Advent refers to an expected arrival. For Christians, it’s a sacred time to pause and prepare as we await the celebration of Christ’s birth and anticipate his return. Amid the busyness of the season, Advent invites us to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas: God’s profound gift to humanity.
In the spirit of stewardship, we’ve curated this list of resources to help you explore ways to renew your heart, uplift your spirit, and deepen your relationship with the Giver of all good things:
- A daily meditation – The Gospel in Life, an organization founded by the late Tim Keller, is releasing a daily email devotional and weekly video by Tim and his wife, Kathy, reflect upon the promises of God and to anticipate the fulfillment of those promises.
- A story still happening today – In his book, Honest Advent, artist and storyteller Scott Erickson teaches what it means to embrace the unexpected and helps readers 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.
- A balm for the hurting – Sometimes, Christmas is hard. If you’re struggling with feeling disconnected, mourning a loss, concerned about how secular Christmas feels, or are already exhausted and will be glad when it’s over, this may be the devotional for you. Dr. Scott Rodin and his daughter, Lindsay Kittleson, offer Stewarding Christmas to help you discover moments of meaning, joy, peace, and worship.
- A word study – The Bible Project has created four videos to help Christ followers understand more deeply the four main themes of the season: peace, hope, joy, and love. Each video could accompany a weekly family candle-lighting devotional time.
- A mother’s perspective – Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a woman in a forgotten corner of an occupied country at a time when a woman’s voice meant nothing. In 18 short episodes, Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing reflects on Mary’s perspective on the events surrounding the birth of her son, Jesus, the Lamb of God.
- A third-coming conversation – In her book, Advent: A Season of Hope, Anglican priest and author Tish Harrison Warren invites readers into a deeper experience of the first season of the Christian year, exploring how its traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals all point us to Jesus.
- A family experience – For couples looking to journey through Advent together and include their children, She Reads Truth and He Reads Truth has created their annual Advent study, Tidings of Comfort and Joy. Daily readings, Scripture memorization cards, recipes and activities, and a book especially for children are all part of this curated experience.
- An invitation to expectation – If you find yourself distracted during this season and it is difficult to focus on God’s presence, Advent Expectation by theologian Henri J.M. Nouwen provides daily reflections and prayers to recognize Christ and celebrate him as our Emmanuel.
- An intentional journey – Christianity Today’s Darkness, Then Light follows the theme of darkness and light in Scripture over the course of 25 devotionals. This book is the companion to the forthcoming Ever Approaching Dawn, which will be released for the 2026 Lenten season. Reflection questions also make this a good study for small groups or families.
- A special study for teens – Jesus is often presented to young people at this time of year as the baby in a manger. Through The Messiah: A Youth Study for Advent, Kathy Wolf Reed broadens teens’ perspective on Jesus through four teachings on his royal titles from the prophet Isaiah: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. The study includes a leader’s guide with prayers, discussion questions, and group activities.
- An updated classic – A Wondrous Mystery, a 30-day devotional based on 19th-century preacher Charles H. Spurgeon’s sermons, serves as a way to strengthen our faith in the incarnation – “the Infinite has become an infant” – and serve as a springboard for remembering daily how Jesus’ coming changed our lives.
- An engaging experience for children – If your children or grandchildren are confused about the true meaning of Christmas, Advent Blocks provides a hands-on experience that illustrates the story of Jesus’ coming with colorful blocks and an accompanying storybook that traces 30 stories from Scripture which prophesy his coming.
- A story of rescue – Although you may know the story of Jesus’ birth, are you aware of how his coming ties together the entire narrative of Scripture? The Advent of the Lamb of God by Pastor Russ Ramsey explores the story arc from Genesis through Revelation in language that is faithful to the text but retold afresh to help us hide God’s Word in our hearts by way of our imaginations.
