The Greatest Gift Yet Again Meaning
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This book is brilliant. If you have other Advent devotionals, throw them away. This is the only one you need and it will be a generational standard.
She leads the reader through the advent period through Scripture. She pulled from Old and Nee Testament, and not just the usual verses. She supplements her writing with quotes from oth
I was reluctant to buy this book because it was difficult to get through her last book. The writing style was tough to follow. I am glad I spent my money on this book!This book is brilliant. If you have other Advent devotionals, throw them away. This is the only one you need and it will be a generational standard.
She leads the reader through the advent period through Scripture. She pulled from Old and Nee Testament, and not just the usual verses. She supplements her writing with quotes from other authors and then follows up with challenging questions.
This book is absolutely brilliant! Get it now and walk through it during Advent.
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I bought this book after hearing a radio interview with Voskamp, in which she (I thought) rather eloquently explained that in order to appreciate the meaning of God's gift to us in Christ, it is useful to review the history of His family tree, beg
I was disappointed in this. Let me start off by saying that I really enjoyed One Thousand Gifts, and I have frequently been encouraged and challenged by Voskamp's blog. However, I really think her writing style is not suited to a short devotional form.I bought this book after hearing a radio interview with Voskamp, in which she (I thought) rather eloquently explained that in order to appreciate the meaning of God's gift to us in Christ, it is useful to review the history of His family tree, beginning with Adam. She explained that this book is a tool to do that -- reviewing various Scriptures and people that point to and lead up to Bethlehem. However, this book does very little expositing of the Word; it is mostly Voskamp's adventurous launching out. Each day gives you a scripture reading included in the book (in the New Living Translation, yuck, but that's another point altogether). Voskamp's very short daily devotional certainly starts with the scripture given to read, but then soon launches into ---well, whatever. Many, many times I thought Voskamp was trying too hard. Every sentence was trying to be profound. So much so that I often ended the reading thinking, "What in the world was that all about?"
Another pet peeve of mine is how Voskamp bends the rules of the English language to suit her attempts to be profound. Others have criticized her for this, and it didn't really bother me in her first book or in her blog, but it did in this volume. Actual examples:
'There are a thousand ways you can suffer brave.'
'Your Christmas becoming more. Becoming miracle.'
I am all for creativity, but the devotions felt too short to bear the weight of such liberties.
The last thing that bothered me was how every day just kind of assumed that you were stressed, overwhelmed, depressed, lonely, or miserable. Sometimes I indeed felt that way and was encouraged. Other times I felt irritated by the fact that she always assumed I was deeply struggling, when I wasn't.
Well that was a lot of blathering. I do like and appreciate Ann Voskamp, but this volume fell very short of my expectations.
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Ann takes us through Dvent in this book. I've read several Advent de ltionals but none as beautifully written as this one! the author definitely has a way with words and her passion is front and center in her videos.
Reading for 2017 Christmas and watching YouTube videos. Read 2015,2016,2017
It was as meaningful and beautiful as it was in 2015 the first time I read it.
I can see myself reading this again next year, and perhaps years to come. Highly recommended!
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Merry Christmas! God has come for me and you.
The content of The Greatest Gift is important for a season that has become so commercialized and difficult for many people (though not all of us struggle through the season, as this
There is no denying Ann Voskamp has her own style of writing. While many love and identify with (and try to emulate, as unfortunately seems to be the case with many authors now, rather than finding their own style and voice), I personally find her writing style detracts from the valuable messages she tries to convey.The content of The Greatest Gift is important for a season that has become so commercialized and difficult for many people (though not all of us struggle through the season, as this book seems to assumes). I appreciated the daily practical applications/exercises at the end of each chapter. However, I thought the chapters were choppy and confusing, almost like a hodgepodge of rabbit trails. Part of her writing style is really short (often one-sentence) paragraphs and abrupt, incomplete sentences. This broke up the flow and the chapters were not smooth. I also felt the abrupt changes in tenses worsened that. One more thing that distracted me was the author's frequent use of "this" to modify concepts she's trying to really make sink in for the reader. Rather than make me feel I was "right there" with the use of "this," it got annoying and repetitive and didn't work in most instances.
Two stars because the message of how Jesus's birth meant hope and life to you and me is an essential one. If you enjoy Ann Voskamp's flowery style, you may also enjoy this book. If you are distracted from her message by her forced writing style, you will likely have a hard time with this book.
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This, is the love story that's been coming for you since the beginning.
It is possible for you to miss it.
To brush past it, to rush through it, to not see how it comes for you up over the edges of everything, quiet and unassuming and miraculous — how every page of the Word has been writing it, reaching for you, coming for you.
And you could wake up on Christmas only to grasp that you never took
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This, is the love story that's been coming for you since the beginning.
It is possible for you to miss it.
To brush past it, to rush through it, to not see how it comes for you up over the edges of everything, quiet and unassuming and miraculous — how every page of the Word has been writing it, reaching for you, coming for you.
And you could wake up on Christmas only to grasp that you never took the whole of the Gift, the wide expanse of grace.
So now we pause.
Still.
Ponder.
Hush.
Wait.
Each day of Advent, He gives you the gift of time, so you have time to be still and wait...
What a wonderful devotional for the Christmas season! I loved Ann Voskamp's lyrical style of writing, and her way of expressing herself was so fresh and interesting -- though a few instances of it may not have appealed to me as much as others. I definitely recommend this very thought-provoking and encouraging read which includes ideas for action and questions for personal application. If you haven't read it yet, put in on your to-read list for next Advent season. I'm sure it will bless you.
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Jesus is the reason for all this madness and this book brings it all down to the basics which is honestly refreshing in the world of social media with elves, Santa, big piles of presents and so on. I loved the pull to focus on what is actually important and rated it 5🌟 Next year we're going to listen to a chapter at supper every evening.
Ann Vo
This was the perfect book to end off my Christmas reading. I listened in 8 x 20-min segments but next year I'm going to listen from 1 December as intended.Jesus is the reason for all this madness and this book brings it all down to the basics which is honestly refreshing in the world of social media with elves, Santa, big piles of presents and so on. I loved the pull to focus on what is actually important and rated it 5🌟 Next year we're going to listen to a chapter at supper every evening.
Ann Voskamp is also the narrator and does a fantastic job with a scripture, a message and action steps/ things to think about, all in a daily segment of 5-6 minutes.
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"I don't want a Christmas. you can buy. I don't want a Christmas you can make. What I want is a Christmas you can hold. A Christmas that holds me, remakes me, revives me. I want a Christmas that whispers, Jesus."
2.
Each day of Advent, He gives you the gift of time, so you have time to be still and wait.
3.
Gaze on shoots of glory to grow deep roots in God.
4.
The authority of God made all of creation. But it was the affection of God that made all His children.
5.
The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.
6.
And the greatest gift we can give our great God is to let His
2.
Each day of Advent, He gives you the gift of time, so you have time to be still and wait.
3.
Gaze on shoots of glory to grow deep roots in God.
4.
The authority of God made all of creation. But it was the affection of God that made all His children.
5.
The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.
6.
And the greatest gift we can give our great God is to let His love make us glad.
7.
In all humanity's religions, man reaches after God. But in all His relationships, God reaches for man.
8.
Your God refuses to give up on you. Your God looks for you when you're feeling lost, and your God seeks you out when you're down, and your God calls for you when you feel cast aside. He doesn't run down the rebel. He doesn't strike down the sinner. He doesn't flog the failure. Spurgeon writes that no matter what the day holds, how the season unfolds, God holds and enfolds: "I am come to find you wherever you may be. I will look for you till the eyes of My pity see you. I will follow you till the hands of My mercy reach you, and I will still hold you . . . to My heart."[3]
9.
Strange, this familiar Father of prodigals whose love, too much for one lifetime, wills that we shall share the feast of forgiveness and joy in the epilogue of eternity. Strange, this daily advent of EMMANUEL J. F. WILSON
10.
This is the gift that wraps up all stresses quiet: I will bless you. "I will bless you," says the God who comes to where you are.
11.
So slow down to feel the wind. Listen to the carols just a little bit longer. Linger in the quiet and taste the grace of now, and know that He is good and He is God. Name them in this moment —gift upon gift upon gift —and listen for the echo in everything: I will bless you.
12.
The greatest gift God graces a soul with is His own presence.
13.
the whirl can hush and the spin can slow because He will bless, and He will bless with Himself come down. The present is His presence, and the greatest present you always have to give is His presence —looking into someone's eyes as you listen, refusing the wrong of rushing, lingering long enough to really listen —to everything.
14.
Worry is belief gone wrong. Because you don't believe that God will get it right. Peace is belief that exhales.
15.
God gives God, and we only need to slow long enough to unwrap the greatest Gift with our time: time in His Word, time in His presence, time at His feet.
16.
Great faith is the greatest equalizer, the greatest eraser, and the greatest definer.
17.
When my priorities aren't the things seen —when my priorities are rather all things unseen —it's only then that my life begins to have substance and weight.
18.
God and Father, I repent of my sinful preoccupation with visible things. The world has been too much with me. Thou hast been here and I knew it not. I have been blind to Thy presence. Open my eyes that I may behold Thee in and around me. For Christ's sake, Amen. A. W. TOZER
19.
The message of Christmas is not that we can make peace. Or that we can make love, make light, make gifts, or make this world save itself. The message of Christmas is that this world's a mess and we can never save ourselves from ourselves and we need a Messiah. For unto us a Child is born.
20.
light a dark world and the unexpected places with a brave flame of joy; when you warm the cold, hopeless places with the daring joy that God is with us, God is for us, God is in us;
21.
You know you have an idol whenever you have to perform.
22.
Esther hears the Mordecai message, and it does something to her soul. You've got to use your position inside the gate for those outside the gate —or you're in the position of losing everything.
23.
I will rejoice in the LORD!
24.
even though I fail, even though so much fails —even now I will rejoice in the Lord. Even now I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.
25.
Hasn't He already unequivocally earned trust? You can take your hands off your life —you don't have to try to save yourself. Behold Him everywhere, and be held.
26.
Behold the goodness of the God of your salvation everywhere, and be held
27.
Assurance grows by repeated conflict. . . . When we have been brought very low and helped, sorely wounded and healed, cast down and raised again . . . and when these things have been repeated to us and in us a thousand times over, we begin to learn to trust simply to the word and power of God. JOHN NEWTON
28.
Zechariah breathes through the miracle of his priesthood —one man named "God Remembers," an undistinguished old man without a son to pass down the priesthood, married to one time-engraved woman named "My God Is an Oath." A woman ashamed and disgraced at the barrenness of oaths. God bends His heart to hear the prayer of the breaking —the remembering God of the small and the forgotten —and miracles begin again here.
29.
Never doubt that there are two kinds of doubt: one that fully lives into the questions, and one that uses the questions as weapons against fully living.
30.
The herald of the King calls to you in this moment to come away from the crush and the crowds, to come away to a space of stillness to be ready for the coming of the Lord.
31.
There is no need to produce or perform or perfect —simply become a place for God. That is all.
32.
When you are a space to receive whatever the will of God is in this moment as grace, you take hold of God. You most take hold of God when you simply receive Him in this moment taking hold of you. Taking hold of your unsure hand. Taking hold of your unseen needs. Taking hold of your unknown stress. He wants to take hold of you, to be with you. He wants to carry you, to be carried by you, to have relationship with you.
33. the literal translation of "to provide" means "to see." God always sees—and He will always see to it.
34. Every mountain that every Christian ever faces, the Lord levels with sufficient grace: The Lord Will Provide.
35. Worry is belief gone wrong. Because you don't believe that God will get it right. Peace is belief that exhales.
36. "The Holy Ghost thought fit to take particular notice of that marriage of Boaz with Ruth, whence sprang the Saviour of the world," writes Jonathan Edwards. "We may often observe it, that the Holy Spirit who indited the Scriptures, often takes notice of little things, or minute occurrences, that do but remotely relate to Jesus Christ."[ 15] Every little thing is going to be okay because God is working good through every little thing. All that's happening is happening to make miracles. The mundane is what's making miracles.
- The spirit of Christmas needs to be superseded by the Spirit of Christ. The spirit of Christmas is annual; the Spirit of Christ is eternal. The spirit of Christmas is sentimental; the Spirit of Christ is supernatural. The spirit of Christmas is a human product; the Spirit of Christ is a divine person. That makes all the difference in the world. STUART BRISCOE
- You know you have an idol whenever you have to perform.
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Named by Christianity Today as one of fifty women most shaping culture and the church today, she's a global advocate for needy children with Compassion International, a loser of library books, a s Ann Voskamp is a farmer's wife, the home-educating mama to a half-dozen exuberant kids, and author of One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, a New York Times sixty-week bestseller..
Named by Christianity Today as one of fifty women most shaping culture and the church today, she's a global advocate for needy children with Compassion International, a loser of library books, a stirrer of soup, a loud laugher, a kid snuggler, a Jesus lover and honestly, a bit of a mess. It's okay really. Grace is the most amazing of all.
Her online journal, one of the top 10 most widely read Christian blogs online, is a relief of quiet vulnerability and an oasis of sacred, seeing God in the everyday ugly beautiful.
Connect with Ann on:
AnnVoskamp.com
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