Anne Morse - Its a Wonderful Life Advent Devotional

Praise for Its a Wonderful Life Advent Devotional

This advent guide is a true gift. Anne has captured the true meaning of Christmas through the film It's a Wonderful Life . She shows us how we can apply these messages to our own lives. A must addition to your celebration of the holidays!

Karolyn "Zuzu" Grimes

A fun, refreshing, biblically-informed exploration of one of our most-loved cinematic Christmas traditions.

Ellen Vaughn, New York Times bestselling author

Is Frank Capras Its a Wonderful Life a religious movie? The answer is, It can be. While there are Christian themesChristmas, angels, prayersrunning through the story, the real Christian content, about a life well-lived, has to be teased out.

This kind of teasing out requires a guide who loves the story and knows what to look for and, thankfully, thats what Anne Morse has provided us within her Advent devotional. Give her four weeks and you will never see Capras classic the same way again.

Roberto Rivera , Senior Fellow (retired), Colson Center for Christian Worldview

If you are looking for a fresh and encouraging way to incorporate a holiday tradition with the Christmas story, Its a Wonderful Life Advent Devotional does that beautifully! George Baileys selfless acts, the impact he has on those he loves, and the danger of losing sight of what matters in life, serve as poignant reminders during our hectic holiday season. Anne pulls these lessons out like glittering gifts ready to give joy to the reader.

Sharon Kaselonis , author, Jesus, Day by Day

Its a Wonderful Life Advent Devotional

How to Find Your Own Wonderful Life with Help from George Bailey, the Angel Clarence, Uncle Billy, and Old Man Potter

Anne Morse

CrossLink Publishing

Rapid City, SD

Copyright 2021 by Anne Morse.

All rights reserved. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the address below.

Morse/CrossLink Publishing

1601 Mt. Rushmore Re, Ste 3288

Rapid City, SD 57701

www.CrossLinkPublishing.com

Ordering Information:

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the Special Sales Department at the address above.

Its a Wonderful Life Advent Devotional/Anne Morse. 1st ed.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021942510

Quotations and materials from the following books were used with permission from their authors:

Frank Capra, The Name above the Title: An Autobiography (Da Capo Press edition, 1990) first edition, page 375.

Paul Vitz, Faith of the Fatherless: The Psychology of Atheism (Ignatius Press, 2013) first edition.

Scripture quotations marked BSB are taken from The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible, Copyright 2016, 2020 by Bible Hub. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NLV are taken from New Life Version (NLV), 1969 by Christian Literature International.

For Benjamin and Oliver, who play huge roles in making my own life wonderful.

Contents

Foreword

D id anyone ever love America better than Frank Capra did? And did anyones art better celebrate this country and its values that made her the greatest symbol of freedom in world history?

In his autobiography and in interviews, Capra tells the story of how, in 1903, he and his family sailed to America in the squalid steerage hold of the Germania. As they steamed into New York harbor, six-year-old Frank spotted the Statue of Liberty holding out her torch. His father exclaimed: Ciccio, look! Look at that! Thats the greatest light since the star of Bethlehem! Thats the light of freedom! Remember that!

Capra never lost the childlike delight of that moment, and he never ceased to marvel at what this country represents, especially for those not born here.

I have many times told people to watch his spectacular film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , just to understand what our democracy is all about. His equally wonderful film, You Cant Take It with You , is another favorite of mine, and as funny as anything youll ever see. But of all his films, Its a Wonderful Life stands apart as the one which earned a place among that precious handful of films everyone seems to know and love.

Most people assume the film has always been hugely popular, but the fact is that right out of the gate it didnt catch on. It did catch on eventually boy, did itand over the decades its become a Christmas fixture no less than Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or Bing Crosby singing White Christmas. Have faith, the film seems to tell us. Trust God. If you do what is right, you cant go wrong. Dont be fooled by appearances! Truth and goodness always win in the end! These are the messages at the heart of all realitywhich was of course created by Godand a large part of the films appeal is that it presents these messages without seeming hokey. In the context of this wonderful story, these messages simply seem right and good and true. The film tells us what we all know, deep down, but which we nonetheless need to be reminded of over and over.

I am thrilled my friend Anne Morse has written this wonderful Advent devotional based on a glorious film, so full of truth about people and about life in general. Anne and I remember when we had the privilege of working for the great Chuck Colsonof how he would rave about this film, and talk on BreakPoint Radio about watching it every Christmas with his family, and exhort his audience to do the same.

I trust this book will bless you as you read through it. Via the story and characters of one of the greatest films ever made, we will find biblical answers to many of our eternal questions. And we will be reminded of what it meansday by day, year by yearto fulfill Jesuss great command to love our neighbors as ourselves. We dont have to become the next Mother Teresa in order to do this. George Bailey is an ordinary personjust as we arewho, decision by decision, lives his life for others. May this little book encourage you to do likewise in your own life!

Eric Metaxas

Introduction

M illions of Americans watch Its a Wonderful Life every December as a cherished Christmas traditionincluding me. I love the film so much that a few years ago I traveled to Seneca Falls, New York to attend the Its a Wonderful Life Festival, held every December in the town that many believe was director Frank Capras inspiration for the fictional Bedford Falls. Capra visited Seneca Falls not long before beginning work on the film, and it does bear a striking resemblance to Bedford Fallsright down to the steel truss bridge at the edge of town.