A New Book: almost done!

A finished project is always a good feeling, and my latest book is almost done.  Today it has been uploaded for proofing … and if successful, I hope will be available the first week of November.

What is it you ask?  The title of the book is Advent Journeys.  The book is what the title indicates, it is an advent reader which will take you on journeys.  The book is a collection of journals from Zachariah (father of John the Baptist), Joseph (husband of Mary and father of Jesus), a shepherd, a magi, and a Maccabee.  The reader will travel with these individuals as they intersect with the Christmas story.

Each journal is short (for easy reading, 400 words) and seven days long, which gives each week a theme. Week 1 we will visit the Temple as Zechariah serves and is told by the Angel his wife will have a son.  At the start of week two Joseph receives a tax notice, and we will walk with Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Week three will be spent watching sheep outside Bethlehem.  During week four we will cover a huge distance from Mount Alvand, Iran to Bethlehem.   With added scripture and thought provoking questions I hope the reading will add a fuller dimension and more joy to the Christmas.  During the fifth week we will travel with Joseph and Mary to Egypt.  The readings during the fifth week will help the reader look forward to the new year.  A sixth week of eight days is added to the book for interfaith families, or for those who desire to know more about how Chanukah was viewed in the time of Jesus.

Why did I write a book?  For several reasons: First: Advent has a lot of meaning for our family.  We read scripture and books, planned activities, ate special foods, and went on trips to enhance the meaning of Christmas.  Second: After going to Israel I wondered what the road from Nazareth to Bethlehem was like, so I followed Israel Route 60 on Google Earth, and then visited the places on facebook and other sites, and discovered a road rich in Bible history.  I was hooked, and followed others in the Christmas story.  Third: as I shared what I had written with Scribblers (a Mooresville writing group), they liked it so much, I put it in a book.

The book will be out in early November (I hope), and I hope you will order a copy and join the people in the Christmas story as they journey on that first Christmas.