UPDATE: I added links to my new Bible and a few books I’m planning to read in 2018.
Advent Books
Those Who Wait, Finding God in Disappointment, Doubt and Delay, by Tanya Marlow
The Meaning is in the Waiting: The Spirit of Advent
The Season of the Nativity, by Sybil MacBeth
God is in the Manger, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Waiting on the Word: a poem a day for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, by Malcolm Guite
Accessories
Resource Books
ESV Study Bible, personal size
Extracting the Precious from Isaiah, by Donna Partow
Be Comforted: Feeling Secure in the Arms of God, by Warren Wiersbe
Wiersbe Bible Commentary, Old Testament, by Warren Wiersbe
Other
My Planned Reading for the New Year
ESV Illluminated Bible: beautiful illustrations and huge margins. The artist blended hints of art nouveau style with medieval illuminations.
A Year with God: Living Out the Spiritual Disciplines, by Richard Foster This is a fabulous resource to use as a daily devotional or as a guide to the spiritual disciplines. If you want to learn what the Christian life looks like in action, or you are wanting to grow in your faith, this is an excellent book.
Bless the Lord, O My Soul, a Creative 365 Days of Psalm Reading This book divides the book of Psalms into 365 short readings, with a coloring page once a week. The coloring pages are very detailed–I tend to just color one little spot of the page while I meditate on the Psalms.
GraceLaced: Discovering Timeless Truths through Seasons of the Soul, by Ruth Chou Simons To be honest, I have read about four pages of this book. I enjoyed them and was encouraged by them. I will remove this link if I don’t enjoy the rest of the book. 🙂 The book is visually delightful and I recommend this for the artists on your list.
Love, Remember, 40 Poems of Loss, Lament and Hope, by Malcom Guite. I haven’t read this book yet. I follow author Malcom Guite on Twitter, and I find his poetry thought-provoking.
Micron pens: perfect for taking notes or underlining in a Bible.
Light for a Dark Season 