A Way to the Manger: Daily Advent Devotions

By Lisa M. Black

Just like everyone in the story of Jesus’ birth, we each have a unique path when it comes to finding our way to God. Some paths are long, arduous and uncomfortable like the very pregnant Mary riding the donkey to Bethlehem. Some are joyous like the shepherds’ race into town after their encounter with the angels. Some are thrust upon us like Joseph in a time of crisis. Suffice it to say, there are a lot of ways to the manger – a lot of ways to God - but they all end at the same place – in His presence. “ Way to the Manger” is a daily guide through Advent to help you along your way to His presence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Feb 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9781663236807

Lisa M. Black

Lisa, a native of Yakima, Washington, lives in Westfield, New Jersey with her husband, Hans. She is a mother to Nicholas and Emily and has her own law practice.

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A WAY TO THE MANGER

DAILY ADVENT DEVOTIONS

Copyright © 2022 Lisa M. Black.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Author Credits: Lisa M. Black

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ISBN: 978-1-6632-3679-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-3680-7 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 01/23/2023

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Website

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®). Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Contents

Preface

Day 1First Sunday Of Advent

Day 2The Way

Day 3Are We There Yet?

Day 4Parker House Rolls, Part 1

Day 5Parker House Rolls, Part 2

Day 6Preserving The Way

Day 7I Love To Laugh

Day 8Second Sunday Of Advent

Day 9Be The Light

Day 10Benefit Of The Doubt

Day 11Trading Plans

Day 12Clouds Are Good

Day 13God Is Greater

Day 14What’s Your Perspective?

Day 15Third Sunday Of Advent

Joyful, Joyous, Joy!

Day 16A Way To The Manger

Day 17Welcome The Stranger

Day 18Devotion Writing 101

Day 19Keep The Pride On The Side

Day 20 An Interesting Family Tree

Day 21 Quiet Words And Silent Night

Day 22Fourth Sunday Of Advent

The Way of Love

Day 23Footprints In The Snow

Day 24 Have You Seen A King Around Here?

Day 25Listen

Day 26Pray First

Day 27It’s Been A Winding Path

Day 28A Christmas Poem

Day 29Christmas Day

Active Waiting

Preface

I started writing devotions about twenty years ago while I was volunteering as a Sunday school teacher for high school students. I wanted to find a way to keep the youth engaged during Holy Week, so I started sending my students daily emails. Those emails during Holy Week extended to daily devotions during Lent and Advent. Over the years, the distribution list expanded at the encouragement of my friend Becky Szeyller. Now I write weekly devotions in addition to daily devotions for Advent and Lent.

I try to see God in all that I do. Recognizing God in the simple details of life encourages me, teaches me, and often makes me laugh. Advent can be a hectic time, and before you know it, the season is over. These daily devotions may help you pause for a moment, take a breath, and see God in a new light as you make your way to the manger this Advent season.

DAY 1

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Picking Raspberries

A voice of one calling: In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.

—Isaiah 40:3 NIV

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

—Isaiah 43:19 NIV

The theme for this Advent season is A Way to the Manger. Like everyone in the story of Jesus’s birth, we each have a unique path when it comes to finding our way to God. Some paths are long, arduous, and uncomfortable, like that of the very pregnant Mary riding the donkey to Bethlehem. Some are joyous, like the