New Advent devotional seeks to help parents point to Jesus through even the most secular Christmas traditions

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Christmas trees, Santa Claus, reindeer, stockings, pretty lights, bells, stars, mistletoe, and more . . . For a holiday that’s supposed to be about a baby born in a stable, there sure isn’t much Jesus to see in that list. Or is there?

Frankly, it seems the holiday celebrations get more distorted and more frenzied with every year that passes. Is it possible to celebrate the season without losing focus on the reason it exists?

Author Marissa Barbee believes it is. “Our Lord is represented in everything around us,” she says. “The decorations of Christmas, the new life of spring, the falling leaves as the year closes out—God’s general revelation is always speaking to us of his power, his love, his compassion, his grace, and his plan for us. All we have to do is look for him. My goal is that this book opens that door for parents to tune in to the lessons God gives all around us and to see how his special revelation—the Bible—interprets that for us.”

Christmas Traditions through the Lens of Scripture is an advent book like no other. For each day of December leading up to Christmas Day, Marissa looks at one common element of traditional Christmas celebrations and helps readers find a scriptural tie-in, even for those elements rooted in secular elements. Further, each entry includes a “Digging Deeper” listing of related Scripture to boost the day’s reading into a true Bible study.

Full-color illustrations, created by Marissa’s own daughter, enhance this engaging Bible study and are repeated in the back of the book which may be cut out and used for an advent calendar.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marissa Barbee is a wife of twenty years and a home-educating mother of nine. Marissa and her husband Scott live in Colorado and enjoy playing games with their children and tackling projects—from the challenges of gardening in the Rockies to the DIY remodeling of their home. You can connect with Marissa on Instagram at instagram.com/mrsmarissabarbee or on Facebook at facebook.com/mrsmarissabarbee.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Miriam Barbee is a talented artist with a passion for sharing the beauty of God’s creation through her art. Miriam’s signature style makes use of artistic framing to highlight the subject of her artwork and to give the viewer the sense of peering through a window or doorway into a much wider world. You can find Miriam’s art at paintinginframes.com and can connect with her on Instagram at instagram.com/painting_in_frames.

For review copies and media interviews, contact: makarios_kypseli@icloud.com.
Connect with Marissa:
Instagram: instagram.com/mrsmarissabarbee.
Facebook: facebook.com/mrsmarissabarbee

Connect with Miriam
Instagram: instagram.com/painting_in_frames