From gifting sweet treats to sending cards focused on the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the Christmas season affords Christians many unique ways to share the gospel.
To share her faith with her grandchildren, Mobile artist Barbara Davis created a series of oil paintings depicting the characters in the Christmas story. While she was painting, she developed an idea to take the paintings a step further.
“Somewhere in the process, I decided that I wanted to write a book to go along with the paintings — a book that would encourage readers to put themselves in the position of the Bible characters, to consider how they would have felt and what they would have done if they were placed in the same position,” she says.
Devotions and art
She began a collaboration with pastor Terry Ellis from Louisiana, to create a devotional book of stories about the first Christmas. As Davis completed a painting, Ellis would write a devotion related to her art. Davis was thrilled with the process, but because Ellis wrote his devotions for adults, she realized it would be quite a while before her grandchildren could read and understand the devotions.
She prayed about the book, sought the Lord’s guidance and felt Him leading her to write an additional book families could use to meaningfully walk their children through the biblical accounts surrounding Jesus’ birth — “Stories of the First Christmas: A Family Experience Together.”
Davis began writing family devotions for each of her paintings. She wanted her book to be interactive, so in each devotion she designed questions inviting families into thought and conversation around how the characters responded to God and how those responses relate to the lives of believers today.
Motivation
During the writing process, Davis’ husband, Wallace, provided motivation from God’s Word. “You know what you are doing. You’re living out the words of Psalm 71:18, ‘Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, ’til I declare Your power to the next generation, Your mighty acts to all who are to come,’” he said.
“Through the entire process, I prayed that everything would be from God and not from me. I never wanted my will to get in the way of what He wanted from the book,” she says. “I have given it all to Him. I could have never done this on my own.”
As Davis completed each devotion, she would read it to her granddaughters and “when we came to a question, we would stop and consider how they would have felt if they were in the position of the biblical character.” Davis also asked her then 16-year-old grandson for his input on the book. She says these rewarding conversations with her grandchildren helped shape “Stories of the First Christmas.”
Davis writes in her introduction, “The Savior of the World was born on Christmas Day. … God sent Jesus to us, not just to the people who lived 2,000 years ago, but to each of us who has lived, is living and will live in the future. … Jesus taught us how to live, love, forgive, be forgiven and live eternally forever with Him in Heaven. So, let’s get started!”
Say ‘yes’ to God
Beginning with Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, Davis encourages families to discuss what it means to say “yes” to God and how obedience transforms a person’s life for eternity.
She follows with devotions about God’s interactions with a cast of biblical characters. Families are asked to consider a variety of thoughts. Why did God choose shepherds to be the first witnesses of the Savior’s birth? How does each member of the family give God their best? Are they, like Simeon, faithfully seeking Jesus every day of their lives?
Davis chose to end the book with one devotion beyond the Christmas story. She closes it with a devotion about the cross and the empty tomb. “As Christians, the story of Christmas — the story of Jesus’ birth — is only the beginning. … The baby in the manger became the Christ on the cross. The Christ on the cross became the Resurrected Christ. … The story of His birth, life, death and resurrection brings hope to each of us. Those who believe will live out this hope in Heaven forever,” she writes.
In “Stories of the First Christmas,” families will find age-appropriate, biblically sound devotions designed to lead them away from the hustle and bustle of the commercial Christmas season all the way back to Bethlehem and the wonder and mystery of the arrival of God’s Son.
To purchase “Stories of the First Christmas” and learn more about Davis, visit storiesofthefirstchristmas.com.
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