Hello, lovely friends!

Last time I mentioned Awaiting the Manger: Whispers of Advent in the Old Testament, a must-have for your Christmas book collection — and not just because it’s beautifully written by my dear friend and critique partner, Ocieanna Fleiss. 😉

You’ll find Ocieanna’s passion for finding Christ in the pages of Scripture gracefully unfolding in this lovely little tome. I predict that reading and rereading Awaiting the Manger from year to year will become a new treasured tradition for many a believer.

I was honored to have played a small supporting role in the creation of this keepsake book — which also makes a meaningful gift. You’ll want to lay your hands on a copy well before Advent begins, because your own season of awaiting the manger will be richer for allowing Ocieanna to walk you through the many surprising ways Christ’s coming was foreshadowed in the ancient pages of Scripture.

And now, as promised, here’s Ocieanna with answers to my Quick Qs and a glimpse into her writerly life.

• FAVORITE PLACE TO WRITE: My home office, which is in my bedroom!
• EARLY BIRD OR NIGHT OWL: Early bird
• COFFEE OR TEA: Decaf coffee
• MOUNTAINS OR SEASIDE: Seaside
• FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND A FRIDAY NIGHT: Going to a movie
• ONE THING YOU LOVE ABOUT WHERE YOU LIVE: We are close to a beautiful lake that I enjoy walking around.
• MOST MEMORABLE PLACE YOU’VE TRAVELED: Yap (island in the Federated States of Micronesia, in the Pacific Ocean)
• DREAM DESTINATION: Greek islands
• FICTION OR NONFICTION (ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND) Both
• CURRENTLY READING: Shadow Sister by Katherine Scott Jones😊, Enjoy Your Prayer Life by Michael Reeves, Antigone by Sophocles
• ONE GOOD BOOK REC: The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Dumas
• ONE MEMORABLE MOVIE: Henry V
• AGE YOU CAME TO JESUS: 9
• ONE MEANINGFUL BIBLE VERSE: Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and you faithfulness!

More about Ocieanna

Ocieanna Fleiss’s Advent devotional, Awaiting the Manger: Whispers of Advent in the Old Testament released in September from Harvest House publishers. Her memoir, Love like There’s No Tomorrow, tells the story of how she died and came back to life and the incredible life lessons she learned during her recovery. She has also written two mysteries in the Secrets of Wayfarers Inn series and three historical novels with Tricia Goyer. She’s been featured on KOMO 4 TV News, US News and World Report, and several local radio stations. She speaks at churches, parenting groups, and writers conferences and teaches logic and Bible to middle schoolers. Ocieanna makes her home in Seattle, Washington. She and her husband have four kids, only one still at home. Connect with Ocieanna at ocieanna.com and on social media.

About Awaiting the Manger

Celebrate the hope of Christmas as you witness how God has written the promise of Immanuel, “God with us,” into human history. Awaiting the Manger journeys with you through the Advent season, illuminating how God used the lives of ordinary people to foreshadow Christ’s coming during the centuries and even millennia before his birth.

Through daily readings, you’ll dive into Old Testament stories brought to life with vibrant cultural and historical insights. You’ll explore each account first through the perspective of those who lived it, and then by uncovering how it fits into the sweeping arc of our redemption. Each reading is followed by a devotional prompt, including a Awaiting the Manger will enrich your experience of Advent and your understanding of the Old Testament as you rejoice in the tenderness and compassion God has shown his people from the very beginning.

Buy it here.

Happy reading!

❤️ Katherine

With thanks to Harvest House for providing me a free copy. All opinions are mine.