The Book of Waiting: Reflections on Advent and Christmas

by Jonathan Martin, Chris E.W. Green (foreword)

Has there ever been a time in your life when you were not waiting--waiting at the DMV, or the check in the mail; waiting to be old enough to drive, or to graduate, or to retire; waiting on somebody to finally notice you, or finally leave you alone; waiting for your big break to come, or for the fever to break? The things we are waiting for are different, but the sense of powerlessness is always the same.

The Book of Waiting will help you turn the waiting into consecrated time, to make the waiting count for something. This journey from Advent into Christmas reveals a path not just for a season, but a way of being in the world--a way to say a deep yes to the mystery of your own life, and the God who is the giver of life.

105 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2023

Reviews

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a quality to Jonathan Martin’s writing that I like and can’t completely identify (but I’ll try): he reminds me of Anne Lamott in taking seemingly everyday interactions with his flock or people he knows and infusing them with quiet spiritual truths. His paradigm of spirituality is not closed or denominational, but welcoming and actually elevating those of other faiths in his daily life. The way he talks about the imam and rabbi at the school where he works…just beautiful.
My heart is warm after completing this book.

[Nicole Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a few Advent and Christmas books over the years, they were nice, but nothing special. I don’t come from a tradition that took Advent all that seriously, and am probably all too familiar with the biblical Christmas stories. This book, however, shook me in ways I didn’t think the Christmas story could. Not in a sentimental, Hallmark movie “true meaning of Christmas” kind of way, but in a deep, “this is what we’re here for and what it’s all about” way. In The Book of Waiting, Jonathan asks us to unfamiliarize ourselves with the stories we have known and read, and refamiliarize ourselves in ways that make the stories come alive. We are invited to remember the birth of God not just as a singular historical event but as something that keeps on happening, over and over again, anytime we are willing participants and co-conspirators. As we wait for peace on earth, for God to come in the middle of this chaos, Jonathan shows us how to use that time of waiting intentionally, encouraging us not to give into despair, but to bear witness to a story that we are continually being invited into. The content is prophetic, timely and relevant, but Jonathan is not simply relaying information here. He is lighting these stories up with beauty and poetic language that ascends to the heavens but also manages to stay grounded in the reality of right here, right now. We celebrate the birth of one child as we are watching thousands of children slaughtered in Gaza every day on our iPhones. The Christmas story invites us into both of these realities, and we need to be reminded that faith isn’t a way to bypass the world as it is, but to be willing participants with the God who didn’t just come, but keeps coming, to bring peace on earth, and good will to all men. This book is an absolute must read for this particular time and this particular season. Gorgeous, heartbreaking, compelling, and unbelievably timely.

[John Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing has Changed Except Everything has Changed

Jonathan Martin doesn’t write books from ideas in his head. The thoughts that he attempts to put into words are fired in his innermost being. And as a reader, those thoughts went right my own innermost being, creating a deep longing for the kind of faith, hope, and love that saints like Sister Gaines had.

We all need people in our lives that model how love truly transforms absolutely everything. Sister Gaines did this for the author. The book isn’t primarily about her, and yet it’s all about her, because it’s about that transforming love that turns even the simplest mundane experiences into divine encounters.

This is an easy read, but I recommend reading only 1-3 chapters at a time, and giving those words time to marinate before moving on. You can enjoy this book anytime of year, but I found it particularly moving to read during advent.