If He Had Not Come

Our family was asked to review the Christmas story from David Nicholson, If He Had Not Come, for the Crew.

True confessions time.  I tend to sob my way through movies and books.  The kids bring me a box of tissues when we sit down to watch a movie together.  So it came as no great surprise to anyone when I tried to read this story to Jack and Eli, and stopped 8 pages in and set the book aside.  I could tell it was going to be a very touching story.

So I did what any devious mama would do.  I pawned off the reading part onto someone else under the guise of taking photos.  I really am blessed to have such an agreeable husband.

Paul read the book to Eli, Jack, Hannah, Katie, and Luke, our five youngest kids ranging in age from 3-13.  There may have been a teenager listening to the story just out of range of my camera, as well.  The story is recommended for ages 6 and up.  Personally, I feel that Hannah and Jack, ages 7 and 10, will both get more out of the story next year, as they mature and understand more.

If He Had Not Come tells the story of Bobby, a young boy who hangs his stocking and goes to bed on Christmas Eve, thinking of the verse where Jesus said, "If I had not come..."  He goes on to dream of a world where Jesus had never been born.  Not just no Christmas, but a world where many of the niceties of society that we take for granted simply aren't there.

Fortunately, he awakens to the sound of church bells on Christmas morning, and is shaken enough to really appreciate our world, and the effect that Christ had on it more.  He is inspired to pray and thank Jesus for coming and being the greatest Christmas gift of all, and asks Him to help him live the life Christ would have him live.

Paul mentioned that the text was a little dated, and that's because this is a retelling of a story by Nan F. Weeks, originally published in 1938, when Woolworth's and Five and Dime stores were common.  I felt it added to the olden days charm of the book, and was not a deterrent to me, since many Christmas books have that "times past" feel to them.

Jack, age 10, thought it was going to be "just another Christmas story," but it was actually quite thought provoking.  We talked about the book afterwards, and it was a startling realization to one of the kids that without Jesus, there would be no Christian churches.  "Interesting perspective," said Eli about the story.

To take things further, there are discussion questions in the back of the book.


The hardcover book sells for $18.95.  There is also an ebook version available for $3.99.  This is a story you will want to add to your holiday library.

You can connect with David Nicholson and his book on Facebook, or you can read what other Crew families had to say about If He Had Not Come by clicking the box below.



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