Speaks throughout the year - Graeme, church leader from Godalming

This last Christmas I decided that I should use an Advent reading book in my devotions. Having seen Maggi Dawn's book mentioned a couple of times I made up my mind to get hold of it. I wasn't disappointed! My intention was to be totally committed to reading the book through as it would be a good discipline. However, the discipline wasn’t required as the book caught my attention from day one. The author has a very simple premise that: “Advent is about beginnings. It’s the beginnings of the Church year, and its themes include the beginning of creation, the beginning of Christianity, and the beginning of the new heavens and the new earth. Most of these beginnings are born out of the ending of something else - an old era giving way to a new one.” She very successfully weaves these beginnings and endings into the various readings. She takes the well known stories of the advent season and instil in them something of the urgency with which they should be filled. Throughout it all Maggi Dawn keeps your eyes firmly on the one important thing of the whole of Creation - Jesus - and then helps you to understand how responding to him every day anew can make Christian faith and practice a vital part of 21st Century living. All in all this is Advent reading book that will speak to our lives at all times of year, not just now!