The Greatest Gift {Review and Giveaway}

As we begin the beautiful month of December, I thought that I would share this beautiful Advent devotional with you...

As you all probably already know, I adore Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts.  If you have not read it yet, you must get a copy and read it.  It is absolutely life changing and eye-opening.

When I saw that Ann Voskamp had written a book for Christmas I had to read it--Christmas, Ann Voskamp, a couple of my favorite things, how could I go wrong? ;-)


~The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas~


This Christmas, Ann invites readers into the rich and meaningful celebration of Christmas we all long for --- a celebration of the complete love story that's been coming for you since the very beginning.  

In what is certain to become an instant holiday classic, Voskamp reaches back into the pages of the Old Testament to explore the lineage of Jesus -- the greatest gift --- through the majestic advent tradition of "The Jesse Tree," each day featuring its own exquisite ornament highlighting the Biblical story (free download of each of the 25 ornaments available from Voskamp's website, annvoskamp.com ).

(Description from Amazon.com)

Ann takes us back to the beginning--the very beginning, where humans were created in the image and likeness of God.  She unwinds the story of pain, the story of the fall.  She takes you through the dawns of evil, reveals the depths of the depravity, realizes the desperation for a Savior.

She shows the goodness of God.  The holiness of the Maker.  The graciousness of the Father.

I loved the way that this Advent devotional was written.  Truly beginning at the very beginning, showing the desperate need of humankind for a Savior before the miraculous event of God taking on flesh.

The Gospel glows throughout this book.  Ann reveals and stresses through her poetic, real, and encouraging prose that Christmas was the means to usher in the true redemption.  That Jesus was born to die, to give us life.  But because He is God, the chains of death could not hold Him.  He rose again, and gave us victory.

Christmas is beginning of the life--the promise fulfilled.  Immanuel, "God with Us".

I highly recommend this devotional.  The sweetness of the Gospel, the holiness of such an oft commercialized event--this devotional helps it all to come into perspective.

I adored the style of the formatting.  The graphic design, the fonts, the colors--the peaceful art appropriate to its message.

Each devotional begins with a scriptural reading, followed by Ann's encouraging words on the particular passage.  The following remaining pages for the day feature a quote appropriate to the day's topic and a few questions for pondering with blank lines on which to write out your own thoughts.

I am grateful to Tyndale House Publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

And now... the moment that you have been waiting for--a Christmas giveaway!

For this giveaway, I have two of my favorite things for the Christmas season.  Not only am I giving away a copy of Ann Voskamp's The Greatest Gift devotional, but I am also giving away Chris Tomlin's Glory in the Highest CD!

and

One of my favorite Christmas CDs, Glory in the Highest plays like a live worship album.  The renditions of our favorite Christmas carols strike familiar, but a couple of new tunes remind us of the true reason for the season.  This album serves to usher us into the place of worship, standing in awe of God's gracious love, poured out in the form of  Himself, taking on flesh in the prone, humble form of a baby.

Be blessed, my lovely readers--and enjoy!

By the way, the giveaway ends Friday, December 6, 2013 at 11:59pm ET!

a Rafflecopter giveaway