I am a bit of an Advent snob. If something purports to be an Advent resource, it has to have the flexibility to stretch through the entirety of Advent. If it always starts on December 1 and ends on December 24, it’s a Christmas countdown, not Advent, thank you very much. I have no problem with Christmas countdown materials. I like a daily piece of chocolate, even though my kids will wrestle me for it. I enjoy a bit of Christmas music floating about, and Christmas trees don’t have to come out only on Christmas Eve. But if I receive a devotional that’s for Advent, it better be reflective of the four Sundays of Advent, incorporate options for compressed Advent seasons, as well as ones that span almost 5 full weeks. I also expect it to be meaty, interesting, and give me things to reflect upon. I like my Advent to be a time of waiting, of preparation, of growth. When Three Wise Women by Dandi Daley Mackall arrived on my doorstep from Paraclete Press, imagine my happiness when the pages uncovered 40 devotionals, woven together with Scripture and reflection questions. Bliss.

Three Wise Women contains forty devotionals, all told through the viewpoints of Mary, mother of Jesus, Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, and Anna, the prophetess. Each devotion starts out with several pieces of Scripture, followed by the author’s researched interpretation of how either Mary, Elizabeth, or Anna responded to various events in their lives. Passages delve into areas of biblical culture, helping the reader put the lives of Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna into context and bringing about the opportunity to connect with current day practices. They are followed by four conversation questions, giving the reader the opportunity to dive more deeply into their faith. The font is clear, the pages spread so that passages are easy to read, and the topics are relatable to our everyday lives. Each devotion is rounded out with a prayer. 

This devotional has many uses in ministry. This would be a lovely choice for an adult book club through the season of Advent. It would work well in an asynchronous setting, as well as a hybrid class where some readings happen at home and conversation happens in a class. You could use this in a multigenerational class, too, as the topics in the book are accessible for youth. You could also take selected devotions from this collection to build an Advent experience for a congregation. Creating scenes for Anna, Elizabeth, and Mary around the same themes (e.g. wonder, uncertainty) and providing table tents with conversation questions from the book for participants to discuss would be a meaningful addition to your Advent ministry offerings. You could also use the topics in this devotional to help inform a sermon series throughout the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Plenty of meat, plenty of interest, and plenty of introspection- this devotion has many possibilities for your ministry!