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Our Hope and Expectation: Devotions for Advent & Christmas 2020-2021
Our Hope and Expectation explores the Advent season and celebrates the joy of the twelve days of Christmas and the day of Epiphany. It includes daily devotions based on year B scripture readings (in the Revised Common Lectionary) for Sundays and festival days between the first Sunday of Advent (November 29, 2020) and Epiphany (January 6, 2021). In addition to devotions, the book offers household blessings and prayers to enrich your preparations and celebrations.
96 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2020
About the author
Paul Hoffman
113 books88 followersPaul Hoffman (born 1956) is a prominent author and host of the PBS television series Great Minds of Science. He was president and editor in chief of Discover, in a ten-year tenure with that magazine, and served as president and publisher of Encyclopaedia Britannica before returning full-time to writing and consulting work.
He lives in Woodstock, New York. Author of at least ten books, he has appeared on CBS This Morning and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer as a correspondent. Hoffman is also a puzzlemaster using the pseudonym Dr. Crypton. He designed the puzzle in the 1984 book Treasure: In Search of the Golden Horse. He also designed the treasure map in the 1984 film, Romancing the Stone, starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito.
Hoffman holds a B.A. degree summa cum laude from Harvard. He is the winner of the first National Magazine Award for Feature Writing and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He lives in Woodstock, New York. Author of at least ten books, he has appeared on CBS This Morning and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer as a correspondent. Hoffman is also a puzzlemaster using the pseudonym Dr. Crypton. He designed the puzzle in the 1984 book Treasure: In Search of the Golden Horse. He also designed the treasure map in the 1984 film, Romancing the Stone, starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito.
Hoffman holds a B.A. degree summa cum laude from Harvard. He is the winner of the first National Magazine Award for Feature Writing and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 8, 2026
Our Hope and Expectation is a thoughtful and spiritually enriching devotional that beautifully captures the anticipation of Advent and the joy of the Christmas season. Rather than rushing through familiar traditions, this collection invites readers to slow down, reflect deeply, and prepare their hearts for the celebration of Christ's birth.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its rhythm. The daily devotions, grounded in the Revised Common Lectionary Year B readings, provide meaningful reflections that connect Scripture with everyday life. Each meditation is concise enough to fit into a busy schedule while offering enough depth to encourage prayer, contemplation, and personal spiritual growth.
I particularly appreciated that the book extends beyond Christmas Day to include the Twelve Days of Christmas and Epiphany. This broader liturgical journey reminds readers that Christmas is not merely a single event but the beginning of a season of celebration, revelation, and renewed hope.
The inclusion of household blessings and prayers is another wonderful feature. These practical resources encourage families and individuals to make Advent and Christmas more intentional, transforming ordinary moments into opportunities for worship and gratitude.
The various contributors bring warmth and authenticity to their reflections while maintaining a unified message centered on hope, expectation, faith, and the promise of Christ. The devotional never feels overly academic or inaccessible; instead, it speaks with pastoral wisdom that welcomes readers wherever they are in their spiritual journey.
Whether used individually, with family, or within a church community, Our Hope and Expectation serves as an excellent companion through one of the most meaningful seasons of the Christian calendar. It gently reminds us that true preparation for Christmas begins not with decorations or gifts, but with hearts open to hope, peace, joy, and love.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its rhythm. The daily devotions, grounded in the Revised Common Lectionary Year B readings, provide meaningful reflections that connect Scripture with everyday life. Each meditation is concise enough to fit into a busy schedule while offering enough depth to encourage prayer, contemplation, and personal spiritual growth.
I particularly appreciated that the book extends beyond Christmas Day to include the Twelve Days of Christmas and Epiphany. This broader liturgical journey reminds readers that Christmas is not merely a single event but the beginning of a season of celebration, revelation, and renewed hope.
The inclusion of household blessings and prayers is another wonderful feature. These practical resources encourage families and individuals to make Advent and Christmas more intentional, transforming ordinary moments into opportunities for worship and gratitude.
The various contributors bring warmth and authenticity to their reflections while maintaining a unified message centered on hope, expectation, faith, and the promise of Christ. The devotional never feels overly academic or inaccessible; instead, it speaks with pastoral wisdom that welcomes readers wherever they are in their spiritual journey.
Whether used individually, with family, or within a church community, Our Hope and Expectation serves as an excellent companion through one of the most meaningful seasons of the Christian calendar. It gently reminds us that true preparation for Christmas begins not with decorations or gifts, but with hearts open to hope, peace, joy, and love.
January 12, 2021
My husband and I usually pick up the devotionals from church, but rarely remember to keep up with them. This was the first time we actually read it all the way through! It was a great tradition to start with our son. He loves the routine of getting ready for bed and then reading our "amen book" before sleep. This advent, Christmas, and epiphany season have been so different from what we've ever experienced, but having this book to help ground us in what it's really about was a joy.
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May 26, 2022Hopes and expectations are always too exaggerated. It never comes true if nothing is done. It's like reading reviews, for example, like here, and just memorizing useful information.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews