Book Reviews and More: Wonders of His Love Family Devotions and Activities for Advent

Wonders of His Love:

Family Devotions and Activities for Advent

Amy Welborn

Creative Communications for the Parish

eISBN 9781682793121

ASIN B07YVMXYH5

Wonders of His Love Family Devotions and Activities for Advent - Amy Welborn

I am not sure how I missed it when this was first published 6 years ago. I am thankful Welborn shared about it on social media again this year. I loved her volume Prepare Him Room when I read it nearly a decade ago; but I never got around to reviewing it. I picked up this volume for two reasons. The first it was by Amy Welborn and I have loved everything I have read from her masterful pen. And the second I was looking for a few new books for Advent reading in 2025 I picked it up a week before Advent was to start and intended to read the introduction. But could just not put the book down. I read the whole thing while home sick one day, and plan to restart it on the First Sunday of Advent. It is an excellent little volume.

The description of this volume is:

“Advent gives us a natural opportunity to think about the many ways that God shows us the Wonders of His Love. It is a wonder that God sent his only Son, that Jesus humbled himself to be born in a manger and live in poverty. Celebrate those wonders, and many more, as a family! Together, each day of the season, prepare for the coming of the Lord through Scripture, reflection, prayers and activities. Let us look to Jesus in the manger and welcome him into our hearts.”

I worked through the digital edition of the book, and I am uncertain if there were ever physical booklets editions. The chapters in the volume are:

Introduction

First Sunday of Advent

Monday, First Week of Advent

Tuesday, First Week of Advent

Wednesday, First Week of Advent

Thursday, First Week of Advent

Friday, First Week of Advent

Saturday, First Week of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent

Monday, Second Week of Advent

Tuesday, Second Week of Advent

Wednesday, Second Week of Advent

Thursday, Second Week of Advent

Friday, Second Week of Advent

Saturday, Second Week of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

Monday, Third Week of Advent

Tuesday, Third Week of Advent

Wednesday, Third Week of Advent

Thursday, Third Week of Advent

Friday, Third Week of Advent

Saturday, Third Week of Advent

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Monday, Fourth Week of Advent

Tuesday, Fourth Week of Advent

Wednesday, Fourth Week of Advent

Thursday, Fourth Week of Advent

Friday, Fourth Week of Advent

Saturday, Fourth Week of Advent

Christmas Day

Each day follows the same format, A bible verse, a reflection in the Think section, followed by a Pray and Do section. A sample day is:

“Friday, Second Week of Advent

Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.

Luke 1:11-13

Think

Zechariah and his wife had been yearning for a child for many years. Zechariah was serving in the Temple in Jerusalem, doing his duty, when an angel surprised him with great news—he and his wife, Elizabeth, would, indeed, have a son! And this son would grow into the man we know as John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus and the prophet who announced the coming of Jesus as he urged people to prepare the way of the Lord.

This news came to Zechariah when he was fulfilling his responsibilities. He was following the ritual of prayer in the Temple, as he had done many times before. And then God stepped in and changed his life.

Many of our preparations are like this, aren’t they? As we prepare for Christmas, we’re living out familiar traditions, taking out the same Advent wreath, hearing familiar prayers, singing songs we know well.

Who knows what surprising graces God has in store for us over the next few weeks. What graces might God surprise us with as we fulfill our duties and prepare with traditions we know so well?

Pray

Lord, thank you for the gifts of our family traditions. Speak to us. Surprise us.

Pick out one of your familiar family traditions or symbols that you use during this season of preparation—a wreath, tree decorations, a song—and take time to pray quietly together, open to God’s spirit and how he can work through these familiar traditions.”

I highlighted a number of sections my first time through this volume, some of them are:

“It’s time to get ready! Christmas is coming in just a few weeks, and so of course, we want to be ready for the celebration. How should we start?”

“Advent—this time of getting ready for Christmas—is just like that. It’s a time to get our hearts ready for Jesus coming to us. Thinking about the ways we prepare for the big and small moments of ordinary life and applying them to this season of Advent might help us dig deeper and find more joy as we journey, prepare and get ready—together!”

“At Christmas, we’ll welcome him with even more of ourselves, our hearts yearning for his love in a deeper way. So let’s all stretch, shake off the night, put aside yesterday’s busy confusion, open our eyes and get ready. Jesus is coming!”

“Being ready for important moments, big and small, means honestly admitting the ways that, well, we’re not ready. Jesus wants to come into my life in a deeper way at Christmas. Am I open to him? Do I trust him?”

“During these weeks, we’re preparing for Jesus by thinking about giving. We’re giving gifts to our friends and our family members. And, hopefully, we’re giving and sharing with those in need. Jesus works through our gifts and sharing to bring light and life to others. The example of St. Nicholas helps us see how to give in the right spirit—keeping the focus on Jesus’ love instead of on ourselves.”

“During Advent, ask yourself and your family members, “Are we preparing? Or are we planning?” Aren’t they the same thing? No, not really. When we plan, we’re more in control. We make a schedule. We’ve got a strong idea of what should happen. But preparing is different. Preparing is being ready, yes, but when we prepare, we understand that what we think should happen might not be the best way—we’re ready for anything!”

“Preparing our hearts for Jesus isn’t about telling him what we expect or want him to do. It means that we are opening our hearts, trusting him, remembering the great surprise of God dwelling with us as a child. It means being ready for whatever powerful, wonderful and amazing thing that Jesus has in store for us—right now!”

“Let’s listen to Jesus. For whom did he come? Who is he here to gather up? Everyone! When we think about Jesus, born a baby in Bethlehem, we know that all sorts of people came to see him and rejoice. He came for all people. Those arms are outstretched for you, no matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done. With Jesus, no one is left out.”

“There’s something about music that helps us praise God, isn’t there? Music involves more of ourselves than just words or thoughts do. When we sing or play music—or even if we just listen to music—it’s almost as if we’re in tune with a greater melody that plays all day and all night, a beautiful melody of God’s love.”

“John helps us to prepare our lives for Jesus. We listen to him and look at our lives. Are we selfish and proud? Do we think we know everything? Do we have bad habits? John calls us to let God’s mercy change us. He points the way to Jesus. During this season, not all of the messages about Christmas are actually about Jesus, are they? John’s a prophet doing his job. He keeps us on track. He points us to the truth, to Jesus—who is coming soon!”

“Finding the answer and really preparing in a way that is faithful to Jesus starts with one thing—humility. When we are humble, we admit that we are only human beings. We can all learn from each other. Most of all, we can—and must—learn from the Lord.”

“Pray Lord, help me change and grow during this season. May I be confident like Joseph, listening to you and letting you make me strong.”

“I may not venture far from home, but every day, I set out on a kind of adventure, don’t I? I may not travel the distances that the Magi did, but I will travel from one place to the next, meeting new people. I will be challenged to be wise and loving—whether it is in class, at work, at home or with my friends. There’s a star leading me—that star is Jesus. Will I follow?”

“We have prepared so much for Christmas, for celebrating our savior. How wonderful it is to know that we have done our best. But that we can still be open to the way that Jesus will come to us, be open to the one who loves us, not because of how hard we try, but because we simply belong to him.”

“Some people like to prepare for an event by working with others as part of a team. Others do much better when they do the job by themselves. Some of us like to tell everyone what happened and remember things together. Others prefer to think things over quietly by themselves. How we act often depends on who we are and on the job God wants us to do in that moment.”

“Lord, help me know when to use words and actions to share, and when to stay in quiet prayer.”

“But it’s not too late. It’s just the right time and place. Jesus is coming, whether we feel ready and no matter how satisfied we are with our preparations. He’s coming no matter what. He’s coming so that we can be at peace with where we are, with what we’ve done and, most importantly, with who we are.”

“In Jesus’ time, shepherds were outsiders. That doesn’t just mean that they worked outside. It means that because of the work they did—outside, on the Sabbath when they had to, with animals that were often sick and dying—they were outsiders to the community. They just couldn’t obey God’s law in the most perfect, complete way.

But who got the first news about the Messiah’s birth? Shepherds!”

I hope that sample day and those quotes give you a feel for this volume. This was a book I am very thankful I have worked through and look forward to reading it with my family this Advent.

This is a wonderful volume. I can easily recommend it. I plan on rereading it again later this Advent. This is a great volume that will inspire and challenge. I encourage you to pick it up and give it a try!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by Amy Welborn: