Jesus Christ - One Wintry Night

ONE
WINTRY
NIGHT

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Acknowledgments by Ruth Bell Graham

My warmest thanks to all who helped on this project.

To Ray Seldomridge, a splendid and candid editor.

To Evelyn Freeland and Kathryn Morgan for patiently typing the manuscript through many changes.

To Steve Griffith for introducing me to Richard Jesse Watson.

To Dwight Baker for his expertise and encouragement.

And of course, to Richard Jesse Watson, an artist who has been a joy to work with and who has become a warm, personal friend.

May this story become part of your family as it has been a part of ours.

Acknowledgments by Richard Jesse Watson

I am deeply grateful to those who helped make this a book of many miracles: To Susi, my wife and most cherished friend on earth, and to Jesse, Faith, and Ben, my loving children and awesome friends. I so appreciate you, Ruth Bell Graham, for your delightful friendship, encouragement, and solid prayers. Huge thanks to Steve Griffith for vision, insight, and friendship; to Ray Seldomridge, pal, word juggler fantastique; to Don Aylard, a true Narnian and fine designer. Special thanks to Connie Gustafson Smiley for exquisite calligraphy. My sincere gratitude to Dwight Baker for patience and support, and to all those at BGEA who in quiet ways played a vital part. The following folk were fabulous facilitators: my mom, Elsie M. Watson, Maury Scobee, Rick Halverson, Roy Gustafson, Elias of Bethlehem, Karen Bretz, Joy Chu, the wild-feathered Hunts, the Al Morris fam, Mike White (for egging me on), Paul Boyer photography, Dan Lagasse, the Pratts and Alphy, Bergantz florist, Huntington Gardens, and Marty Gay. For modeling, many thanks to Mark J. Lilly, T. G. Wazo, Jesse Buffalo, Luke Hunt, Chester, David Haskell, Ethan Alley, Jason Ensminger, Rose Gonzales, Thomas Atkens, Frank Martinez, Jennifer Lynn Minish, Ashley Lloyd, Preacher Spider H. Najera, Mikey A. M. Hernanez, James E. Everett, and Elme Lopez. I am humbled and grateful for the prayers of manyto those I have not met and to Paddy Harrigian and friends, also the Harmsworths, Kristiana Gregory, Eddie Van Cleve, Arielle and Erik Baker and family, Rick and Linda Larson, Jim and Marian Gilliland, Jim and Connie Rosenquist, and the Port Townsend Calvary Chapel. Last and first, I give thanks to the Author of Life, and Illustrator of Glory, my Jesus.

Illustrations in this book were done in egg tempera on Strathmore illustration board.

One Wintry Night

1994, 2012 by Ruth Bell Graham

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Tommy Nelson. Tommy Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications, Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920, www.alivecommunications.com.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4003-2116-2

Printed in China

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Contents

M y wife, Ruth, was one of the most creative people I ever knewa gifted poet and author who found beauty and joy in everything around her and took delight in expressing that to others through her writings. She was also an ardent student of the Bible and had a remarkable gift for making its timeless truths come alive in simple but profound ways.

I know of no greater witness to Ruths creativity and storytelling skills than the book you now hold in your hand, One Wintry Night. She labored on it tirelessly, convinced that its warm but compelling storybeautifully illustrated with Richard Jesse Watsons unforgettable artworkcould touch the mind and heart of every reader, especially children. And she was right, as letter after letter over the years has attested.

I am grateful that our friends at Thomas Nelson have now made One Wintry Night available to a new generation of readers. May it delight and inspire you, as it has our entire family.

Billy Graham

May 2012

A nd it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered....

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

LUKE 2:111

T he boy hunkered down and yanked his cap farther over his ears as the wind rose to a roar across the ridge. Low, dark clouds moving down from the north were bringing darkness early. A snowflake touched his cheek. The boy was mountain tough, but his grandpa had warned him against taking a long hike alone on such a cold day. Still, the boy had the urge.