In a world that's difficult to make sense of, and a season that's so often overtaken by consumerism, here you'll find heart-stirring illustrations and thought-provoking meditations designed to show you the raw, powerfully sacred story of Christmas in a new light. Has the joy of the holiday season become painfully dissonant with the hard edges of life? Do you feel weary from the way Christmas has become a polished, predictable brand? You aren't alone. For too many of us, Christmas has lost its wonder. What if we stopped treating the Christmas story as something that happened a long time ago and started believing that it's a story that's still happening today? From celebrated artist and storyteller Scott Erickson comes Honest Advent, 25 days of illustrations and meditations that will help you rekindle the wonder of this season. Honest Advent creates a space for you to encounter the Incarnate Christ in unexpected places: like a pregnancy announcement in an era of political unrest and empirical bloodshed, the morning sickness of a Middle Eastern teenager, and the shocking biology of birth that goes far beyond the sanitized brand of Christmas as we know it today. Within the pages of Honest Advent, Erickson teaches us the valuable lessons he's learned about: Finding hope and light in the darkest winters What it means to embrace the unexpected How God uses everyday vulnerability to help us understand ourselves, and our faith, better Through powerful benedictions, prayers, and questions for honest reflection, you'll discover how the wonder of God-with-Us is still happening today: in your unexpected change of plans, your unaccomplished dreams, your overcrowded lodging, and your humble stories of new beginnings. Praise for Honest Advent: "Scott Erickson's beautifully crafted book helped me see God-with-Us with fresh eyes. Honest Advent is no shallow seasonal gift book; it's an invitation to explore the divine flourishes of everyday human vulnerabilities. A transformative read, regardless of the time of year." --Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch "Beautiful. Evocative. A wake-up call to the mystery of life." --John Mark Comer, author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Love should draw us together, not tear us apart. Is it unloving or selfish to set a boundary? And what does the Bible instruct us to do when a relationship is no longer safe or sustainable? Lysa TerKeurst has asked these hard questions in the midst of her own relational struggles. But after thousands of hours of counseling intensives and theological research, Lysa has discovered that good boundaries pave the road for the truest version of love to emerge within the relationships that make up so much of who we are and what we want the most. Building upon and further unpacking the scriptural concepts in Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, this six-session video Bible study (streaming code included) with Lysa will equip you to: Determine the appropriate amount of personal and emotional access someone has to you. Stop being misled and emotionally paralyzed by wrongly interpreted or weaponized Scriptures. Overcome the frustrating cycle of ineffective boundary-setting with biblical principles and practical strategies to help you communicate, keep, and implement healthier patterns. Be equipped to say goodbye when a relationship has shifted from difficult to destructive by studying three types of goodbyes found in God's Word. Receive therapeutic and theological wisdom you can trust directly from Lysa's Christian counselor, Jim Cress, and Proverbs 31 Ministries' Director of Theology, Dr. Joel Muddamalle. This study guide has everything you need for a full Bible study experience, including: The study guide itself-with a comprehensive structure for group discussion time, video notes, and a leader's guide. An individual access code to stream all six video sessions online. (You don't need to buy a DVD!) Sessions and video run times: Boundaries Aren't Just a Good Idea, They're a God Idea (22:00) A Relationship Can Only Be as Healthy as the People in It (28:00) Maybe We've Been Looking at Walls All Wrong (20:30) Old Patterns, New Practices (21:30) People in the Bible Who Had to Say Hard Goodbyes (30:30) You're Going to Make It (26:00) Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after 12/31/2027. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.

Written by popular Christian singer Crystal Lewis, this devotional book reflects upon the songs on her latest album, Gold--songs that speak of God's faithfulness in the midst of hard times.