and has the complete Christmas story, shows the wise men visiting later and tells about Simeon and the prophesy fullfilled. It puts Jesus in the limelight where it should be at Christmas. Just wanted to tell you how much our family is enjoying your book this Advent season! I purchased it from you at the Rochester "Hearts at Home" conference, and am so glad that I did. It has been a wonderful nightly reminder for our children (and ourselves) that this season is not about the extraneous details and overwhelming "busy-ness", but about the miracle of Christ's birth! Your illustrations are beautiful and our children (ages 6 and 8) have learned most of the early passages by heart now. They have also requested that we read this book together every December, as they are almost disappointed to see it coming to a close. I've just ordered another copy for my brother and his family, so they can begin the same Advent tradition next year. Is there a store nearby to purchase your book? One was given to my family for Christmas 2002, and we just think very highly of your book. I am looking to aquire six copies. If there is not a place nearby, is there still time to order them from your website for pre Christmas delivery. Thankyou so much for creating this book! Happy Holidays! We purchased an Advent Book for our pastor for Christmas. Just wanted to let you know that he LOVES it. Thank you for such a beautiful way to celebrate the season! 2006 ADVENT SEASON E-Mails |
|||||