Resources for Advent
“Advent begins in the dark.” - Fleming Rutledge
A few weeks ago, my wife and I were sitting at our friend’s cocktail bar and she received a text from a friend about another Christmas Party. It was mid-October and most of our weekends in December were already full. I don’t know if it’s just me, but it sure feels like the Advent (and Christmas) Season gets busier and busier each year and again if you’re like me, you often get to Christmas Eve and say, “I wish I had spent more time preparing my heart for Christmas.”
This post is not meant to guilt you into doing more or trying harder this year, nor is it meant to be a theological treatise on the importance of Advent1. Guilt rarely works and there are better theological writers elsewhere. Instead, I want to provide a few resources that I am using that might be helpful for you as well.
Books & Devotionals
First, I’d encourage you to pick up a good book or devotional. Use it personally, with family, or even with your small group. You could even get some friends together and start a text message thread to share meaningful insights, questions, and prayer requests. There are many options out there, but here are a few I’d recommend.
Books I’m reading (or re-reading) in 2023:
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: A Liturgy for Daily Worship from Advent to Epiphany by Jonathan Gibson - I have greatly enjoyed Jonathan Gibson’s Be Thou My Vision and expect this to be more of the same, but with a particular focus on Advent. Personally, I am looking forward to his inclusion of Advent Carols to sing or meditate on daily.
Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ by Fleming Rutledge - Perhaps the most important book written on the topic of Advent. This book is primarily a collection of sermons and writings spanning roughly four decades. Rutledge’s introduction alone (37-ish pages) is worth the price of admission. Endless quotable and will help you truly appreciate both the darkness and light of Advent.
Advent: The Season of Hope (Fullness of Time) by Tish Harrison Warren - A short introduction to the meaning of Advent and the three (yes three) comings of Christ.
Christmas: The Season of Life and Light (Fullness of Time) by Emily McGowin - This is the companion book to the Warren book above and is apart of a series called The Fullness of Time edited by Esau McCaulley.
Books I’ve enjoyed in previous years:
On the Incarnation: Saint Athanasius - This is a must-read for me and I’ll probably pick it up again sometime in mid-December.
Come, Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional by Paul David Tripp
The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent by John Piper
Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ by Tim Keller
Music
Second, listen to really good music, music that stirs your affection for Jesus. I love the classics like Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra as much as the next person, but I would recommend spending some time listening to some classical music and advent hymns, even if that wouldn’t be your first choice. Trust me, the Christmas hits are even better when you’ve waited to play them.
Personally, this season sounds like Chanticleer, Handel’s Messiah, and Sufjan Stevens. If you’re unfamiliar, I hope you grow to love them the way I do. They bring me great joy.
I won’t say much here, because the music truly speaks for itself.
Finally, here is a playlist that I am currently working on, adding to regularly and tweaking. Give it a follow. It will be sure to evolve throughout the season.
Products
Finally, here are a couple of products we have that we might recommend for your home too.
Minimal Nativity Set - Yes, I own this and yes I love it.
Lutheran Liturgical Calendar - Will be ordering one of these for my office. Haley, thanks for recommending these.
Advent Wreath - Buy one of these and spruce it up (literally) with trimmings from your tree, succulents, pine cones, etc. Scroll up a bit and you’ll see photos of ours from last year.
There's a great ‘tongue-in-cheek’ post over at Theopolis entitled “5 Reasons I Don’t Like Advent”. I find myself living in this tension as well. But maybe that’s part of the point?