But tonight, as dusk falls, there is a sense of something special in the air. An inn packed with revellers, shepherds sprawled on the grass, animals in their stables: everything will be changed when a bright star bearing news arrives in the sky. Carol Ann Duffy’s evocative new poem will transport you to Bethlehem, capturing the sights, the sounds and the atmosphere of this ancient and magical place.

    Christmas has brought nothing but grief and loneliness for the past decade, after she lost her beloved husband to a fatal car accident. Hearing holiday music day after day during the first few months of the school year is like constantly ripping the scab off an unhealed wound.Determined to keep her husband in her heart, she has kept a fortress around it, allowing only one woman in as a true friend, and avoiding anything more than a passing acquaintance with any man.Until Timothy Fielding, the maintenance man at the apartment complex where she lives, comes along. He happens to love the Christmas season. When circumstances – and Janice’s best friend, Kayla – draw them together, he struggles to keep his growing feelings for Janice at bay. He has his own secret past that he’s sure would repel any woman, once she found out about it.But his desire for love and companionship win out, and he does his best to knock down the walls around Janice’s heart. But even when she finally relents and agrees to spend more time with him, she continues to resist opening her heart back up to Christmas.Because the death of her husband is only the beginning of the tragedy surrounding the day.In the meantime, Lucille Masterson, the great-grandmother of Janice’s star pupil, makes a shocking discovery that almost causes her to ruin Christmas for her family. Again. But then she realizes that if she would face her fear, she could finally release the burden she’s been carrying for the past ten years. What she doesn’t know is that it would release a horrible burden for the very person she’s afraid to face…**********“Christmas Mercies” is the first novel in Emily Josephine’s Christian holiday romance series, “Little River Village Christmas Romance.” A clean and wholesome romance novel, it will warm your heart, build your faith, and leave you feeling refreshed and hopeful.

    Luke, Dickens hoped to teach his young children about religion and faith. Author: Charles DickensFormat: 128 pages, HardcoverPublisher: Simon Schuster (November 9, 1999) ISBN: 978-0684865379

    Whether you’re looking for a craft to do with your children, a new cookie recipe to share with your friends and neighbors, or a simple handmade gift to make for someone you love, this ebook includes 101 simple ideas and tutorials!You'll also find bonus sections with even more ways to make Christmas meaningful for your family, links to dozens of printables to help you get organized for the holidays, and suggestions for sharing these goodies.

    After losing her job as a teacher, she finds herself broke, unemployed, and tricked into accepting a date from a department store Santa Claus. When new opportunities and new love interests present themselves, will Hailey choose a career and a man she's always admired, or will she wait for the identity of her Secret Santa to be revealed?

    As a servant she has no rights and her memories of the days before she was a servant were too bittersweet to handle. She knew her father and brother wouldn't want her to be in this situation so she felt she owed it to them to find a solution on her own. The only solution that makes sense is to answer an ad to go west as a mail order bride. Sam Nelson was alone on his farm just outside town. Oregon was a lovely place and he was happy there, but he was lonely. His parents had left the farm to him and he was becoming even more successful than his father had been. Something was missing, though. He wanted companionship and a family. For that he'd need a wife. When Rose heard from Sam Nelson that he'd like her to come to Oregon to marry him she was beside herself. Her goal of getting out of the Whitney house by Christmas just might happen. When he meets her at the stagecoach stop, she can't believe her luck. He's handsome, kind, and genuinely concerned for her. Can she really trust him, though? If she does, will her past really be behind her?

    By accepting the Rabbi’s request, Joseph unknowingly thrusts himself and his family into a bitter and emotionally draining life-or-death conflict. Joseph fights to maintain his spiritual integrity while trying desperately to keep his family together and his farm alive. He and James witness abhorring violence at the hands of the Romans, and outlandish abuses of power by their own religious leaders. As his family’s faith and hopes are threatened by scandal and scorn, James struggles between the boy he is and the man he must become.Before Bethlehem is an eye-opening account of the Nativity story told in a suspenseful, historical context that dares to ask the question: If Joseph should have turned Mary over to be stoned, why didn’t he? His profound answer is one that forever changes the life of his son, James. And it may just change yours, as well."Readers who've enjoyed religious fiction from Taylor Caldwell and Francine Rivers will particularly enjoy." - Kirkus Reviews

    Are your holidays too hectic? Take a few minutes to savor the season with this beautiful Christmas edition of Jesus Calling  devotions, a perfect gift that includes 50 short selections along with festive and breathtaking imagery. Jesus Calling® for Christmas is a compilation of 50 seasonally appropriate devotions from Sarah Young's bestselling brand. In addition to the heartwarming devotions, enjoy scriptures about the Christmas story and exquisite seasonal images.Whether a self-purchase to enhance your observation of Advent and the birth of the Christ child or a natural gift for friends and loved ones, Jesus Calling® for Christmas will prove an annual treasure for celebrating the season.

    Kevin Marshall is trapped in a miserable existence with a boss and a fiancé who despise him.The Monday night before Thanksgiving, however, through an act of kindness to a stranger, Kevin receives an invitation to begin a new life and awakens the next morning to find himself living his dream.Now Kevin must discover how to let go of his past and accept the invitation for himself before his new life ends as suddenly as it began.You are invited…to experience the power of faith, the joy of love and the magic of Christmas in this holiday story of life choices and second chances.

    In addition to the complete lyrics, Lowry add

     Christmas. We have plenty of time to anticipate it, or in some cases...dread it. And, before we know it, it's gone as quickly as it came. What's it all for? Is there really hope for today in the story of a baby born so long ago? These questions and others are answered in the promises of Advent. Advent is simply a season of expectant waiting and preparation. Most often, the arrival of an event or a person is made all the more sweet by our anticipation. How could waiting and expectation change your Christmas season? Join pastor and author Louie Giglio in an Advent journey to discover that waiting is not wasting when you're waiting on the Lord. Take hold of the chance to uncover the vast hope offered through the journey of Advent. In Waiting Here for You, readers will find peace and encouragement for their souls as anticipation leads toward celebration!

    Max Lucado, Charles Swindoll, and Charles Colson share the true meaning of Christmas, including salvation, power for living, righteousness, relationship, encouragement, and more.This bestselling Christmas book has been reissued for the next generation.

    Inspired by the experiences of yoga and meditation, the natural world, and the challenges of life itself, these poems capture both the struggle and the delight of the author's attempt to live consciously. They speak in a voice that is both encouraging and uplifting, yet they are simple and accessible.

    A single father too busy for love. Could their chance meeting be the start of something magical? With Christmas fast approaching, Kayla Jones is preparing for another cold, and lonely, December. But a lost little girl and her father soon change all that and, with them by her side, Kayla finds herself rediscovering the magic of the season… DECEMBER MAGIC is the perfect winter romance, full of love and laughter, ideal for fans of Kirsty Greenwood, Sophie Kinsella and Becky Monson.

    When she decides to design and build a sugar cookie nativity scene, all she needs is the right cookie cutters—and handsome blacksmith Kyle Smoker is the one she asks for help. Using Kyle’s handmade cutters, Alyssa creates a striking display that brings more tourists to the bakery than she can handle. And when shoppers request handmade cookie cutters of their own, Kyle finds himself overwhelmed by the demand. As Christmas approaches, Alyssa realizes she’s been too caught up in work to focus on the true meaning of Christmas—and too distracted to explore the feelings she has for Kyle. Together, they put aside the holiday rush and spend their time celebrating the season that has brought them together.