Showing titles in Holidays

Sal Lizard was in his 20s when his beard and hair turned completely white. Today, he appears everywhere from malls and parades, to schools and hospitals. And from his custom-made red velvet suits to the mistletoe that hangs from the rearview mirror in his Santa-mobile, he is Santa Claus, 365 days a year.

Join pastor and author Adam Hamilton in this six-week Lenten journey, and take an in-depth dive into the life, faith, and character of Simon Peter.

Decrease life's unnecessary details and increase your relationship with the Lord so you can live in awe of Christ's resurrection! 40 Days of Decrease is a guide for those hungering for a fresh Lenten/Easter experience. Dr. Alicia Britt Chole guides you through a study of Jesus’ uncommon and uncomfortable call to abandon the world’s illusions, embrace His kingdom’s realities, and journey cross-ward and beyond.

In Light of the World: A Beginner's Guide to Advent, author, professor, and biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine explores the biblical texts surrounding the story of the birth of Jesus.

Anyone who laments the excesses of Christmas might consider the Puritans of colonial Massachusetts: they simply outlawed the holiday. The Puritans had their reasons, since Christmas was once an occasion for drunkenness and riot, when poor "wassailers" extorted food and drink from the well-to-do. In this intriguing and innovative work of social history, Stephen Nissenbaum rediscovers Christmas's carnival origins and shows how it was transformed, during the nineteenth century, into a festival of domesticity and consumerism.

Thomas Merton, toward the end of his life, warned of a "pervasive form of contemporary violence" that is unique to our times: overwork and overactivity. In his work as a minister and caregiver, Wayne Muller observed the effects of this violence on our communities, our families, and our people. He responds to this escalating "war on our spirits" in this audio guide, and immerses listeners in the sacred tradition of the shabbat - the day of rest - a tradition that is all but forgotten in an age where consumption, speed, and productivity have become the most valued human commodities. He offers practices and exercises that reflect the sabbath as recognized in Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism. Through his way of nourishment and repose, Muller teaches, we welcome insights and blessings and arise only with stillness and time.

Is there more about the story of Christmas you wish you understood or that you have specific questions about? In this storybook of biblical truth and history, Rick Renner takes you on the magical journey of Christ's coming to earth as a baby—and the purpose of his coming—in a way you’ve probably never heard it before.

After a lifetime of putting his body on the line to entertain his dozens (and dozens!) of fans, the Hardcore Legend is paying the price - physically and emotionally. When the final bell on Mick's career tolls, not in the ring, but in a neurologist's office, his future seems far from merry and bright. Until Mick is given the chance to become Santa Claus - not dress up, not pretend, but become Santa - allowing him to rediscover the joy of performing. Fully committing to his new mission, Mick details the drastic measures he takes to keep the Christmas magic alive.

Prepare for a life-changing encounter with Jesus, seeing him afresh through the eyes of three women who worship and adore him. Mary of Bethany prepares the way for the lord's burial when she anoints his feet and fills the air with her perfume. His mother, Mary of Nazareth, stands by her son from his first breath to his last, her loyalty unwavering. Mary Magdalene, delivered of seven demons, bravely supports her teacher through his darkest hours, then proclaims the glorious news of his resurrection.

Unlock the prophetic significance of the biblical feasts! The Feasts of the Lord have powerful and prophetic significance to God's people, both Jew and gentile. Each feast is a picture of Jesus the Messiah and represents one of seven phases of spiritual development in your life. In this intriguing and biblically sound study, Dr. Richard Booker takes you on a revelatory journey through the Bible, showing you how the ancient biblical feasts are relevant for your spiritual growth today.

Jesus' final days were full of risk. Every move he made was filled with anticipation, danger, and the potential for great loss or great reward. Jesus risked his reputation when he entered Jerusalem in a victory parade. He risked his life when he dared to teach in the Temple. His followers risked everything when they left behind their homes or anointed him with costly perfume. We take risks as we read and reread these stories, finding new meanings and new challenges.

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. 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. These stirring words are among forty devotions that guide and inspire readers as they move thematically through the weeks of Advent and Christmas....

With St. Alphonsus Liguori as your spiritual guide, The Road to Calvary: Daily Meditations for Lent and Easter will take you on the long difficult path Our Lord took to His death and crucifixion. Drawing on the insights of the saints who have gone before him, Liguori adds his own insights into the events of the passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord so that you may truly enter the details of Christ’s suffering and ultimate victory over death. By diving into the details daily, The Road to Calvary will quench the spiritual hunger we long for during Lent.

Mary Stoltzfus is 30 years old, splashed with freckles, and unmarried. In her Amish world, that qualifies her to be called an old maid. She is living her quiet schoolteacher life in the Lancaster County Amish community when she gets a surprising invitation in the mail one day. Would she come to Montana to teach?

We’ve all experienced life-changing moments. Our calendars are marked with anniversaries of enduring significance. But Holy Week is a celebration of the most important week in history, the week that changed the world. It recalls Jesus’ final days in Jerusalem when the Son of God accomplished His mission to bring forgiveness of sin and eternal life to all who trust in Him.

Beginning with Jesse, the father of David, The Greatest Gift retraces the epic pageantry of mankind, from Adam to the Messiah, with each day’s reading pointing to the coming promise of Christ.

Krampus: The History and Legacy of the Mythological Figure Who Punishes Children During the Christmas Season examines the pagan and Christian influences of the yuletide villain and dives into the riveting and frightening history behind the creature. You will learn about Krampus like never before.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic will warm listeners' hearts and spread the wonder of the holiday season with its tales of love, joy, and awe. A fantastic holiday gift for the young and young at heart. Christmas is a magical time of year - a time of family, friends, and traditions. Listeners will revel in the 101 holiday stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic that spread the special joy, wonder, and blessings of the season with its tales of finding the perfect Christmas tree, being with family, seeing the awe in a child’s eyes, and enjoying the magic of the season.

I’ve had a crush on my brother’s best friend my entire life. Once, in high school, I even got a taste of what it would be like to be with him, thanks to some well-placed mistletoe: incredible and humiliating. We always spend Christmas with Max’s family at our cabin, and every year I have to suffer through a blissful week with him in a completely platonic way. His steady stream of girlfriends have made him off limits...until now.

From the bestselling author and artist behind GraceLaced and Beholding and Becoming comes this gorgeous exploration of what it means to intimately experience God’s presence in our daily lives. Ruth Chou Simons welcomes you and your family to partake in a season of surrender as you discover the true miracle behind Christmas: that while we journey to grow in our relationships with Jesus, He has already come so He can be with us forever.