Some of us here at SGM Lifewords have read Bishop of Reading Stephen Cottrell’s winsome little book Do Nothing to Change Your Life, and found it quite inspiring, so I was interested to see he has taken on the monster of the consumerist Christmas in his latest book.
Do Nothing – Christmas is Coming is ‘an advent calendar with a difference’, a series of reflections for each day of advent. Christmas is a time of joy, but also a time when “all the conflicting demands and expectations that we experience every day in our dispersed and fragmented lives seem at their worst”, says Cottrell. What we need is to take a deep breath, and gain some perspective.
The reflections here address topics such as debt, in-laws, Christmas card lists, Santa, all in a low-key, humourous way that will be accessible to both Christians and non-Christians. In fact, if it weren’t for the fact that you should really start reading it 25 days before the day, it would make a good Christmas present. Perhaps you could give a copy to friends and family earlier, and read it together through advent. (You can order it here.)
We’re running some advent journeys of our own, of course. After the success of our Advent A-Z last year, the family devotionals by email will run again this year. We’re also hosting an Advent Journey through our Life Changing Words service. For more on both of these, and to take part, visit our Christmas site.
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