Sample file

le
mp
Sa
file
Book of
le
file
C hristmas
Sa
mp
P rayer
P r a y e r s and S t o r i e s That Bring You
Closer to G o d During the H o l i d a y
Edited by Susan B. Townsend
Avon, Massachusetts
Dedicated to the memory of my father,
Robert David Armstrong
(1923–2008).
Copyright © 2009 by F+W Media, Inc.
All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced
in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made
for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
A Cup of Comfort ® is a registered trademark of F+W Media, Inc.
Published by
Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com and www.cupofcomfort.com
file
ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-0051-0
ISBN 10: 1-4405-0051-7 (paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-1-44050-440-2 (EPUB)
Printed in the United States of America.
le
J I H G F E D C B A
mp
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
is available from the publisher.
Sa
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting,
or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is
required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
—From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of
the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and
Associations
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark
claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.
Unless otherwise noted, the Bible used as a source is Holy Bible: New
Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers.
This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.
file
CONTENTS
mp
le
Acknowledgments • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Introduction • Susan B. Townsend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Sa
PART ONE ADVENT: DECEMBER 1 – DECEMBER 24 . . . . . . .1
Advent at Hall House • Cathy C. Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A Star Is Born • Alma Barkman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
A Holy Night in Jail • Molly Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
A Change of Perspective • Evelyn Rhodes Smith . . . . . 28
Great Expectations • Mary Gallagher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
The Faith of a Child • Cindy Beck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Something Unexpected from Santa • Jessica Collins. . . 53
The Christmas I Almost Missed • Gay Sorensen. . . . . . 60
Seven Camels and a Wobbly Manger • Jean Campion. . 67
This Little Light of Mine • Connie Sturm Cameron . . . 74
Another Name, Another Chance • Margaret Severson
Brendemuehl as told to Laurie Klein . . . . . . . . . . . 81
A Matter of Faith • Marcia E. Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
The Gypsy • Katherine Ryan Craddock . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
iii
Contents
file
I Can Give Him My Heart • Elsi Dodge. . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Russian Tarts • Susan B. Townsend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
An Old-Fashioned Christmas • Elisa Yager . . . . . . . . . 124
Michael’s Message • Penny Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
The Christmas Stranger • Gigi Adam . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
And a Little Child Shall Lead Them • Jean Kinsey. . . 147
The Christmas Story Tree • Katie Lovette . . . . . . . . . . 154
The Night the Sheep Got Sheared • Sandi L. Banks. . 163
The Magi Who Purred • Cindy Beck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Christmas Spirit—Lost and Found • Laurie A. Perkins. . 179
Gloria • Alma Barkman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
mp
le
PART TWO: CHRISTMAS DAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Prayer by the Sea • Linda Blaine Powell . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Sa
PART THREE: THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS. . . . . 207
The Lopsided Poinsettia • Sandi L. Banks . . . . . . . . . . 210
The Jelly Jar • Barbara Brady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
No Longer a Stranger • Kay W. Camenisch . . . . . . . . . 226
Kindred Souls • Valerie Kay Gwin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Secret Socks • L. A. Lindburgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
The Christmas of the Great Ice Storm •
Gabriel Ricard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
John’s Gift • Richelle Putnam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
A Legacy of Love • Susan E. Ramsden. . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
The Christmas Sacrifice • Sandy Cathcart. . . . . . . . . . 272
The Case of the Missing Gifts • Connie K. Pombo . . . 280
Why He Came • Renee Gray-Wilburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
iv
Contents
Sa
mp
le
file
PART FOUR EPIPHANY: JANUARY 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Gracias, Hallelujah! • Kenda Turner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Contributors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Subject Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Scripture Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
v