The Christmas season is quickly approaching, and I recently had the chance to read 21 Days of Christmas, a devotional based around short fiction works. I liked it. They were inspiring stories, quick to read, but with lasting lessons. It's a great pre-Christmas read during the Advent season, a chance to take a few moments to reflect before moving into the hurried pace of our days.
I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.
What was the inspiration behind this book?
I’ve always loved Christian fiction, and I’ve seen the power of fiction to touch hearts and change lives, both firsthand and hearing about the experiences of others. But you know, in my quiet times with the Lord, reading a chapter from a novel just doesn’t seem quite appropriate. So a devotional with short fiction stories seemed like a great solution.
How can fiction be used as a devotional?
Many times, a fictional story I’ve read addressed an area I was struggling with at the time, and seeing how the character handled the situation helped me deal more effectively with my own circumstances. And I’ve heard countless true stories of how people’s lives were changed by reading fiction. Think about the people who heard Jesus’ parables. He told those stories so His listeners would hear the Holy Spirit speak to their hearts about how to live their lives. That’s powerful!
This devotional gives fiction lovers a chance to enjoy short fictional stories during their quiet times. And then read the authors’ “Life Applications,” encouraging readers to look for the lessons and messages inherent in the stories. There’s a free study guide available on the FictionDevo.com website for those who want to go deeper in their study of these stories. It includes tips for group leaders who may want to use any of the books in this series in a Bible study, life group, book club, women’s group, or even just a bunch of friends who want to get together and share what the Holy Spirit says to them through these stories.
What do you hope readers take away from this book?
My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will speak to readers with whatever messages God wants them to get. As Rene Gutteridge wrote in the Foreword to 21 Days of Grace, one story can do many things to different people—some of which the author never planned or even imagined. I set up a forum on the FictionDevo.com website, as well as a FictionDevo Facebook page, so readers can share the ways in which God spoke to them through these stories. I’m really looking forward to reading those posts!
What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
Since both of my kids are now grown and living in different states, Christmas at
home is pretty boring. So my husband and I fly to Colorado every year to spend
the holiday with my parents, my sister, her three kids, and one of my adult sons.
The other adult son joins us there every other year with his wife. This year,
they’ll be bringing along my new grandbaby. Yea!Learn more about Kathy:
(in the
Fiction Lover’s Devotional series)
www.KathyIde.comEnter to win a giveaway of the book by leaving a comment with your favorite Christmas tradition. Deadline is November 10th.
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