Christmas is excitingly on the horizon! I’m always excited at Christmas but this year, aren’t we all even more excited than ever? The thought of celebrations, family, get-togethers, after it was all just about cancelled last year, is worth looking forward to! Whether there’s shortages - No Turkey! Not The Most Wanted Gifts! - we all want to be together, to celebrate, and to have some wonderful times. We want to sing carols again; wonder at the crib; light lots of candles; remember and recall again the wonderful (full of wonder) story of the birth of Emmanuel.

However you celebrate, whatever you hope to do, I wonder whether you’re looking forward to Advent as well?

Are you ready and prepared for Advent?

Actually - isn’t Advent the time of preparing for Christmas?

Well, yes - but ARE you prepared to prepare?

Advent is the four weeks that lead to Christmas Day, starting on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It's a popular misconception that Advent always begins on December 1st; this year it begins on the 28th November, the first Sunday in Advent. It was traditionally a time of fasting and penitence, to prepare us for the coming of Emmanuel, God with us. These days it’s more a time of feasting and indulgence as we open our daily little doors and consume the chocolate - or gin or whisky, or whatever is hidden in your Advent Calendar.

Advent is all about anticipation. The word even comes from the Latin word for “arrival,” signifying that all-exciting Christmas count-down. Are you ready for the anticipation and excitement to begin?

I like to have something special to read each day during Advent and I usually look for a new book that will whet my appetite for Christmas - spiritually that is; the food appetite is already raring to go! And this year is no exception. With either appetite.

So I was delighted to be invited a few weeks ago to the book launch of Jo Swinney’s Advent book, THE WHOLE CHRISTMAS STORY.

Top: Jo (left) being interviewed by her editor, Olivia (right)
Bottom: Me clutching my own copy of the book! Happy early Christmas indeed!

Jo answered a few questions for us.

Jo - you said this book was born out of adversity; and that you drew some of the pictures. Tell us more about the journey to write the book.

BRF invited me to write a daily devotional book for Advent and Christmas a few years ago. I love worming my way into the Bible and finding out what it really means so I was very happy to be asked to write this one.

But shortly afterwards, my parents Peter and Miranda Harris, the founders of A Rocha (a Christian charity working for the protection and restoration of the natural world and the environment) were involved in a devastating car accident in South Africa, in which my mother died. The writing was put on hold; and then Covid came and one thing led to another, so it truly has been a time of adversity and trauma for me and my family.

And yes, I did do some of the drawings! The crib on the front cover is mine, and I’ve done some of the inside illustrations too. My friend Dan drew the large golden thread into a circle and I did the crib to show that the Baby is sitting inside something much larger.

Who did you have in mind when writing this Advent book?

Well anyone really. I’ve tried to use language that isn’t alienating for non-believers, although of course it IS about the Bible and about a Christian religious festival. I think about a friendly person and the sort of questions they might have and then I want to answer those questions. I don’t assume too much, but I don’t want to be patronising either.

Can you sum up the thread of the book for us to give us an idea?

I think the advantage of this being an Advent book is that it is focused on Jesus and intentional about that; but I wanted to do the lead up to Christmas a bit differently. I wanted to broaden it out into what I like to call ‘Shalom Wholeness.’ I don’t want to force Christmas into where it isn’t, but I DID want to go from Genesis to Revelation - on a journey, an adventure, really, from a garden to a garden city. But it’s not a heavy Bible commentary or heavy, theological Bible study! So each day, from December 1st to January 6th (Twelfth Night, the twelfth day of Christmas - ed) there’s a short Bible passage, which I then chat about briefly, followed by a question for the reader to ponder and a little prayer. I’ve deliberately tried to keep it simple and short so that it’s easy to read and to use.

What’s your favourite part about writing and what do you not like about the writing process, Jo?

My favourite part is actually starting to put words down! I start with a spider gram and it goes out in all directions, then I group the ideas and from that I get the structure. I do sometimes panic that I’ll get bored with the story or the writing though! Generally I enjoy the actual writing, but I dread the public launch and then how it’s received. Oh, and I hate the editing; I get bored if I read anything more than once - except the Bible of course!

Finally, who is your favourite author?

Definitely Eugene Peterson.

Thank you, Jo. And thank you for helping us to prepare to be prepared!

There are 4 copies of THE WHOLE CHRISTMAS STORY in a giveaway in my email fortnightly newsletter that will be coming out on Sunday November 14th.

To find out how to enter, you’ll need to be on the list to have it slip into your inbox that afternoon. Simply fill in the annoying popup menu on here and not only will you get that email, you’ll be sent my downloadable ebook, ‘5 Ways to Experience God,’ PLUS some other special offers too. You can always unsubscribe at any time. I’d love to have you join me in this wild amazing adventure with God!

And there’s a regular (most days but not Every. Single. Day!) Thought For the Day to help us too, on my closed Facebook page, SPARKLE AND GO DEEPER. You can ask to join it here and then you’ll be part of this lovely group of women from all across the world as we learn and discover ways to help, inspire, encourage and strengthen our daily walk with the Lord. Do join us, we’d love to see you there! 💛

And one more way to be prepared - start your Christmas gift shopping NOW!

WALKING BACK TO HAPPINESS is ideal for anyone who loves walking, anyone who loves travel, anyone who loves France, food, coffee, ice cream …. or just a good story really! So that’s most people. It’s available on sale from my website, or as an audio book, or on Kindle. Full details here. NOVEMBER OFFER: use code FIFTEEN at check out for 15% off anything purchased on the website.

SCENT OF WATER is a beautiful hardback gift book to give to anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. It has poems, pictures, thoughts, daily meditations, to dip in and out of; plus a special section for those particularly difficult occasions such as the first Christmas or New Year without the loved one. It has been endorsed by Debbie Thrower for the Anna Chaplaincy; it is dyslexic-friendly; and it is already proving to be a blessing to many. Available as a hardback from the website or as an ebook. Full details here. NOVEMBER OFFER: use code FIFTEEN at check out for 15% off anything purchased on the website.