An Interview with the Authors of The World Rejoices

 

An Interview with the Authors of The World Rejoices

Holiday activities and gatherings. Trying to align family schedules and expectations. Shopping, baking, cooking, and decorating. Now combine all of that on top of the usual busyness and demands of life. It’s no wonder that we often come into the Christmas season tired, anxious, and overwhelmed. For anyone who can relate, authors Eliza Huie, Cyndi Logsdon, Brook Taylor, and Ashley Arey invite you to take twenty-five days to focus on God’s promise that brings lasting peace, comfort, and joy.   The World Rejoices: The Good News of Christmas Devotional​is a practical resource for individuals and families, encouraging a slower December pace while counting down the days to Christmas. Each short daily devotional thought and Scripture reading from the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke guides readers toward a deeper connection with Jesus and a meaningful understanding of the Christmas story.    Q: How did the four of you come together to write The World Rejoices?​   Brook: Each year our church puts together an Advent devotional for our congregation in an effort to orient our hearts towards Christ during the Christmas season. Two years ago, I was tasked with the responsibility of putting the entire project together within a fairly short amount of time. I could not complete the project alone given the timeframe, so I reached out to three of my closest friends (who are also co-workers) and asked if they’d be willing to team up on the project. They all agreed, and we began the process to write, edit, design, and print the devotional as a gift to our faith family at McLean Bible Church.    Q: What makes The World Rejoices unique from other Christmas devotionals?   Brook: The World Rejoices is particularly unique in its appeal to a wide variety of audiences, which sets it apart from other Christmas devotionals. Its family friendly content, multi-denominational appeal, intergenerational approach, and inclusive language make it a great resource for a diverse audience.    Each of us is writing from a different season and situation in life, which makes The World Rejoices a more robust and applicable resource for all readers. It was written with all believers in mind so a single Christian, married couple, family, or any individual of any age can find the content relevant and engaging.   Q: What is the format and what can readers expect each day?   Eliza: Each day of this 25-day Christmas devotional invites readers to explore the Christmas story from the first two chapters of the book of Luke. This thoughtful approach of unpacking the significance of the story of the birth of Jesus will encourage individuals and families to focus on the true meaning of Christmas in an enjoyable way.   This book is also packed with activities to provide an engaging experience during the Advent season. Readers will be guided to engage with the narrative through these simple activities, fostering deeper connection, while reflection questions encourage personal application. This journey gives readers the space to not only reflect but also to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

Q: What are some of the activities interspersed through The World Rejoices?   Eliza: Some of the activities include prayer prompts, reflection questions, and direction for further reading. Other activities involve the whole family in word searches, I Spy, Ad-libs (an Advent version of Mad Libs), and other Christmas activities for young and old.    Q: The Advent season is busy for all of us. What are some tips for slowing down and enjoying the season?   Ashley:​ There are a lot of events, people, and things to do leading up to Christmas that are all important and fill our calendar; the goal is not to eliminate busyness entirely but to create balance and find quiet moments amidst the hustle and bustle. A few ways to sneak in some quiet moments would be to schedule an appointment with yourself every day or set an alarm to take a few minutes to walk through a devotional, write down things you’re grateful for as the year comes to an end, or pray.   Using an Advent guide is a great way to set up a rhythm of doing so yourself, with your family, or with friends. Consider adding it to something you’re already doing, like doing a devotional during dinner time, bedtime, or in the morning instead of reading the news. Ultimately, our intimacy with Christ is more important than anything else we could fill our time with, so my encouragement to you would be to fight for it. Say “no” or “wait” to more things this season, and “yes” to what’s most important here, now, and forever.     Q: How does taking a few minutes each day of December to focus on God’s promises help alleviate the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season?     Ashley:​ Taking a few minutes each day to focus on God’s promises offers a powerful antidote to stress, feelings of inadequacy, grief, and more. It’s the light that illuminates the lies we believe: “You’re unloved,” “You’re alone,” “You’re not doing enough,” or “This [insert: thing in my shopping cart/person/position] will finally make me happy.” A heart focused on Jesus brings truth into sharp focus, exposing these lies for what they are. Jesus says, “I love you,” “I am with you and will never leave you,” “You don’t have to earn my love,” and “Simply rest in my presence, and you will be filled with joy.” As the hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Q: A person could easily read through the first two chapters of Luke in a day, which is what readers are invited to do on Christmas. What are the benefits of slowly walking through this passage over twenty-four days?   Cyndi: There is a sweet beauty that comes from building habits and rhythms of slowly meditating on God’s Word. His Word is living and active; it changes us. And, we aren’t meant to only be hearers or readers of his Word. We are meant to submit to the authority of his Word in our lives and be obedient responders to what it says.    We want our readers to remember that this passage has a context. It fits into a beautiful story of what God has been doing since before time began. We hope they will savor the beauty of the gospel of Christ and be transformed by it. So, we invite readers to take some time to delight in and treasure the words of Scripture. We break the passage into smaller sections so that every section of this passage is prayerfully considered both on its own, and in light of the bigger story.

Q: We often think in terms of the promises made in the Old Testament being fulfilled by the arrival of Jesus. However, the promises didn’t end there. How does God continue to fulfill promises to us today?   Cyndi: Today Jesus both fulfills promises to us, and he fulfills promises through us. One promise that he continues to fulfill is his promise to always be with us (Matthew 28). And we read of a promise he fulfills through us in Luke 24 when we read that he is working today so that the forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations. We are invited to join into that great work as his witnesses. He fulfilled the promise to send us his Spirit who empowers our witness. So, we celebrate what he has done, join in what he is doing, and trust in his promises yet to come.    Q: What is one of your favorite devotionals from the book and why?   Ashley: While I don’t think I can truly pick my favorite, I do like the twenty-fourth devotional. It’s truly worshipful to look back over the year and remember God’s goodness, grace, and provision. The Bible calls us to do so because we are all so prone to forget. In addition to looking back, I also like the opportunity to look ahead. Sharing the good news of the gospel is what we are here on Earth to do after all. Heaven is our home, let’s recruit as many people to come with us as possible!   Cyndi: I enjoy the reminder in Day 15 of the change in the life of Zechariah. This man who once couldn’t speak because he didn’t believe the Lord’s message is now blessing God and prophesying. Oh, the hope that brings to my own feeble unbelief! May we read this devotion and bless the Lord together.   Eliza: For me the words from Day 2 are words I need all year long. It starts with the words “How long...” and it goes on to talk about how two people prayed for a child for so long and saw no answer to their prayers. We all long for the words of the angel, “Your prayers have been answered,” to be true in areas of our lives. This devotional reading is an encouragement to me to not give up on praying for things because God hears, and he will answer in his timing.    Brook: Each of the devotionals impact me differently, depending on when I read it and what is going on in my life. However, Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1:46-56 has always been a favorite part of the Christmas story, so I’d have to choose Day 13. Mary’s immediate response to praise God in the middle of uncertainty and the reminder that God sees her is a message I never tire of hearing.    Q: If a church would like to get copies of The World Rejoices for their members to read together like your own congregation did when you first wrote the book, what is the best way for them to be able to do that?   Our publisher, New Growth Press, has five and ten packs of the book available for up to 40% off so that you can purchase as gifts, for a book club, or your congregation. For larger orders, you can contact their customer service department for details on bulk pricing (customerservice@newgrowthpress.com).

The World Rejoices: The Good News of Christmas Devotional by Eliza Huie, Cyndi Logsdon, Brook Taylor, and Ashley Arey Foreword by David Platt August 19, 2024 / Retail Price: $16.99 Print ISBN:978-1-64507-423-6 Religion / Holidays / Christmas & Advent

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About the Authors

Eliza Huie, MA, LCPC, is the Director of Counseling at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, VA, and teaches biblical counseling at Metro Baltimore Seminary. She is the author of several books, including Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids, the minibook Teens and Anxiety, and is coauthor of The Whole Life. Eliza and her husband, Ken, have three grown children and two daughters-in-law. (Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram)   Cyndi Logsdon and her husband have spent the past twenty years loving and serving the church around the world. They currently live in Istanbul, Turkey, where her husband serves as the pastor of an English-speaking church in a vibrant megacity. Cyndi and her husband have two grown daughters and a son-in-law.(Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram)   Brook Taylor obtained a BA in Early Childhood Education before moving overseas with her family to plant churches in the Middle East. She’s a pastor’s wife, mom of five spirited boys, and a children’s ministry director at McLean Bible Church. (Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram)   Ashley Arey is a business owner who provides branding, and visual and strategic communication services to businesses, ministries, and churches. She currently resides in the DC area with her husband and two sons. (Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram)