Fill Up With the Right Kind of Christmas Spirit

I've always had that longing, in the back of my mind, to really dig into Advent. More than just lighting the candle at church on Sunday, more than just a quick thought here and there. I wanted to take quiet time and learn about what each week was all about.

Enter Unwrapping the Names of Jesus. This is the book I've been looking for.

I love the idea behind this devotional - a lot of advent devotionals focus on stories of Christmases past; while that's good, I really appreciate a devotional that's all about Jesus and the gift that He is.

Centered around the four weeks of Advent, each week has a theme (Hope, Preparation, Joy, and Love) and five days of devotionals centered on a name of Jesus. There is also a separate devotional for Christmas day. It's a great way of keeping the readings focused and centered on not only Advent, but the reason for Advent.

Each weekly theme page features a related Bible verse and Advent instructions such as:

• Opening prayer
• Light a candle
• A verse to read aloud
• Call and respond text
• Discussion questions

The daily devotions start with a verse and then dive into a reflection that unpacks a name of Jesus. They get even more in-depth with a "challenge" to apply to your life and end with a written prayer and verses for further study. I love how deep this small devotional goes - you not only get your quiet time to reflect but an action item to put it into practice.

Besides the wonderful content, the book is beautiful in appearance - it features a gold foil hardcover, attractive font choices, and full-color pages to introduce the weekly themes. The eye-catching appeal of this book makes it a joy to read. As well, Asheritah Ciuciu has a gentle, wise tone that carries throughout the reading. For instance, the devotional begins with a prayer (I love this!).

In all, this book is a beautiful way to prepare for Christmas individually or as a family; this book works both ways. It would also make a great gift book. It's definitely a book that fills you with the right kind of Christmas Spirit. 

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.