Jesus might be the reason for the season, but there is so much more behind even that cliche.

Jesus might be the reason for the season, but there is so much more behind even that cliche.


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That's the focus of Greg Texada's first book, "Christmas: More Than a Good Story."

The idea for the book came from a cleaning session in January at The Word Christian Center, where Texada serves as pastor.

He ran across the outline of a sermon he preached during the previous holiday season.

"I felt that God put it in my heart to write this book and have it ready for people this Christmas," Texada said. "The book comes from 10 powerful truths I pull from the Christmas message."

Texada looked at passages from the bible and began to draw inspiration from the events leading up to and immediately following the birth of Jesus Christ, he said.

The different stories that surrounded his birth held lessons for people to keep in mind during the holiday season, such as a reminder of love that drove God to mankind a savior.

Yet, Texada said these lessons are not all holiday-oriented.

"This book also has year-round application and relevancy," he said.

For instance, the birth of Jesus Christ provides an example of what someone can accomplish from humble beginnings, Texada said. People can accomplish great things if they start from where they are and use the gifts they have.

"Little in the hands of man becomes great in the hands of God," said Texada, who referenced Zechariah 4:10 about not despising the days of small beginnings.

The Christmas message also offers hope in the thought that God's purposes cannot be stopped, Texada said.

King Herod's attempts at stopping Jesus Christ by having boys under age 2 killed were not enough to stop the plans God had laid out in an angel's message to his mother Mary.

Texada said the book not only contains lessons people can apply to their lives all year, but he wrote it for people from all walks of life. Parents who want to share a deeper meaning to the Christmas story with their kids, believers who want to build their faith, those who do not have a relationship with God and others who just need some hope can all gain a new perspective from the lessons in the Christmas story.

"God has revealed his heart to us in the Christmas message ... his love," Texada said. "Anyone who reads this book will never see Christmas the same way again."

Christmas: More Than a Good Story" is available from Hastings Entertainment, TheWordCC.com, GregTexada.com and Amazon.com.

Texada will be doing book signings from 1-3 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Hastings Entertainment store at 1460 MacArthur Drive in Alexandria and from 2-4 p.m. Dec. 19 at Books-A-Million at 3660 North Blvd. in Alexandria.