God Is In The Manger by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I realize this is January but I wanted to let you know about a book I read during Advent and Christmas.  I have been looking for a good Advent book for a long time and I have found it.



God Is In the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Translated by O.C. Dean Jr.

Compiled and Edited by Jana Riess

Westminster John Knox Press 2010

ISBN: 0664234291
ISBN-13: 9780664234294

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-45) was a Christian minister, seminary professor, and theologian who became one of the leading voices of opposition against Nazism during World War II. He was a founding member of Germany's Confessing Church and was executed for participating in a plot to assassinate Hitler. His theological views have become highly influential in the years since his death.

This little book is divided into 5 parts:

·         Advent Week One—Waiting

·         Advent Week Two— Mystery

·         Advent Week Three—Redemption

·         Advent Week Four— Incarnation

·         The Twelve Days of Christmas and Epiphany

"There are only two places where the powerful and great in this world lose their courage, tremble in the depths of their souls, and become truly afraid. These are the manger and the cross of Jesus Christ."  -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"No priest, no theologian stood at the cradle of Bethlehem. And yet, all Christian theology finds its beginnings in the miracle of miracles, that God became human." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

As you can see from the above quotes, reading devotional literature by Dietrich Bonhoeffer can be challenging. But God is in the Manger opens up the gospel and will take you to the heart of the Christmas story.

Most of these devotions are taken from writings during the time Bonhoeffer was being held in a Nazi prison cell. Also included with each day’s reading are short excerpt from Bonhoeffer’s letters and passages from his Christmas sermons.

I plan to read this again before Advent 2011. We need to be reminded about the real reason for Christmas—Christ.  



Voices of the Faithful - Book 2

Voices of the Faithful - Book 2

This exciting new devotional published by Thomas Nelson, compiled by Kim P. Davis has a year’s worth of awesome stories from missionaries that are serving the Lord in a foreign country. Beth Moore – the series creator – has also written an introduction to the second book of this series. Kim P. Davis has compiled letters from the missionaries and written an Introduction to each month. Some of the topics are January - Prayer, the Priority; February – God, Our Loving Father; and ends with November – Be Encouraged; December – Hope for the World. You will see how God’s truth is received by different people. Some accept it so willingly, but others don’t approve of it. Still others are persecuted and others are afraid.

These missionaries are so like us in some ways because they get discouraged, want to give up but you will see God work. When they keep on doing what they feel the Lord is leading them, He comes through in what has seen impossible to them and also to us.

I encourage you to buy this book. Just because January is half over doesn’t mean you can’t start reading at the beginning or start with the day you get the book. You can still read it in a year.

I give this book a 5 star rating.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson as part of their Book Sneeze Blogging for Books Program. I was not obligated to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are strictly my own.