It was a sunny day in June when artist and writer Bette Dickinson learned that she was pregnant. Just the previous day, she had been in her craft room painting a depiction of The Annunciation, the famous scene where the angel Gabriel appears to Mary and declares that she will conceive and give birth to the Son of God, Jesus. 

Her painting went on to grace the cover of her book, Making Room in Advent: 25 Devotions for a Season of Wonder. As her son grew in her womb, Dickinson shares, “God grew creative ideas for this book and stretched me to make room for them.”

The result is a stunning collection of original paintings depicting the Christmas story as told in the Gospel of Luke, paired with Scripture readings, devotional messages, breath prayers and reflection questions. Throughout this 25-day spiritual journey, readers are invited to step away from the chaos of the Christmas season to make room in their lives for mystery, hunger, humility and worship.

Lens-Eye View

Dickinson’s paintings are the true highlights of this book. Minimalist in style, yet striking and compelling, readers are introduced to the practice of visio divina—encountering God through what we see. Created through the lens of her own pregnancy, Dickinson focuses largely on the feminine experiences of Advent: Mary’s pregnancy, Elizabeth’s barrenness, Anna’s faithfulness—though she similarly depicts the men’s experiences with sensitivity and compassion. She also beautifully highlights the ways God elevates the marginalized in society throughout the account of Jesus’ birth. 

Whether you are new to the Christmas story or have become overly familiarized with it, this book will help you encounter the Nativity in a fresh and contemplative way as you tune your heart to the wonder of Jesus’ birth this Advent season.

For more information on breath prayer, please see: https://www.soulshepherding.org/breathprayers