Do You See What I See?: Exploring the Christmas of Every Day

by Ross Parsley

If a poll were taken of Old Testament Jews on the birth of their Lord and Savior, what percentage do you think would have predicted that the cast of characters would be a virgin teenager betrothed to a lowly carpenter, barnyard animals, and stinky shepherds? Probably not many. In Do You See What I See? Pastor Ross Parsley shows how God uses ordinary people to fulfill His plan and purpose. He gives a warm, humorous, and uniquely honest look into the nativity story. Along the way he highlights how God's favor and plans are often followed by dashed hopes, heartache, and disappointment.but he shows that if we're faithful with what God puts in front of us we can accomplish the extraordinary.

Genres: Christmas, Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Non Fiction, Ebooks, Christian Living, Holiday

128 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2008

Reviews

[Sarah]

I appreciate what the author was trying to do. However, I think there are so many lessons to be learned without stretching supposing things that aren't in scripture. This wasn't a bad book, just not for me.

[Carol Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent little read! I have never read anything by Ross Parsley before but will be looking for more. I was amazed at his take on the Christmas story. It definitely is a story for all year long. His main point was that God allows us to hear, see and experience things for a reason. He uses ordinary people who will watch and listen then tell others what they have seen and heard. To illustrate the point, Paisley not only uses Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and wise men, he also travels through the Old and New Testaments. He gives examples from the lives of Moses, Gideon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, the disciples, Peter, John and Paul among others. This is easy reading but it is not "fluff." It is a book challenging us to "hear and see" and then go tell others. How can we NOT share what God has revealed to us?

[Dr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful Testimony

This book was a short read, but covered a powerful message of encouragement to the reader. The book challenges us to evaluate our lives in light of the Christmas Story. We can discover how God does extraordinary things through the lives of ordinary people. I want to encourage the one who is struggling with their walk and service to the Lord. He loves to use ordinary people even today.

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very quick, very easy to read Christmas Devotional. It focuses on the role of the shepherds and the wise men in the nativity story and how we can learn lessons from them to apply to every day life. I really liked this devotional.

[Karla Renee Goforth Abreu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The theme of this book is that we watch and listen for God, His direction, His miraculous doings, in the midst of day to day life. When we see and hear, then we can begin to step out in faith and do, cooperate with God. Basically we do the ordinary and God does the extraordinary, but in participating and partnering with Him, we are involved the miraculous.
The author uses Scripture and then explains the passage in simple, enjoyable language. The passages are about people allowing God to do the extraordinary through them as they obeyed His functioning. Parsley also uses true stories from his own life and others to illustrate the truths He is relaying.
The book begins with the story if the nativity, emphasizing the ordinariness of the shepherds and Mary and Joseph.
This book is one which will give you encouragement and a little push to step out in faith and see God clearer in day to day life. It is beneficial to read at any time but especially during the busy and, iften emotional, Christmas season. It is a break from the rush, a shorter read that if light enough to be enjoyable but heavy enough to offer the reader a push to believe the miraculous.

[Trace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Not culturally accurate. Not very thought provoking. Not very challenging. I'm sure it's just what a few people out there needed to read at certain times and God used it in people's lives, but I just didn't like it at all.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast read, but good to reflect on. I like the focus on the ordinary. God uses us all. And God is with us all.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this Christmas devotional. Heartfelt and reverent!

[Ross Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read!

Christian book on Christmas. God use ordinary people to tell or do extraordinary things. Excellent book! I highly recommend it.

[Sarah Elsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encouraging

This book was very encouraging on taking the time to see the every day miracles that Christ is doing in my life and to share with others!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

While my granddaughter and I read this for Christmas week, it actually is applicable for any time of year. The point is to see the miracles of Christmas within every day.

** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED **

[Amber Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Religious Explanation

Filled with bible verses the author takes the time to explain what they mean and put the experience into a context anyone can understand and relate to.

[A'Lisa Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring read! Didn't know the author going in, but have learned quite a bit and really feel inspired after reading this.

[NancyInWI · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short easy read. God uses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes.

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short Advent devotional emphasizes how God used ordinary people to do extraordinary things in the first Advent, and He can do the same thing today. We need to be open to God's call and realize that He can use us, ordinary as we are, to carry out his extraordinary miracles. We have to be open to His call and willing to take risks to answer His call.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author drives home the realistic aspects of the Christmas story. When we read the account in the Bible and believe that God can do all things, we think all is peachy keen with Joseph and Mary. But it wasn't. They both had doubts and struggles. We tend to overlook these points when we read the story of Jesus' birth. This was a delightful story~~one that I will read again next year.

[Debbie Chatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome contemporary rendering of the Christmas story that brings it to life in a new way. Having grown up in a Christian home, the Christmas story becomes common place so I used this book this year to cause me to see the story in a way I never had before. I even ended up using part of this book for our family reading on Christmas Eve.

[Sherrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lessons from the Christmas Story for our Daily Walk

Ross Parsley considers the events of that miraculous night over two thousand years ago and the extraordinary actions of the ordinary people involved in a quest to show us that God is still calling ordinary people to see and do extraordinary things.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Ross and this waaas a book I can read again and again and even use in a small group as it has thought provoking questions. Makes you remember Christmas story is awesome but you can use the things in the story everyday year round.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was alright, but very short, and none of the points made by the author seemed extremely new and insightful. It did do an excellent job of pointing out how God often uses very ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

[megHan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little book to read during the holidays, one that shows that you don't have to be an amazing person to do good things. I really liked the questions throughout the book that challenged you to put yourself in each character they were discussing's shoes. Definitely worth a look.

[John H. Warren III · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for this holiday season

Easy and simple read to introduce my family to the finer points of the Christmas story and how God, as Father, used ordinary men and women to tell and build and extraordinary story. Amen!

[shari arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Reminds us God will or is using us to disciple others. Easy to understand and told in a fun and educational way. Loved it. The author is bible educated and shares it in layman terms so you can enjoy its simplicity and even better relate to it

[Heather Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful quick read for the season!

[Kate Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book... especialy for the Christmas season but honestly it is well to remember in July.

[Justin Farley · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://justinfarley.blogspot.com/2012...

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good little book that works through the Christmas story and the song explaining that God uses ordinary people and all the extraordinary things we all have the opportunity to see.

[James R.]

This is a good book for kids.

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An encouraging book, guiding the reader to look more closely at the Christmas story and apply it to their own lives.

[Cynthia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the inspirational Christmas read I'd hoped for. Basically just a bunch of pages that remind me that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.