Foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada
Know someone frazzled, sad, or lonely this Christmas? A Better December by Steve Estes applies Solomon’s Proverbs to holiday stresses. Playful and tiny, this illustrated work would be a good gift for your unbelieving friends as it gently introduces Jesus during a month when they are more receptive.
Combining true, heart-warming stories with pen-and-ink illustrations, the book uncovers and answers our December longings.
Beginning with bite-sized chapters of Solomon's advice to frazzled, lonely people at Christmas, Steven Estes presents the ancient sage as penning his blockbuster Proverbs to help future readers through holiday stress and even sadness. Meant to be shared with all who long for a better December, it points the way to true comfort and a true home.
AUTHOR
Steven Estes, MDiv, is the senior pastor at Community Evangelical Free Church in Elverson, PA. He is the author of A Better December and Called to Die and the coauthor with Joni Eareckson Tada of A Step Further and When God Weeps. He and his wife, Verna, have eight children.
"I've found it! The perfect gift for special friends at the season of the year that's so full of delights and stresses. This unique little gem of a book seems to have managed lightning strikes on every page—surprise lightning strikes of wit and wisdom that wouldn't let me put it down until I'd explored it to the end, an end that came all too soon. Steve, you've done it again—invented a new genre and made it soar."
Robertson McQuilkin, President Emeritus, Columbia International University
"In a uniquely original style, Steve seamlessly merges poetry, narration, and Scripture, with strikingly creative phrasing. A master of prose, poetry, and the Bible, Steve has written a little book that bends and blends genres. A Better December is a winning combo of insightful content about how to 'do life' (Steve's phrase) and innovative style. We enjoyed this little book so much that when we finished it, we immediately reread it—for its profound biblical tracing from Solomon to Someone, for its emphatic message about 'unstuffing' life, and for its fresh use of language and memorable style."
Don and Jenny Killgallon, coauthors of the Sentence-Composing textbook series. Don teaches writing at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
"In listening and in reading I respond to brevity, clarity, conviction, common sense, and love. That describes both the Proverbs of Solomon and my friend Steve Estes's A Better December. In this little book Steve applies his heart to blending Proverbs with Christmas and delivers a strong dose of longing and joy."
Max McLean, President & Artistic Director, Fellowship for the Performing Arts
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Eliza Huie, Cyndi Logsdon, Brook Taylor, and Ashley Arey
Marty Machowski
Champ Thornton
Marty Machowski
Marty Machowski
I couldn't describe this book any better than Paul David Tripp when he says it's "the intersection of ancient biblical wisdom and the dreams, struggles, and disappointments that are part of our Christmas season." This book is written in short but thoughtful pieces. While it appears to be a quick read, it causes you to slow down and ponder the true reason behind Christmas. The book also touches on the subject of perfectionism, which rears its ugly head during Christmas. The chapter titled "Light" was a comfort to me. The author speaks of the church: what it is and what it should be. Fortunately, I saw the characteristics of my church family as I read this chapter. I found the book to be just what we need: a reminder that Christmas should be a season of joy and contentment instead one of disappointment. Scripture is referenced throughout the book as the author ties it to words that will brighten your Christmas this year. Complimentary copy received.
To each his own, but I think Christmas can be overwhelming if we let it. A Better December: Proverbs to Brighten Christmas is a pocket book that helps readers reflect and be guided toward a peaceful and purposeful holiday. Written in poetic prose, this book talks about how the book of Proverbs is tied in with Christmas. The words of wisdom really made me stop and think. I don't need to focus on getting the "next best thing" and I can be content with what I have. Solomon is the author of Proverbs in the Bible, and the author of this book did a great job of tying it in with how we sometimes behave at Christmas and how we should behave. Scriptures in Proverbs are interwoven, and explanations are given. The chapters in the book are short but powerful. Just a couple topics covered are Contentment and Perfectionism. I received book free for review. The opinions are of my own.
While the Christmas season can be a time of celebration, it can also be a time stress and sadness. The hustle and bustle of the reason can cause some to lose sight of the meaning of the holiday. The sting of a loved one’s death can bring sadness to someone still grieving their loss this holiday season. What those stressed and saddened need is wisdom to understand and reason to hope this Christmas season. Steve Estes provides both in his unique work A Better December: Proverbs to Brighten Christmas. Unique and Unconventional Book With simple and creative illustrations by Sarah Bland-Halilko, A Better December celebrates the Christmas season in an unconventional way. Estes addresses different themes such as contentment, longings, and disappointment through the telling of stories, interspersing verses from the book of Proverbs along the way. The stories in each chapter are written with wit and wisdom as they tug on the reader’s heart and puts a smile on their face. The stories connect the wisdom of Solomon in the book of Proverbs to real life and ultimately point to the one with a greater wisdom than Solomon, Jesus Christ. A Wise Choice for A Stocking Stuffer The unique and unconventional way Steve Estes works to brighten those dealing with the blues of Christmas is captivating and is unlike any Christmas book I have read. Compact in size and under 100 pages, this book can be read in one sitting and its impact extends well beyond Christmas into the new year. If you know someone who needs truth and wisdom to lighten up their life this Christmas season or if you are in need of it yourself, check out A Better December: Proverbs To Brighten Christmas. If you want to help a loved one know how to make it through the Christmas season and into the new year, pick up A Better December by Steven Estes for a stocking stuffer. It would be the wise choice! I received this book from New Growth Press in exchange for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and are my honest review of the book.
This book is a fun of modern day proverbs that are highly applicable to the holiday season. If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be whimsical. It's full of poetry and whimsical drawings that do their part in reminding one about the true reason behind our celebrations. This is a unique book to pick up this holiday season! I received this book from the publisher. This is my honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a complimentary copy.
A BETTER DECEMBER is a unique approach to the holiday crazies. Who'd ever think of applying the Book of Proverbs by King Solomon to Christmas? But Mr. Estes did and we will have A BETTER DECEMBER because of it. King Solomon touched on overspending--or staying within our budget, being a bit over-zealous in our greetings, contentment, surprises, childrens, disappointment and more. Full of poems, proverbs, and wisdom, this book is a great gift for an unbelieving friend or neighbor (gently pointing to the Savior) or for your own coffee table for visitors to thumb through. It might even brighten your own Christmas. A unique approach -- I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.