Author Spotlight

Meet Cheryl Barker This month, we're chatting with Cheryl Barker, author of Christmas for the Heart. This is my favorite devotional to read at Christmastime! I loved it so much that I even bought one for my mom as a gift. And she loves it too! It's the perfect book to curl up and relax with during the Christmas season.

So many things try to steal our attention away from the true meaning of Christmas. Cheryl's book will change how you think and feel during this time. It's filled with devotions, quotes, poetry, reflections, and special features that will help you remember the reason for the season. And since Christmas is right around the corner, it's the perfect gift for someone you love! Let’s meet Cheryl!

What personal experience or research first led you to write this book?

My own joy in spending time in personal moments of Christmas worship over the years inspired me to want to provide a Christmas devotional book that would encourage others to do the same. I had also been including an original Christmas poem in my Christmas cards for nearly forty years, so using some of those in Christmas for the Heart would allow me to share them more widely.

Who do you hope will benefit most from your message, and how?

I hope everyone reading Christmas for the Heart will benefit from it in the ways they most need at this time. I hope it will help readers:

• Draw close to Jesus and rejoice in him—the greatest gift ever given to the world
• Reclaim the beauty and wonder of the season
• Give the King of Kings the worship he’s due
• Fully celebrate the season—the magic and the miracles, the holly and the holy
• And for those who don’t know Jesus—that they will be pointed to him and invited to give him their hearts

What was the most surprising thing you discovered while writing or researching your book?

While researching Chapter 13—The Spirit of Christmas Love—I found that during World War I (in December 1914) an unsanctioned Christmas Truce took place. Soldiers from both sides on the Western Front laid down their arms, left their trenches, and shared food, carols, games, and comradeship. If for only a few brief hours, the spirit of love and goodwill that’s so prevalent at Christmas rose up and overpowered the very spirit of war.

What’s one piece of advice you’d share with aspiring nonfiction writers who want to publish?

Spend time developing your craft of writing and learning how the publishing world works before trying to have your work published.

Fun question: If your book were turned into a documentary, what would the theme song be?

O Come Let Us Adore Him (O Come All Ye Faithful)

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Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Sharing this book with the world has been the privilege of a lifetime. I am blown away every time I think of how God has allowed my words to bless others and draw them closer to him. Oh, how I praise him!

Where to find Cheryl and her books:

Website: https://cherylbarker.net/​

Social Media:

Book:​
​Amazon​
​Cheryl's Website​
​Bookshop.org*

*Affiliate link