Advent is coming. Are you ready?

Advent doesn’t invite us to ascend to some divine heavenly realm, John Pavlovitz writes in Low. It invites us to bring heaven down to earth, to see in the birth of Jesus “divinity coming low to inhabit humanity.” The brief daily devotionals in this book—each based on a passage from scripture—address the world’s “gritty, messy reality” alongside the promises that were born in Bethlehem and remain with us today.

Cynthia Campbell strikes a beautiful balance between astute scholarship and elegant prose in Christmas in the Four Gospel Homes, which examines each of the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth. The home metaphor makes the differences between the stories vividly clear: If dwelling in Mark is like visiting a small cottage, Matthew’s house is more like a “rambling Victorian.” The book also contains annotated illustrations of each Gospel home and questions for group discussion.

The Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth were meant to enlighten and entice readers, Amy-Jill Levine writes in Light of the World. This four-week study also enlightens and entices by focusing on the richness of what the Bible reveals about people and their relationship to God. Levine helps her readers view the stories leading up to Jesus’ birth through Jewish eyes, uncovering hidden layers of humor, tragedy, hope, and promise. A leader’s guide and DVD are also available.