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The Advent Tree: Meeting Jesus in God's Big Story
Jesus may have been born to an obscure young couple in a backwater town; but his family tree told a greater story.
Jesus was born into the rich legacy and sacred history of the Jewish people; with lineage said to go back to King David and rooted in the whole history of the Hebrew Bible. This Advent; find out how this little baby we worship became the savior that he was and discover your place with Jesus in the big story of God and God’s people.
Inspired by the centuries-old Jesse Tree tradition; pastor Kara Eidson presents forty Scriptures from across the Bible to explore how Jesus; his family; and followers were shaped by all that had come before him—the epic story of God and God’s people—and how we; too; are part of God’s story as followers of Christ today. Enhanced by daily illustrations symbolizing each Scripture; this Advent devotional guides readers from ancient stories and prophecies to the manger and beyond to deepen faith and grow in appreciation of Jesus as Messiah.
Daily readings for Advent through Epiphany are organized into weekly themes for congregational use. Family devotions and worship resources make The Advent Tree useful in settings from home to classroom to pulpit; while downloadable versions of the daily illustrations offer a creative outlet for contemplative coloring or decorating a tree.
Videos for small group use featuring the author are available for free
on WJK's YouTube
Jesus was born into the rich legacy and sacred history of the Jewish people; with lineage said to go back to King David and rooted in the whole history of the Hebrew Bible. This Advent; find out how this little baby we worship became the savior that he was and discover your place with Jesus in the big story of God and God’s people.
Inspired by the centuries-old Jesse Tree tradition; pastor Kara Eidson presents forty Scriptures from across the Bible to explore how Jesus; his family; and followers were shaped by all that had come before him—the epic story of God and God’s people—and how we; too; are part of God’s story as followers of Christ today. Enhanced by daily illustrations symbolizing each Scripture; this Advent devotional guides readers from ancient stories and prophecies to the manger and beyond to deepen faith and grow in appreciation of Jesus as Messiah.
Daily readings for Advent through Epiphany are organized into weekly themes for congregational use. Family devotions and worship resources make The Advent Tree useful in settings from home to classroom to pulpit; while downloadable versions of the daily illustrations offer a creative outlet for contemplative coloring or decorating a tree.
Videos for small group use featuring the author are available for free
on WJK's YouTube
165 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 9, 2025
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 24, 2025
Written by Kara Eidson, The Advent Tree: Meeting Jesus in God’s Big Story is a modern take on the Jesse Tree Christmas tradition. For centuries, Christians, collectively and individually, have prepared their hearts to celebrate Christ’s birth during the Advent season—and utilizing this book is one way they can do so today.
The Advent Tree is a versatile resource written for individuals, families, Bible studies, or churches. The daily devotions, which begin four Sundays before Christmas Day and extend through the Twelve Days of Christmas before culminating on Epiphany, are well-written and accompanied by helpful digital resources. For families or churches who desire a shorter version of The Advent Tree, Eidson has also included twelve simplified “Family Devotions” that touch on the major themes presented in the rest of the daily readings.
Each devotion follows the same pattern: scripture reading, explanation, accompanying symbol, and thoughtful discussion questions. The simplified “Family Devotions” also include a repeat-after-me prayer.
Readers familiar with alternate versions of the Jesse Tree will want to know that Eidson does not follow the typical order of scriptures or the traditional symbols. That being said, The Advent Tree does achieve its purpose of helping readers meet Jesus in the entirety of God’s story.
Additional Notes:
1. I did not realize until I began reading The Advent Tree that Kara Eidson is an ordained pastor. Those who are of the belief that women should not hold this position in the church may want to steer clear of this book, as she often discusses her experiences as a pastor.
2. Doctrinally speaking, readers who take a more literal view of Scripture should know that Eidson questions whether Sarah was actually 90 years old when she conceived Isaac, describes Tamar as needing to overcome oppression and injustice, and mentions that humans “evolved to operate in the daylight and sleep when it is dark outside” (as opposed to being created that way).
3. Lastly, I did not care for the many personal and modern anecdotes littered throughout The Advent Tree, as I felt they interrupted the flow of the devotions without adding value. Some examples include references to Dr. Who, Wicked, Hamilton, Lilo and Stitch, putting out cookies for Santa Claus, etc. However, readers could choose to skip over these portions of the devotionals easily.
FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. All views expressed are solely my honest opinion.
The Advent Tree is a versatile resource written for individuals, families, Bible studies, or churches. The daily devotions, which begin four Sundays before Christmas Day and extend through the Twelve Days of Christmas before culminating on Epiphany, are well-written and accompanied by helpful digital resources. For families or churches who desire a shorter version of The Advent Tree, Eidson has also included twelve simplified “Family Devotions” that touch on the major themes presented in the rest of the daily readings.
Each devotion follows the same pattern: scripture reading, explanation, accompanying symbol, and thoughtful discussion questions. The simplified “Family Devotions” also include a repeat-after-me prayer.
Readers familiar with alternate versions of the Jesse Tree will want to know that Eidson does not follow the typical order of scriptures or the traditional symbols. That being said, The Advent Tree does achieve its purpose of helping readers meet Jesus in the entirety of God’s story.
Additional Notes:
1. I did not realize until I began reading The Advent Tree that Kara Eidson is an ordained pastor. Those who are of the belief that women should not hold this position in the church may want to steer clear of this book, as she often discusses her experiences as a pastor.
2. Doctrinally speaking, readers who take a more literal view of Scripture should know that Eidson questions whether Sarah was actually 90 years old when she conceived Isaac, describes Tamar as needing to overcome oppression and injustice, and mentions that humans “evolved to operate in the daylight and sleep when it is dark outside” (as opposed to being created that way).
3. Lastly, I did not care for the many personal and modern anecdotes littered throughout The Advent Tree, as I felt they interrupted the flow of the devotions without adding value. Some examples include references to Dr. Who, Wicked, Hamilton, Lilo and Stitch, putting out cookies for Santa Claus, etc. However, readers could choose to skip over these portions of the devotionals easily.
FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. All views expressed are solely my honest opinion.
November 17, 2025
I appreciated this advent devotion. I would probably recommend it for families with older elementary to teens just because each devotion may be hard for a younger elementary to keep engaged.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews