Monday, November 22, 2010

Putting God Back in the Holidays


It is so easy to get distracted during the holidays and lose focus of what counts. How many times have you sat in the aftermath of the holidays and a part of you felt it was shallow or even empty? Holidays can often times be characterized as stress-filled, money-draining and joyless time where we just "want to get through it." That is  exactly why I enjoyed this timely book sent to me by Moody Publishers for review--Putting God Back in the Holidays by Bill and Penny Thrasher--Bill Thrasher is professor of Bible and Theology at the Moody Graduate School of Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute and has much to say and help us to getting our focus back on the Lord during this special time.

Just in time for the onslaught of holidays festivities, this book provides an indepth look at how to celebrate the holidays and other special occasions with purposeful meaning. The spirit of the book helps us focus on the Lord and what really matters while the author's having done all the footwork of planning out purposeful activities to make our celebrations more meaningful and special--something I really appreciate since half the work of celebrating is planning--or sometimes agonizing, if you will--on  how to make it special!

As a busy mom of eight children, I appreciate that the book is chock full of ideas fun activities providing a way for my family  to be able to discuss, pray and actively do things together that will make a difference during these holidays enriching our lives and those around us.

"So much has been written about how to celebrate Christmas that it can be overwhelming! They key in my life has been to play way ahead in gift purchasing and to stay as rested as possible during this busy season. Rest has been key in helping me to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading in reaching out to thers and encouraging a joyful, peaceful, worshipful atmosphere in our home. Believe me, I've not always been successful; the full calendar can easily become a heavy burden instead of a joyous celebration of Christ's emptying Himself to live a perfect life among us. May this not be true of our homes! May God grant us His wisdom and grace to walk in the preordained good works He has for us."-Penny Thrasher



This book does not just cover Christmas, it also covers other holidays as well such as:

Thanksgiving
Easter and Good Friday
Birthdays
New Year's
Valentine's Day
President's Day
Mothers and Father's Day and much more...

...so it is the perfect book to have year around. Now Moody Publishers has generously given me two extra books to giveaway to two of my special readers---all you have to do is leave a comment with your email to enter!

(U.S. participants only please!)

I also have another post coming up to share with you some things you can do during Christmas to bring more meaning into it AND teach your children servanthood that you will  not want to miss later this week...


115 comments:

Athena said...

This book looks wonderful, just what I need for the holidays, I already feel like I'm rushing into it. I need to keep Christ first. athenamarie@gmx.com

Amy said...

This book sounds wonderful! With 4 little ones (2 sets of twins) the true focus of the holidays can get lost in the hustle and bustle! Please enter me! jlb15131@frontiernet.net thankyou!

Anonymous said...

familykidsemail@yahoo.com
Hoping to keep Christ in EVERYDAY!!!

rebecca said...

Mrs. Fuentes,

This is a topic that is very dear to the heart of my husband and I. It is too easy to lose focus with all of the commercialism that seems to come earlier each and every year.

Thank you for bringing resource to my attention,

God Bless,
Mrs. Shepard

Anonymous said...

sounds refreshing and wonderful!!
Kellie
dkcrueatacegroupdotcc

Jamie Oliver (@va_grown) said...

Good morning! What a timely book to share. My husband and I have decided that we will no longer include Santa Clause as part of our Christmas and will focus solely on the birth of Christ and the gift of Christ. This comes right on the heels of our decision to no longer participate in Halloween. The Lord is leading us in to new territory with our young family and we are so thankful and grateful to the Christian community that is sharing stories and resources will us. Thank you!

Courtney Jean said...

I would LOVE to recieve this book! Courtneymartin23@hotmail.com

Thank you!

Laurie said...

oooh oooh!! this book looks great. We are always looking for ways to turn the focus of the holidays back to God! My email is laurieannemagee@yahoo.com!

Anonymous said...

I agree keeping our focus on God and what Christmas is really about is what's important. Christmas can get so wrapped up in gifts and parties that we can miss the birth of our savior. I love the movie 'The Nativity'. I look forward to watching it as it beautifully portrays the reason we celebrate. Thanks June for reminding us to keep our thoughts and actions Christ centered. Robin

Becky said...

Thank you for sharing this. I would be happy to enter the giveaway.

aperitelibrum{at}yahoo{dot}com

Blessings on your week!

Jeremiah and Stephenie said...

This book looks like exactly what I've been searching for! Thank you.

Kathleen said...

I would love to read this book. I really enjoyed Noel Piper's book along the same lines.

knrenard@hotmail.com

KellyinPA said...

Sounds like a wonderful book, thank you for the offer!

Blessings,
KellyinPA
Kjlb37@comcast.net

mommyto4blessings said...

Hi! My email is russellfamily612@ymail.com, and I would love to win that book!

Renee said...

I would love to have this book. Sounds like it would be a great read, with some helpful info. Thanks
God bless

Alicia said...

My husband and I have been searching and talking about ideas for having Christ as the center of our celebrations. We would love to read this book!

Thank you for your blog. I have enjoyed reading it and gleaning wisdom from you. As a new mommy you have given me much. Thank you!

alinae78@gmail.com

Kate said...

I would love to win this book!

kateahyde (at) hotmail (dot) com

Shawn said...

I could so use this book...it is so hard to get pulled in the wrong direction. Ideas would be wonderful!!!
Shawn
onejohn31@yahoo.com

The White Family said...

What a blessings! Thanks for the opportunity to win. jstrawnwhite@hotmail.com

Jessica Luck said...

Sounds like a great book! I have often felt like we should be doing more to focus on God during all of these holidays but clueless on how. Look forward to seeing it.

Stefanie said...

Sounds like a wonderful book! Thanks for sharing your review and a chance to win it.

Joellen said...

OOh!!! I would love to win this book!! If I don't, I may have to add it to my Christmas list :) Thanks for sharing...
joellen.armstrong@gmail.com

Jenny Lamb said...

This looks like a wonderful addition to my library - thank you for your inspirational posts! As a homeschooling SAHM of four beautiful children it is so great to find other women in this same "season".

jenlamb2001@msn.com

Gabe said...

We've been working on this for the last few years. I'd love to read this book to help us along!

I'm actually planning to do a series of posts on my blog about how we are simplifying our holidays so that we can better focus on HIM! I'll do the first one on Friday.

Lauren said...

I would love to win! The book sounds so helpful for celebrating the holidays with my two little boys!

Far Above Rubies said...

I would love a chance to read this. Thank you.

Tanya said...

Thank you for offering a few of these books! If I don't win, I'll probably purchase one. I often draw a blank (or get overwhelmed with ideas online) when it comes to making the holidays have a Christ-centered focus.
Thank you for your blog also. May it be used by God to touch many, many more women.
Tanya
mt2reed@yahoo.com

Margaret in VA said...

That looks like a great book and I would love to give it to my new daughter-in-law (after I read it of course!) My email is:
proverbs14-@cox.net

Kim B. said...

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to win a copy of this book. The message is so true and I would love some practical tips.

Miranda said...

Thank you for sharing this! Sounds like a great book for my family to enjoy. My husband and I were just talking about this last week. :)

Katie said...

What a wonderful book! I was just talking to my Dearest yesterday about the same topic. Thank you so much. Katiejl620@hotmail.com

Gretchen said...

I would love to win this! How cool!

gretchenschmidt1@gmail.com

Erin said...

I'd love to have that book! As a new mom, I desire to start our Christmas celebrations and traditions with our daughter in the right direction of honoring and celebrating His birth!

Angel said...

I'd love to win a copy!

Holly said...

Oh, my! I saw this book on another post and have been wanting to get it for a while now. We have two little girls whom we are raising to be daughters of God, a far cry from how I was raised, and are always on the lookout for knowlegable resources to help us on this path of paretnhood. Would love, love, love to win this one!

rosajosa said...

This sounds like a wonderful book for me to use in our home! rosajosa@hotmail.com

Kelly said...

Oh, I really hope I win! I love traditions & holidays and would really enjoy finding more ways/new ways to incorporate Christ into them!

Elsie Gibbs said...

happy2b_wifen_mommy@yahoo(dot)com

I hope I win it :D

Elsie Gibbs

Brenda said...

I am so glad you told us about this book! Ever since you posted about those banners with the names of God on them, I have been thinking about how to make Christmas more about the Lord and less about all the other!

Surely would love to win one since it's not in the budget this month! :)

kawbees said...

O my goody goody book swap! I logged back on to get the book info to check the bookstore. AACKK!!! Then I read about the giveaway!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEE!! Sooooo excited! I've also heard of ANn Hibbard's book, I believe it's called Celebrating Traditions: Meeting Christ in your Celebrations. YAYYYYY!!! Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful idea for a book and would like to have one right now as I am, as you said, agonizing over the Thanksgiving meal that is just three days away.... got the food covered but now how about table decor? games? favors? appetizers?? too much focus on the event and what I need is to focus on HIM... and, as a previous post you had encouraged me to "ask my husband" that's great guidance for me... still would like to have the book!! Hope I win...
Suzanne Pace
pacefamily@triad.rr.com

Kimberly Lottman said...

Oh, this is right where God has my heart right now! Sounds like a wonderful resource!

KAlexaLott@gmail.com

Mama Mandy said...

Sounds nice! mamayearwood@aol.com

Monica said...

I am always looking for ways to turn the focus of the holidays back to Christ. This book sounds great! I am especially interested in the other holidays. Someone said a Chirtmas tree was not biblical. What came to mind was neither is a birthday cake but you have one. It is part of the celebration!

Rebecca said...

marussell@neo.rr.com

Sounds like a neat book..looking forward to you sharing more.

Stefanie said...

This book sounds wonderful! I'm a new mama looking to slow down but start some meaningful God centered traditions with my family.

sjheit_2@hotmail.com

Lady M said...

What a fabulous sounding book! Please enter us! mshills@myway.com

brook said...

Sounds like a wonderful book. I'm always looking for ways to bring God back into our holidays and it not be all about gifts.
brookiejunk@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I have been hearing a lot of wonderful things on this book.

gotjoy3@yahoo.com

The Hall Family said...

My email is alicia.hall54@yahoo.com and I would love to have this book. My children are young and I love to start Godly traditions with them early in hopes they will carry them on.

Jenna said...

This book sounds like it has a lot of wonderful content! I would love to enter. My email address is:
wheretheheartremains@gmail.com

Love In Christ,
Jenna

Anonymous said...

Thanks this book sounds like a book I would love to read! cottagemom1968@yahoo.com

Joyfull said...

I love ideas about how to keep Christ in Christmas. Would love to win this!

Becky L. said...

What a wonderful book! Thank you for the opportunity.
teamlaws@tds.net

dawn said...

This book sounds like just what I need. two boys still at home and two granddaughters to care for, this book sounds like it would take the homework out of doing it myself.
dawnbeard@fuse.net

Teresa said...

This looks like a wonderful book! rtblbunch@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I would love to win this book! Thanks for offering!

Anonymous said...

Hi,

The book sounds great. Thank you for the chance to enter the giveaway.

Debbie
debbier@steeringwheel.org

Caroline @ The Modest Mom said...

I would love to win this! With four little children we are constantly looking for ways to focus on the Lord through the holidays, and not what we want. Please enter me!

Im4Christ2@msn.com

Hannah Avery said...

What a wonderful sounding book! I love your blog!

-Hannah

Sharon said...

Thank you for sharing this book with us. Please include me in the give-away. for this book would be an added blessing to our ministry.
ephesians516@aol.com

Mother Esq. said...

This book sounds wonderful! I would love to create some memories with my little one

Tracey said...

I'd love to have that book!
Tracey at www.LifeIsDifferentHere.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great book. It sounds like it is a very needed book for all we go through as wives, mothers etc... tring to keep God in all that we do.
heart.of.ruth@gmail.com

Katelyn said...

I would love this book. I live in Canada, but if I was a winner I would just have you mail it to my sister in the states.

The Mahan Clan said...

My husband and I were discussing tonight what traditions we wanted to begin with our little one (9 months) and we both desperately want him to know the real meaning of Christmas, as well as each holiday we celebrate. elizabethpmahan (at) gmail (dot) com
(remove spaces).

Lauren said...

Would love to win this! Always looking for new ideas to praise God in everything we do, especially the holidays!

laurnie0012@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

looks great!

Lady Dorothy said...

I'd love to win this book!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful idea! I've been trying to work into the night every night to cook and clean ahead. In the morning, I end up not being as attentive to the kids as I should be. This was such a timely and convicting topic. Thank you! Please enter me.
ergsmith (at) hotmailcom

Anonymous said...

I am always looking for ways to put Christ back in the holidays for my family. I love books and would love to have a copy of this one! God Bless~Christy S.

Anonymous said...

I am always looking for ways to put Christ back in the holidays for my family. I love books and would love to have a copy of this one! God Bless~Christy S.

christyrstanton@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

Looks like a great book! Would love to read it. Thanks for all of your great give-a-ways!
Blessings, Karen

Anonymous said...

Sounds like very helpful book! I'd love to be entered.

Mrs. H
fourkids@columbus.rr.com

Henna-Maria said...

Looks like a great book. I know I am not in US, but my parents-in-law are and I can use their address :D Looking forward to new ideas!

Family Cakes said...

Looks like a wonderful book!

partyof7 @ gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I think this may be the best give-away yet! What a perfect addition to any household! To always keep our eyes and hearts set upon the Lord in all ways at all times!
Thank you!

Kathy said...

This looks super! I have 3 children, and we all need to keep our focus right.

ginger said...

Sounds like a great book to put to use. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I NEED this book this is are goal every year but I can still lose sight when things get busy.
tonyt@wabash.net

Becky H said...

We have always taught our daughters that Christmas is Jesus birthday and has nothing to do with Santa. When they were in public school the teachers would get mad at them for telling the other kids there wasn't a santa it was all about Jesus. Now we homeschool and don't have the outside influence we did. Looks like a very good book.
Have a blessed day,
Becky
beckyhoney@centurytel.net

Donna said...

Since all holiday planning falls to the woman of the house, I'll take all the help I can get! Hope I win!
d831961@mchsi.com

Greg and Donna said...

this sounds like a wonderful book and will be a blessing to anyone who receives it. Please enter my name in the drawing.

donnamj1@bellsouth.net

Laura said...

I would love to win this! I will probably go out and purchase it otherwise. My husband is a pastor, so we end up with a lot on our plate throughout Christmas... and with two little ones, it can get downright stressful!

Whittney said...

I have been searching for just this type of book!
whittney_hoyler@yahoo.com

PinkGranny said...

What a wonderful idea...putting our holidays, all of them, back into perspective: God's perspective. Thank you for this post.

Anonymous said...

What a great resource! Thanks for the opportunity to win.

harmonhomeschooling@yahoo.com

Grace said...

This sounds like a great book for my sister in law. She works full time and is constantly on the go. She's not a practicing Christian and her house is often in chaos and worse during the holidays.

It would be great to win a copy for her to benefit from!

ncamali98@gmail.com

Amy said...

This looks like a fantastic book! I would love to be lucky enough to win one, but if I don't, I will definitely be ordering one.

Amy
www.crazyforthecountry.com
crazyforthecountry@gmail.com

cooperkelly4 said...

This looks wonderful!! Please enter me:
cooperkelly4@yahoodotcom

Holly said...

forgot to post my email.
hollycoty@yahoo.com

moreofhim said...

What a wonderful book! I would love to read this. Thank you for entering me in your give-away.

God bless you - Julie

I am Tammy, Welcome to my Farm said...

Sounds like a wonderful book! Love your blog. Thanks for all the Godly advise!

I am Tammy, Welcome to my Farm said...

Sounds like a great book! I love your blog! Thanks for all the Godly advise!
Tammy

JSLCPierce said...

This would be a wonderful addition to my hoomeschool library. Thank you for your wonderful posts!

greg&sarina said...

ooh please enter me!! and Happy Thanksgiving! sarina at scualum dot com

Cassidy said...

I would love to have a book like this. Boy, would it be helpful to any of us! Smiles, Cassidy

AThankfulMommy@aol.com

Pam said...

Ooooh, that book looks wonderful! I would love to add that one to our library.

pehorner@carolina.rr.com

Stacy said...

Oh i need this book! with being unemployed this year, many kids and company coming i need the reminder of what the holidays are truly about!

Unknown said...

My family and I spend all of our holidays with relatives who say they are "worldly Christians". This book sounds like it would be perfect for us and our ministry.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Kathleencap@gmail.com

ladybug said...

Sounds like an awesome book! Please enter me in the contest to win a copy of "Putting God Back in the Holidays." Loved your post about asking your husband...why is it we always ask them last??? Mine always has such fantastic ideas! Thanks :o)

paltz4@gpcom.net

blessed_theresa said...

Oh I could really use this book. My girlfriends and I have just been discussing this very topic! The book would be a very welcome instrument to help us all!

Unknown said...

This book sounds like it's just what we need. Please enter me in your giveaway.
Kathleencap@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I would love to read this book. Thanks for all the encouraging posts! Blessings, Karla.
karlajuarez@sbcglobal.net

Amy D said...

I would LOVE to have this book!
My Email is Mommadorse@gmail.com!

OUR WILD ZOO! said...

I would LOVE to have this!
pamperedtots@mac.com

Anonymous said...

The book sounds wonderful. Just what I have been looking for. Our families are so precious to us. This is my second Christmas without my dear sweet Mother. How I do miss her. I need to focus on the meaning of Christmas and on Christ.
Thank You . I would like to enter for the book please. Fayelar@aol.com

Silena said...

Sounds like an interesting read and we can all use help to keep Christ in Christmas ;)
zion2223@msn.com

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the review on this book and for the giveaway!

momof6arrows@sbcglobal.net

thanks
Lori

Kellie said...

Sounds like a wonderful book to inspire and challenge me in the coming year. Love that it includes all the holidays. acmfamily@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I would love this book!
crystal_824@yahoo.com

Beloved's Redheaded Bride said...

THis sounds wonderful.

Anonymous said...

This looks like a wonderful resource for keeping the Christ in Christmas!

I'd love a chance to win!

---Gina
ImagesbyGina@aol.com

Lisa H said...

My oldest is almost 2 and more able to understand the holidays, so I have been looking for ways to keep the focus on God. This book sounds like a great way to start!
huz513 at husebova dot com

Unknown said...

Hi! I would really lixe to receive this book, can you send me? williankw@uol.com.br

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