This will be a short review. Born the King: An Advent Devotional, is the Advent book published by our denominational publishing house for use this year. Our pastor preached a sermon series by that name, and we were all encouraged to purchase the book and read along.

I purchased the book, but didn’t start on time. Getting a few days behind, I finally read a couple of chapters out loud to Lynda. The chapters are short: two pages (though in a 10 point font), with two pages of worksheets afterward. I could tell Lynda wasn’t enjoying it, and neither did I. So I quit reading aloud and put the book aside. Later I picked it up and read a week of devotionals at a time, finishing it Christmas morning.

I’ll say this as nicely as I can: It wasn’t my favorite devotional book ever. In fact, I didn’t like it. Maybe it’s just too hard to write an Advent devotional and come up with new material. As a result, the writer (in this case writers, a husband and wife pastor couple) try too hard, and the book isn’t all that meaningful. To me, it wasn’t meaningful.

Maybe it was the way I read it, a week at a time instead of each day. Maybe it was that I didn’t do the exercises for each day. I’m not sure what it was, I just didn’t like it.

Normally I keep these yearly Advent devotional books, thinking I’ll go through them again someday. Except I never do. I’m not sure what I’ll do about this one. In the spirit of decluttering, I should put it in the garage, on the donation pile. Possibly I’ll put in in the row of devotional books in the living room. Possibly.