A Beautiful Story: Jesus and St. Nick Book Review
Review of the Book A Beautiful Story: Jesus & St. Nick by Sarah French, illustrated by Robert Sauber
Have you ever searched for a book that tells the story you want to share with your kids? Did you find that book? Or did you give up after not finding what you we looking for? Sarah French did something different when she could not find the story she was looking for; she wrote it herself. A Beautiful Story: Jesus and St. Nick is the book she wrote. It is colorfully illustrated by Robert Sauber.
Why was this so important to her? Many people celebrate St. Nick as Santa Claus: a fat jolly man who brings treats to kids every Christmas Eve.
But is that all? Christmas is about Jesus’ birth. He is our Savior. He should be the focus, not Santa.
Sarah French wanted to share the story of St. Nick and how he was also a believer in and lover of Jesus Christ.
Who is St. Nick?
St. Nicholas lived in the 300’s. He was a priest, then became the Bishop of Myra, attending the Council of Nicaea in 325. He was devoted to God, was dedicated to helping the poor, and loved children.
In her book, Sarah French explores the reality that is often ignored in our society today that St. Nicholas was a real person and was a devoted follower of Christ.
Jesus and St. Nick
Sarah French’s book is about a family of two siblings who are making cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. When their mother is preparing to tell them a bedtime story, the boy CJ wants to hear about Santa since Santa has the “Best job ever!” bringing gifts and joy to others.
However, the story his mother tells is probably not what CJ had in mind! After his sister Blair reminds him that Christmas is about Jesus, not Santa, their mother begins telling her kids the story.
Mother begins reading in her Bible about the prophecies of Jesus to come to His people, about Jesus’ birth, and about His ministry on earth before His death.
She shares how Jesus inspired a little boy named Nicholas to devote his life to Jesus, becoming a bishop of the Church.
Nicholas did many good works.
Not only did St. Nicholas have a very strong faith, but he lived out his faith in serving others. He put coins in stockings to help others in need and he served God with joy.
Sarah French talks about the different names for Santa in different parts of the works and how St. Nick inspires others to serve others in need and give joyfully. Mostly, we can “be ambassadors for Jesus” like Saint Nick was, and share Jesus with others.
Jesus is the real reason for celebrating Christmas.
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It is A Beautiful Story: Jesus and St. Nick
Written by Sarah French and illustrated by Robert Sauber, A Beautiful Story: Jesus and St. Nick shares with readers that St. Nicholas was a real person who had a great faith in God. In his great love and devotion to Jesus, he became a priest and then a bishop of the Catholic Church. He served others however he could.
St. Nick’s faith and good works have been an inspiration all over the world for over a thousand years. Unfortunately, modern culture’s creation of the figure of Santa Claus has little to do with Christ Himself. This book is a great story to get the word out about who St. Nick really is (a bishop of the Church and a devoted Catholic Christian) and how the legend of Santa was inspired.
May we be inspired and moved to lead lives of service to God as St. Nick was, rather than focus on a societal view of consumerism at Christmastime.
Saint Nick’s feast day is December 6. To read more about this amazing saint, the St. Nicholas Center website is a great resource: https://www.stnicholascenter.org/who-is-st-nicholas
You can find A Beautiful Story: Jesus and St. Nick by Sarah French and illustrated by Robert Sauber on Amazon: A Beautiful Story: Jesus and St. Nick.
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