Preparing Room: An Advent Companion

by Russell J. Levenson Jr.

Overview

Explore the biblical context for Advent in this series of contemplations.

The pieces of the beginning of the Christian story come together, not from one set of hands, but many. For instance, in the four Gospels, Mark makes no mention of the events leading up to and surrounding the birth of Jesus. John, for the most part, points back to Genesis. Most of the historical pieces come to us primarily from Matthew and Luke. The scriptures together are the key to telling the story of the season.

Allusions and references to other scriptures are accompanied by brief meditations so that readers may step more deeply into the Advent story and find its meaning and impact for their own lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640653153
Publisher:	Church Publishing, Incorporated
Publication date:	09/17/2020
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.31(d)

About the Author

Russell J. Levenson Jr. has been an ordained Episcopal priest for over thirty years. Having served in various roles at churches in Alabama, Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Florida, he and his wife Laura live in Houston, Texas, where he has been the rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church since 2007.

Table of Contents

Preface • In the Beginning ix

Meditations

1 Generators and Generations 1

2 Trash and Treasure 6

3 The Best-Laid Plans 10

4 Meet and Greet 14

5 Troubles, Fears, and Wonders 18

6 The Only Thing to Fear … 21

7 And Now … 24

8 Remember Jesus 28

9 Good News 32

10 Bad News 35

11 Power Play 38

12 Facing the Scars 41

13 U-Turn 45

14 What's in a Name? 49

15 Fill Her Up! 52

16 An Act of Balance 55

17 Impossible Possibles 59

18 Let It Be … 64

19 Relatively Speaking 67

20 Magnifying Glass 71

21 Circumstantial Evidence 75

22 Smelly Truths 79

23 Room or No Room … That Is the Question 83

24 God's Angle on Shepherds 86

25 Signs 89

26 Treasure Chest 93

27 Wisdom of the Ages 97

28 Something Wicked This Way Comes 101

29 Star Power 105

30 Gold, Frankenstein, and Mud 110

31 Pointing the Way 115

Afterword • Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room 119

Acknowledgments 123

Scriptural Index 125

Index of Authors Cited 129

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Whenever Russ speaks or writes, I listen or read. He has the heart of a pastor and the skill of a poet. So grateful for him and this book.”
—Max Lucado, author

“Russell Levenson wants to connect faith to living. I am sure that anyone reading and using this Advent book will find their walk closer to Jesus, the one we anticipate this season.” —The Very Rev. Dr. Ian Markham, Dean and President, Virginia Theological Seminary

“I firmly believe God’s hand was on Russell’s as this was written!”
—Lani Netter, President, Lani Netter Productions, and Co-Producer of the film The Shack, based on the best-selling book

“Russell Levenson is not only insightful and wise but also humorous. He presents a realistic approach to biblical stories that other people often dress up or sugarcoat.”
—Ann Claypool Beard, LCSW editor of The First to Follow

“Preparing Room is an important resource for Advent with its practical, realistic, and life-giving assurance of God’s grace for all through the gift to the world of Jesus Christ.”
—Dr. Neal R. Berte, President-Emeritus, Birmingham-Southern College

Editorial Reviews

Whenever Russ speaks or writes, I listen or read. He has the heart of a pastor and the skill of a poet. So grateful for him and this book.”
—Max Lucado, author

“Russell Levenson wants to connect faith to living. I am sure that anyone reading and using this Advent book will find their walk closer to Jesus, the one we anticipate this season.” —The Very Rev. Dr. Ian Markham, Dean and President, Virginia Theological Seminary

“I firmly believe God’s hand was on Russell’s as this was written!”
—Lani Netter, President, Lani Netter Productions, and Co-Producer of the film The Shack, based on the best-selling book

“Russell Levenson is not only insightful and wise but also humorous. He presents a realistic approach to biblical stories that other people often dress up or sugarcoat.”
—Ann Claypool Beard, LCSW editor of The First to Follow

“Preparing Room is an important resource for Advent with its practical, realistic, and life-giving assurance of God’s grace for all through the gift to the world of Jesus Christ.”
—Dr. Neal R. Berte, President-Emeritus, Birmingham-Southern College

From the Publisher