What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? The Tahn Fantasy Series

Tahn - Tahn Dorn is trapped in the middle of a looming conflict between two noble families. Trained in his youth to be a mercenary but troubled by the deeds of his past, Tahn must now choose between the commands of a master and the urgings of his own good conscience. When his latest orders instruct him to kidnap Lady Netta of the House of Trillet, Tahn realizes that following his conscience won’t be easy, especially with the lives of his young students at stake. As Tahn’s struggle continues, neither he nor Lady Netta can foretell the series of events that will unfold and change both their lives forever. Wrestling to understand Netta’s God, Tahn is filled with doubt, and Netta herself wonders how such a man is willing to risk his life for a ragtag band of little children. The bravery of an unlikely hero, the love of an honorable lady, and the innocence of each wayward child resonate throughout this gripping tale of courage, faith, forgiveness, and unconditional love. 

Return to Alastair - Once a feared mercenary, Tahn Dorn has abandoned his old ways and is building a new life. But his heart is still heavy. Though he has made peace with God, he is not fully at peace with himself. Haunted by confusing dreams and uncertain of his growing attraction to Netta Trilett, Tahn knows he must come to terms with his past before he can look to the future. And that means embarking on a journey he knows will not be easy—to Alastair, seat of his earliest memories, a place that represents to him only torture and pain. And so begins Tahn’s search for truth, where he must face not only deep-seated fears but also old adversaries, deadly threats, and the distrust of an entire town. As he tries to unlock Alastair’s secrets, tragedy is imminent. And without divine intervention, all hope of being free from the past could be lost forever. Return to Alastair is the continuing tale of an unlikely hero who must find the courage to forgive others—forgive himself—in order to accept the love of a good lady. 

The Scarlet Trefoil - Freed from a life of darkness, Tahn Dorn finds God’s grace toward him a comfort he has never known before. He has put away his painful past and is looking forward to a bright, peaceful future with his bride-to-be. But the past returns to haunt him, threatening to ruin all that he loves. On the eve of their blessed union, Lady Netta’s gilded carriage is attacked by a team of rogue bandits hired by the ruthless Baron Lionell Trent. Despite the baron’s noble talk and pretended peace, Tahn is lured into a trap that will secure Lionell’s hold on the House of Trent. Can Tahn free his true love? Or will his dream be forever lost?

About the Author - Leisha Kelly authored 11 books, including the best-selling historical fiction series centered around the Wortham and Hammond families—published by Revell/Baker Publishing Group. Her most recent book, The House on Malcolm Street, was published by Revell in September 2010. It was only for her Tahn Fantasy series that she penned herself as L.A. Kelly. Kelly, who home-schooled her two children, served as children's ministry director and youth minister at her family's church. On January 25, 2011, Leisha and her son, Justice, were killed in a traffic accident.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? How to deal with the anxieties of life

To Fly Again - Like a violent microburst that threatens to down an aircraft, an unexpected crisis may rock your world and leave you wondering whether the life  you’ve known is over. Gracia Burnham understands those feelings. Reflecting on the horrific year she and her husband, Martin, spent as hostages in the Philippine jungle and her experiences since returning home, Gracia shares how she is rebuilding her life by God’s grace alone. You may be one of the many thousands who know the Burnham’s story, or perhaps you are seeking direction and hope in the midst of your own pain. This book addresses the confusion, fear, anger, anxiety, and loss of control that all people in crisis experience. It also illustrates how God longs to pour his grace into people with broken dreams and fill their life with new meaning and joy. 

Tips From the Author: “How do you survive the tailspins of life? Continue to walk with Jesus.”

• “While we fantasize about what life might have been like without our difficult junctures, the truth is that these intersections are not abnormal. Jesus told his disciples that they will have many trials. That much is guaranteed.”

• “The more we center ourselves on our true definition in God’s sight, not the possessions we have been able to gather or the esteem that others have given us, the more stable we will be in good times and bad.”

Reclaiming Quiet - In a restless and distracted world, the cultivation of quiet often feels abstract and impossible. But quiet is, and always has been, essential to spiritual life, the only way we can turn from the frenzy toward the peace for which we were created. Reclaiming Quiet is an invitation to discover the profound, daily joy of resisting  patterns of anxiety and hurry and cultivating a life of holy attention instead. With practical strategies to address our use of screens or fear of silence and compassionate ideas to nourish stillness, listening, and rest, this book explores: 

• What it means to become a person who listens each day for God’s voice before all others

• How to reclaim wonder in prayer

• How to cultivate an interior life

Quiet is not for specialists or the ultra-disciplined. It’s not limited to those who have great swathes of time. Quiet is our inner native land, the place to which we turn to find God already waiting, calling us beloved, and drawing us homeward into a life of holy and joyous attention. 

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? New Historical Romance Novels

Calling on the Matchmaker - Haunted by the death of her sister, Finola Shanahan has resolved that she’s not worthy of a family of her own and commits to spending her days caring for immigrants in the slums. When Finola sabotages yet another unwanted relationship her parents arranged for her, her father calls upon the local Irish matchmaker, who pairs her with successful wagonmaker Riley Rafferty. Finola quickly realizes her usual tricks won’t work on him, however, as she cannot outsmart or outwit the dashing, determined, and daring man. A candidate in the St. Louis mayoral election, Riley is confident a union with the wealthy Shanahan family will help solidify his chances of winning—and even more assured he and Finola can make a difference together. When a cholera outbreak begins to take St. Louis by storm, they must navigate a burgeoning attraction and growing danger testing all they know about love and sacrifice. 

Washington’s Lady - Though still a young woman, Martha Custis is a widow. But she is not without means and has no desire to remarry. Not, that is, until a striking war hero steps into her life and she realizes she is ready to love again. Yet she wonders whether this man, accustomed to courageous military exploits, can settle down to a simple life of farming and being a father to her children. Even as she longs for domestic bliss, Martha soon realizes she will have to risk everything dear to her and find the courage to get behind a dream much larger than her own. Known for her moving first-person novels of Nannerl Mozart and Jane Austen, Nancy Moser now brings to life the loves and trials of the first First Lady of the United States. 

Fun Fact! - Author, Nancy Moser, dressed up as Martha Washington for Halloween in 1962. And as she found herself writing novels about other famous women in history, Moser remembered that old Halloween costume, did the research, and was inspired to write a novel about the first First Lady of The United States.

What’s in the Cross Reference Library? The Librarian’s Top Three!

The Orphan’s Wish by Melanie Dickerson - Orphaned and alone, Aladdin travels from the streets of his Arab homeland to a strange, faraway place. Growing up in an orphanage, he meets young Lady Kirstyn, whose father is the powerful Duke of Hagenheim. Despite the difference in their stations, Aladdin quickly becomes Kirstyn’s favorite companion, and their childhood friendship grows into a bond that time and opposition cannot break. Even as a child, Aladdin works hard, learning all he can from his teachers. Through his integrity, intelligence, and sheer tenacity, he earns a position serving as the duke’s steward. But that isn’t enough to erase the shame of being forced to steal as a small child—or the fact that he’s an orphan with no status. If he ever wants to feel equal to his beautiful and generous friend Kirstyn, he must leave Hagenheim and seek his fortune. Yet once Aladdin departs, Lady Kirstyn becomes a pawn in a terrible plot. Now, Aladdin and Kirstyn must rely on their bond to save her from unexpected danger. But will saving Kirstyn cost Aladdin his newfound status and everything he’s worked so hard to obtain? 

What I love about this book: I’ve read and enjoyed the other books in Melanie Dickerson’s Hagenheim Fairytale Romance series, but this one really stuck out to me. Usually, when you hear about the story of Aladdin, what comes to mind? Do you think of the wishes? The genie? A cave of wonders and temptation?Well, what fascinates me about The Orphan’s Wish, is how the author decides to focus on the redemption of Aladdin. As a child, he stole money and food to survive. But when he escapes that life and becomes friends with the duke’s daughter, it becomes Aladdin’s mission to become more than his past. In a way, this version of the story feels more real to me. Now, I know the original is folklore and isn’t meant to feel real, but the fact that Dickerson’s Aladdin finds a way to achieve his new life without magic wishes is a lot more inspiring.

To Hell With The Hustle by Jefferson Bethke - Modern life increasingly makes us feel more wired, chaotic, and burned out. To Hell with the Hustle fights back. Jefferson Bethke shows you how to: 

• Quit the cycle of more, more, more

• Question the noise all around us

• Set boundaries and cultivate discipline

• Push back the demands of contemporary life 

• And rediscover the fundamentals that make us human

If you are weary of the pressure to be more, do more, have more, you have permission to opt out. To Hell with the Hustle is your necessary guide to resisting  our culture’s frantic madness and embracing the pace of Jesus. 

What I love about this book: I’d be lying if I said that my life wasn’t busy and stressful. And that’s why when I first read To Hell with the Hustle, I found that the author had a lot of good points on slowing down and finding ways to really be in the presence of Jesus in your daily life. Jefferson speaks to the individual reader where their at in their fast-paced chaotic life.

The Chronicles Of Narnia by C.S. Lewis  - The most well-known out of the seven, The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe tells the story of the four Pevensie children who enter the magical land of Narnia through a mysterious wardrobe. Through their adventures, they meet talking animals and learn of a prophecy that speaks of them defeating an evil witch who has terrorized Narnia with an eternal winter. With the help of a powerful talking lion named Aslan, the children defeat the witch and become kings and queens of Narnia. And so followed a prequel story and five more adventures in the magical land of Narnia. These books are known for their religious themes. Featuring parallels to Genesis, Revelation, Jesus’ resurrection, and several stories about redemption as well.

What I love about this series (I expressed this in another post a few months ago): https://www.kcmifm.com/blog/2024/10/1/whats-new-at-the-cross-reference-library-something-pretty-awesome

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? What Story Are You Writing?

The Novelist - What happens when a writer’s story begins to change the story of her life? To the world she’s Jordan Casey, creator of the wildly popular series of novels featuring international spy Rex Tower. To her family she’s Jordan Casey Kerrigan, a loving wife and mom with an almost empty nest, and an unexpectedly successful midlife career. To the diverse class of community college students she’s agreed to take on for a fiction-writing course, she’s a complex teacher determined to prove that with a plan and some dedication, any one of them can do what she does. To show what she means—and to respond to a challenge from an egotistical student—she decides to actually write a novel for the class. But not a Rex Tower novel. Not a spy blockbuster. Something more personal, something closer to home. Something that touches on her faith and might even speak to her deeply troubled younger son, Zack. But something strange is happening in the midst of it all. As she struggles to keep the novel on track, Jordan starts to realize it holds a deeper mystery than she could ever plot. And she and Zack are part of it. The stirring outcome is something the novelist could never anticipate…or dare to dream. And the truth is stranger than any fiction. 

Paperback Writer - Paul James Watson is the writer of mid-list paperback novels. His humdrum life is flat, routine, and generally unimpressive, and his spiritual life follows suit. But Watson’s escape is his craft. He becomes absorbed in his novels and his character, Toby McKenna, a highly successful detective who always solves the crime, heroically putting his life on the line for justice. But there is another Paul James Watson. He is the Watson of his imagination, who is living a life in his mind of new and exciting situations, conversations, and relationships. It is not long before the lines of reality, fiction, and imagination become so entwined that the real Watson threatens to become lost.

My Thoughts -  For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by those who write for a living. Especially those who write novels. Their attention to detail when it comes to characters, plot, and world-building is quite spectacular in my opinion. When these two books were donated, I thought it was funny just how similar they were. They each step into the shoes of authors who write about spies/detectives for a living, and they have reached a point in their career where they feel hollow and the passion is slipping away. But what really caused me to want to share these novels here, were the taglines on the back of each book. For The Novelist it says, “What happens when a writer’s story begins to change the story of her life?” And with Paperback Writer we get, “Paul James Watson is a paperback writer. But is he writing fiction or living it?” They seem to let us know that, “you’re about to, as the reader, discover what it feels like to be the author.” And what’s even more awesome is how that author, the main character of the novel you’re reading, gets their chance to experience a full character arc. Written by Stephen Bly and Angela Hunt, those character arcs have allegory in their veins. With the intention to show their readers a loving God. But also to show that the Author of our lives has our story written and has a perfect plan for our lives. There is a song by Katy Nicole that goes like this: “God is in this story. God is in the details. Even in the broken parts, He holds my heart.” So come on into the Cross Reference Library and check out these novels and discover their incredible messages.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Who do you put your trust in?

Emotional Confidence - Tired of up-and-down emotions stealing your peace, sabotaging your relationships, and filling your mind with self-defeating thoughts? What if you had a scientific and biblical emotional management tool to help you work through your feelings with both compassion and clarity? In Emotional Confidence, certified Christian life coach and award-winning podcast host Alicia Michelle shares her proven three-step method to:

• Process emotional overwhelm, overthinking, and avoidance

• Acknowledge feelings without judgement

• Filter emotions through God’s clarifying lens of truth

• Courageously choose scriptural responses

With helpful exercises, client stories, scientific evidence, and heartfelt honesty, this book overflows with practical ways to partner with God to manage your emotions for better relationships, less anxiety, and a more confident you. 

Messages of God’s Abundance - At the height of Nazi power, amid the horrors of a concentration camp, the seeds of faith and forgiveness grew to fruition in the heart of a young Dutch woman named Corrie ten Boom. Outlasting  Ravensbruck and Hitler’s regime, Ms. ten Boom went on to accomplish what brute power never could: conquer hearts across the world with healing words of hope, forgiveness, and trust in God. Broadcast across Europe using the very radio equipment the Nazis had built to spread propaganda, the inspirational messages of Corrie ten Boom appear here in print. These writings reflect the broad experiences of a woman who preached the gospel around the world, yet who found her greatest adventure exploring the endless riches of God’s Word.

What's in the Cross Reference Library? Melody Carlson Christmas Books!

A Simple Christmas Wish - Rachel Milligan never imagined that she and her seven-year-old niece would spend the week before Christmas on a quaint Amish farm in Ohio. But with so many unexpected occurrences of late, perhaps she shouldn’t have been surprised. With her young niece Holly in tow, Rachel anxiously makes her way from Chicago to Ohio’s Amish country. As love begins to blossom, family secrets emerge, and old wounds are healed, Rachel realizes that she will do whatever it takes to ensure that Holly has the loving family she needs. Join bestselling author Melody Carlson on an emotional journey into the heart of what family truly means at Christmastime. 

The Christmas Swap - All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can’t find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there’s someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade. West Prescott is an in-demand song-writer and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade  for Christmas, he never imagined one of the houseguests would be so sweet—or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and to get better acquainted, he poses as the caretaker of his own house. But when Emma’s friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things get…messy. 

I love Christmas! The lights, the decorations, the delicious cookies, hot chocolate, and especially the contagious happiness and cheer in everyone’s hearts. What causes that cheer and happiness? Well, at this time of year, the answer to that question could be one of four things. Maybe for a lot of the kiddos in our lives—or even those of us who are young at heart—the joy is found in the seasonal decor and treats. 

Another reason could be that it makes us feel good to give and receive at Christmastime. Whether we are giving gifts or even giving our time to someone else this holiday season, seeing the gratitude and delight on their faces always makes it worth it. Every time. For the past three years, my mom and I have made a point of picking a name from the Angel tree at Riverstone Bank. As I go through the store, or even as I hand the clothes and toys off to where they need to go, I get this wonderful feeling of hope and excitement for the child I picked from the tree. And when I’m with my family on Christmas, I get to visualize what that little girl or boy thought of their gift. Especially now, I’m grateful that my Heavenly Father has given me and my family the opportunity to bless a few of the boys and girls whose names have been placed upon the Angel tree. 

The third reason to consider has a little bit to do with these two books: A Simple Christmas Wish and The Christmas Swap. All over the world, great merriment is found when a family is brought together to look at lights, eat the cookies, and as I said before, giving and receiving special gifts! But unfortunately, there’s also a big percentage of people who have lost a loved one, and the holiday season will never be the same due to their absence. In the first chapter of A Simple Christmas Wish, we are introduced to Rachel as she is taking care of her niece Holly during the Christmas season. After a fun night of decorating together, Rachel gets a horrifying call that inevitably changes her life—and Holly’s—forever. After taking up guardianship of Holly, Rachel doesn’t exactly know where to turn. So after a trip to Ohio’s Amish country—and a few ups and downs to call for—Rachel and Holly were able to gain a new family while grieving the family they had lost. Now, with our other Christmas novel, The Christmas Swap, our main character technically hasn’t lost anyone, but after her past experiences with the Christmas holiday, spending it alone just feels like the better option. Emma’s parents left the states to start a missions school in Africa before she graduated from college, and she’d been spending Christmas with her best friend’s rich family ever since. As you can imagine, and as these books usually go, by the end of this novel Emma realizes how fortunate she was that she didn’t stay home that Christmas and got to meet West. 

To conclude, I realized something kinda cool. I was directed recently to Hebrews 4:14-16 and verse 15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” So then I started to wonder, “If Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses, does He sympathize with the joy we feel during the Christmas season?” I bet the answer would be, “Yes,” and here’s how:

Joy in the Food and Lights

I’m not sure if Jesus ever got to taste anything similar to hot chocolate and sugar cookies, as we know them today, but the star that lit up the sky around the time of His birth was so much more spectacular than any of the lawn decorations we see today. 

Joy in the Gifts Received and Given

On His birthday (our Christmas), Jesus received gold, frankincense, and myrrh as a gift. But as the Messiah, He gave the greatest gift of all! Jesus gave His life for us and now we can continue to grow in a relationship with Him during the Christmas season, and on every other day of the year. 

Joy in the Time Spent With Others

Every year on His birthday, Jesus got to spend time with His earthly family: his parents Mary and Joseph, his other relatives like Elizabeth, Zechariah and John. And even on the night of Jesus’ birth, and the many years that followed: the shepherds spent Christmas/His birthday with Him and his family, and about a year later the wise men attended as well. So Jesus does know what it’s like to spend the holiday surrounded by those who love Him. But for those of you out there who have lost a loved one and you aren’t sure how you’re going to make it through the holiday without your friend, sister, or maybe even a father, I want to say a couple things. The first is that you are not alone. While your earthly friend or family member is gone, your heavenly Father will never leave you or forsake you. Especially this Christmas season! I bet it makes Him even more excited that He gets to celebrate His Son’s birthday and grace every single one of us with His presents every Christmas. And the second thing is that I recommend the song, The Sweetest Gift by Craig Aven. The chorus goes like this:

It gives me hope and joy as I remember where you are

You’re with the Son of God

You’re with the Prince of Peace

You’re with the one who’s celebrating

And that thought amazes me

Sometimes I still break down

Grieving that we’re apart

But the sweetest gift is knowing where you are

You’re with the Son of God

Oh, and before I forget, do you remember how I said at the beginning that the reason for joy at Christmas could be one of four things? Well, my hope for each and every person who reads this post, is that their reason for Christmas cheer this season is, of course, Jesus! Place the reminder of His birth and of his gift on your heart this holiday. And stop on by the Cross Reference Library and check out these heart-warming Christmas novels. 

—Merry Christmas!

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Christmas Books!

The Shepherd’s Cross - Christmas Eve is the wrong time to be laid off, especially for twenty-seven-year-old Chipper Gaines, with a wife, two kids, and another on the way. A return to the bottle, a crutch in hard times since his homecoming from World War II six years ago, seems Chipper's only recourse. But three mysterious encounters that night before Christmas begin Chipper on a journey to healing for himself and his family.

Heartwarming Christmas Stories - In Heartwarming Christmas Stories, twelve short stories capture the very essence of the Christmas season—love, wonder, family, faith, and sacrifice. Each memorable tale is thoughtfully illustrated with an original line drawing that beautifully portrays the heart of the story. These moving stories are penned by some of today’s most beloved Christian fiction authors. Authors such as Angela Hunt, Jack Cavanaugh, and Robin Jones Gunn. 

My Thoughts: When these two books were donated just about a month ago, I was excited in two different ways. First of all, the covers are absolutely gorgeous. The gold trim on the Heartwarming Christmas Stories cover took my breath away when I first saw it. But I also loved how these books reminded me of the Christmas movies I grew up watching with my mom. Films such as: It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Christmas Oranges, and even Charlie Brown Christmas. What makes those movies, and these new books such good Christmas stories, is the heart and messages infused within each one. There is a certain comfort I find in those kinds of Christmas stories. A kind of comfort I will never find in watching films like Home Alone, Elf, or The Grinch for that matter. Like that of the first Christmas story, of the night Jesus was born, there should be hope and love. And that’s what can be found in these new Christmas books. So, merry Christmas from The Cross Reference Library and have a happy new year!

The 12 Books of Christmas - Peace On Earth

The Sound of Sleigh Bells - Beth Hertzler works alongside her beloved Aunt Lizzy in their dry goods store and serves as a contact between Amish craftsmen and Englischer retailers. But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart every day, and she still wears dark dresses to indicate her mourning of her fiance. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow in an Englischer store, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds, and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work. Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after meeting Jonah, the artist, she is determined that Beth come to know this man whose hands create healing art. But it’s not that simple—Beth has cut herself off from any possibility of romance. Will Lizzy’s elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth new hope and a second chance at real love—or just more heartbreak?

Christ in the Carols -  “This Christmas will be different.” Every year you tell yourself that. Every December you promise that you’re going to make time for wonder. For pondering the Story of stories. But somehow the crush of holiday activities often leaves us feeling like lonely observers instead of participants in the true meaning of Jesus’ birth. So come closer to Christmas. To Christ. Let this devotional be your guide as it leads you through thirty-one readings guaranteed to leave you awestruck at Jesus, our Emmanuel. Discover little-known stories and meaningful insights about your best-loved carols. And experience the warmth of the songs of the season. This Christmas season really can be different. Let Christopher and Melodie Lane take you on a journey toward the Jesus of Bethlehem. We promise you’ll love every minute you invest in discovering Christ in the Carols.  

Cosmic Christmas - We know the Christmas characters well: the singing angels, the simple teenage girl, the surprised carpenter… We know the Christmas story so well: journey to Bethlehem, no room, stable, shepherds, star, hosts of angels, wise men… But do we know all the characters? Do we know the whole story? What about the hidden happenings that might have led to the Savior’s birth? Was the arrival of Jesus a quietly profound event? Or could it have been the result of heavenly battles, angel armies, and a scheming Satan? Envision a confrontation in heaven between the King of creation and the rebellious Satan. Threats, challenges, a gauntlet laid on the floor of the sky. And then the passage from heaven to earth — “There was a war in heaven” the Bible states (Revelation 12:7). Angels battling Satan’s armies as they transport the essence of heaven itself. Come along as author Max Lucado takes us on a journey into his imagination — pulling back the curtain as we see what might have taken place one “Cosmic Christmas”

The Purpose of Christmas -  Why is Christmas such a big deal? If you stop to think about it, it is astounding that the simple, unassuming birth of a peasant baby boy more than two thousand years ago in the Middle East can today cause traffic jams every December in places like New York City, Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro. The night Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a small group of poor shepherds were quietly tending their flocks of sheep in a nearby field, looking up at the stars. Nothing seemed any different from a thousand other nights. But what was about to happen would transform not only their lives but billions of other lives as well. The world would never be the same again. Regardless of your background, religion, problems, or circumstances, Christmas really is the best news you could get. In his powerful yet compassionate voice, Rick Warren explains how God designed Christmas to meet your three deepest needs and how understanding and receiving God’s three Christmas gifts to you will transform your life forever. An instant classic, this book is one to be read every Christmas season and then passed on to friends, family members, and loved ones. 

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” The famous praise that the shepherds heard the angels proclaim the night of Jesus’ birth, is brought back every Christmas season. Either through home decor or holiday cards, we are presented with the hope of “Peace on Earth.” And in the holiday books that I chose for this week, the characters and authors are all either: hoping for peace, finding peace, fighting for peace, and also proclaiming peace. In The Sound of Sleigh Bells, we find Beth weighed down by grief with the recent loss of her beloved husband. Her Aunt Lizzy longs to help her find peace in this hard time but through this story, that proves to be quite difficult. While Beth’s peace in life is everyone’s hope, authors Christopher and Melodie Lane help us find Christ in the Carols. This holiday devotional gives us a brief history of the carols and also what we can take from their messages. For example, even though it wasn’t technically wasn’t a Silent Night, author Joseph Mohr captures a moment of peace, a holy hush that surely settled over Bethlehem as all of heaven viewed His birth. And speaking of heaven’s view of things, Max Lucado’s Cosmic Christmas gives us an interesting view of Christ’s coming through the eyes of the angels. God asks Gabriel to deliver a couple important things to earth, a message to the virgin Mary and God’s ultimate gift. But the journey from heaven to earth was not going to be easy. The angels knew that the devil would do anything to prevent God’s gift from making it to earth. This battle for everlasting peace put in this perspective reminds me of the song, The Champion by Carman. The Champion represents the fight between Jesus and Satan during the time of the crucifixion. In a very powerful way, this song describes the excruciating pain Jesus underwent in this gruesome battle between good and evil. The song ends with Jesus’ victory and peace on earth finally gained. After all, that is why He is the Prince of Peace, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7. So come on down to the Cross Reference Library and discover some of these amazing holiday reads.

What’s in the Cross Reference Library? New Christmas Books!

The Promise and the Light - It was a time of defeat, of disappointment, of darkness. But one day…one day, the ancient promise said, there would be light. A young carpenter, a teenage girl and an elderly priest find themselves in the middle of one of the greatest adventures in history. They will encounter soldiers and rebels, angry relatives and mysterious visitors. Donkeys will escape, doors will be slammed, and friends will be lost and made. And they will see the light begin to dawn. The promise is coming true. But no one ever thought it would happen quite like this. 

This Christmas Night - Christmas is the most thrilling season of the year. As we look back over the years, memories of many Christmases flood our minds. Christmas cards that we read and reread, the smell of pine drifting through the house, the fireplace crackling—all of these things turn our thoughts to those we love. Most of all, Christmas is when our minds go back to that lowly manger in Bethlehem, and we hear beyond the noise of our materialistic world the soft flutter of angels’ wings. We see the tenderness of a mother with her first-born Son…we feel the softness of a Baby. Amid the glitter and busyness of the season, Billy & Ruth Graham hope that you will experience anew the miracle and meaning of that Christmas night.  

Christmas Quotes From Billy Graham - “Don’t leave Jesus in the manger; don’t remember Him only at Christmas. Instead, learn to walk with Him every day, as you pray and read His Word and ask Him to help you.”

“Mary and Joseph were just as familiar with the facts of life as we are. But they also realized something was happening that had never happened before: God alone would be the child’s father. In other words, this child would be absolutely unique—not only because He would be born of a virgin, but because He would be both fully man and fully God. God was coming to live among us!”

“As this Christmas approaches, I pray you will look at Jesus—as He is revealed in the pages of the New Testament—with an open heart and mind. When you do, you’ll discover not only that God is real, but that He loves you and wants to transform your life.”

“On that first Christmas over 2,000 years ago, God did something that we can barely grasp: He became a man. Think of it: The God who created the universe stooped down from Heaven and became a human being!”