A Christmas Treasure

A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts:

Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday

A colorful compilation of anecdotes, very short stories, recipes, crafts, verses, poems, and ideas for the Christmas season, written by the Word Quilters. This group of talented writers includes Brenda Nixon, Terra Hangen, Cathy Messecar, Trish Berg, Karen Robbins, and Leslie Wilson. I picked up an autographed copy when I went to a booksigning with Brenda Nixon and several other authors. It is a perfect gift for just about any lady friends or relatives (and some guys, especially those who cook and have kids), and I sent it to one of my special friends last Christmas. The picture of the cover doesn't do it justice: the colors are vibrant, even twinkling, and the entire book is full of illustrations and colorful backgrounds to set off the contents. You can get an idea of the quality of the illustration in the book trailer below.

There are lots of Christmas idea books available, but the difference with the Scrapbook is an emphasis on keeping Christ in Christmas. Each of the ten chapters is introduced with a verse and the real Christmas story is told. Then there are homey family touches, memories and ideas for making memories. Origins of some traditions, such as candy canes and poinsettias, are presented. I love the inclusion of some of my favorite carols and "favorite things" such as Samaritan's Purse's Operation Christmas Child.

I highly recommend this lovely little book, for yourself and for gifts. You can buy it in many book stores, and online at amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

The Christmas Story--Through Mary's Eyes

It's getting to that time if year when most of us are thinking about Christmas presents. Hopefully, we are also thinking about the real meaning of Christmas. I mean real, not the stuff that shows up in movies and kid's books. It isn't about Santa Claus or Rudolph, snow or pretty lights and decorations. It isn't even about gift-giving and family getting together, as wonderful as that is. You know what it is, but it's hard to find any books that deal with the true story of Christmas. That's the story of the one gift above all gifts--God coming in human form to save us all. This blog is to review one rare book that deals with the true Christmas story. Rarer yet, this book looks at the whole thing from the perspective of one who knew just how everything went down--Mary.

Come to Me by Laura Davis is a loving, well-crafted story of Mary the mother of Jesus. Actually it goes far beyond the night Jesus was born, following Mary until her old age. In case you are wondering, this is historical fiction, taking the Biblical account and careful research to fill out how Mary's life and thought might have been. Truthfully, I was a little hesitant when I first started reading it, but I was soon won over. I'm sure many of you, like me, have wondered about how Mary felt when she was expecting Jesus, how the family reacted, her feelings about Joseph and what it was like for her as she gave birth in the stable. Her thoughts and hopes are considered as Jesus grows up, as he begins his ministry, and in that horrible time when he died. It doesn't end there, of course, but continues to the thrill when Jesus stood before his mother again--alive, when he ascended into Heaven and in that time after the Holy Spirit came and the disciples were scattered around the world as they knew it.

Much of this story is conjecture, of course, but it is based on a lot of research into the life and times of the Jews in that day. While there are some part that I might imagine a bit differently it is still within the realms of possibility. You might ask why we should even venture into this fictional account based on what we really know. For me, it helps to humanize Mary. Sometimes we have this vision of her on a pedestal, not a real person who dealt with all the drudgery and reality of living in that time period under Roman rule. She didn't walk around with a halo on her head. And while we know Jesus was a perfect son, not everything and everyone else had that same stamp of perfection. The love of a mother shines through, a love other mothers can identify with even if their children don't meet Jesus' standard. The rest of us can also identify with Mary's grief and hope, and I think it gives a new perspective to the real Jesus, all human and all divine.

Come to Me would be a good book for gift-giving, for book clubs or just for your own enjoyment and enrichment. I reviewed it last year as part of the CFRB virtual tour here. I felt compelled to revisit it, though, because it is one of the very few books (other than the Bible itself) that deals with the story of Jesus. If you wish to see an excerpt, you can read it here on Laura Davis' website.

Find out more about Laura and her writings at her website http://www.authorlauradavis.com/ . Laura also has a blog for reviews of other people's books.

I don't know where you might find the book on the shelves, but you should be able to order it in most Christian bookstores. Online, you can order it through Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Mary's ponderings lead to novel: CFRB September Blog Tour and Giveaway

This week, the Christian Fiction Review Blog is pleased to feature Come To Me by author and Shoutlife member Laura Davis. For September, we are doing a tag team tour, meaning that there is a different member posting each of the seven days, starting with David Brollier today, September 7. I hope you will check into each of the posts, which will include reviews, interviews, some reflections, and, well, I'm not sure what else. But I do know that Laura will be giving a copy of her book to one of the readers who leave comments.

BOOK SYNOPSIS
Can you imagine what it would be like, to travel back in time to the moment Christ was born, or perhaps witness his childhood? What would you do if you could journey to the cross and watch Jesus die for your sins? Come to Me offers readers the opportunity to experience these events first-hand from the eyes of His mother.

It is eleven years after Jesus' resurrection and his mother Mary waits for a visit from the Apostle Luke. Intent on hearing a personal account of Jesus' life, Luke sets about recording Mary's words. The Apostle Matthew soon joins them and the two men begin to record the foundations of their Gospels. Told in two parts, Mary reveals with humour and warmth what it was like to raise the Saviour of the world. Did Jesus perform miracles when He was a child? Did He know He was the Son of God?

In part two, Mary is nearing the end of her life and meeting with Luke once again. Only this time Luke is accompanying her to Ephesus to spend her final days with the Apostle John. Mary
begins to share her story once again, this time focusing on the ministry of Jesus, His relationships with His family and friends, and of course His death and resurrection. What were Jesus' final
thoughts as he hung on the cross? What happened to Mary in her final days?

Come to Me, an 80,000 word Historical Fiction, explores surrendering to God's will when
circumstances seem impossible. It will provide those who are seeking to know Christ with a
better understanding of who He is, and for those who know Him already, it will encourage their
faith.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura Davis is a former singer/songwriter with over 25 years in
Contemporary Christian Music. After a surgical mistake caused her to lose
her voice, Mrs. Davis began to write. She has since appeared on the
Canadian Christian Television programme 100 Huntley St., where she
shared her story on surrendering to God's will when your dreams are
shattered. She has received positive reviews on her debut novel Come to
Me and is currently working on a sequel. Laura and her husband Jim live
in London, Ontario.



You can visit Laura Davis at her website: Author Laura Davis



Here are the main bloggers that will be posting this week, listed by the date their articles will appear. By the way, I'll also put my review and some other stuff here on Shoutlife. (Don't forget to leave comments if you want to be entered in the drawing for the book. I hope you might make comments pertinent to watch you have read in the blogs.)

Check out these member blogs Sept. 7-13 for more info.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday

Come To Me by Laura Davis
ISBN 978-1-4357-0556-2
Available through Barnesandnoble.com, Lulu.com, Borders, and Amazon.com.