6 Advent Books To Read This Christmas

While Advent is not a season prescribed in Scripture, I believe it's an appropriate time to reflect on the incarnation and prepare our hearts to celebrate the glory of God revealed in Jesus' birth.

There are a lot of devotionals to help us center our minds for Advent. Some are very good and others are terribly bad.

Here are six good ones that my family has encountered.

1. Good News of Great Joy by John Piper - This book is available for free digital download or in paperback and includes twenty-five daily readings for December. It includes Scripture and a brief devotional for each day.

2. Journey to the Manger by the staff of Gordon-Conwell - You can sign up for this free devotional to be delivered to you via email. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary produces a set of 25 daily Advent readings. You can go back to their resource section on their website to see old devotionals as well.

3. Readings for Celebrating Advent - This is not an Advent devotional in the traditional sense of the daily man-made reflections. Compiled by Bible Gateway, it is daily portions of Scripture to prepare you for Christmas. You can also subscribe to this via email.

4. Behold the Lamb of God by Russ Ramsey - My family just started this devotional this year, but I've heard really good things about it. The book is described as "an advent narrative book."

5. Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus edited by Nancy Guthrie - This is a compilation of (dead and alive) theologians' reflections on the incarnation. Mom and I did them last year and deeply enjoyed them.

6. The Christ of Christmas by James Montgomery Boice - This isn't a devotional. Rather, it's a collection of Dr. Boice's Christmas sermons. It's abundantly edifying, though, one you should consider picking up.