Showing results by author "Kenneth Winter" in All Categories

A collection of 25 short stories for the advent season from some familiar and some not-so-familiar people. Experience a new the truth of the glorious arrival of the baby in the manger through the lens of these fictional first-person accounts of the prophecies and events heralding the birth of Jesus. Some of the characters may be fictional, but the truth they tell is very real!

Experience the Advent through the eyes of 10 children who witnessed the glorious arrival of the promised one. Join Isaac, Salome, Sarah, Yanzu, and others in their journeys as they share their own fictional eyewitness accounts of the prophecies and events surrounding the birth of Jesus. Some of the characters may be fictional, but the truth they tell is very real! This audiobook is for children ages 8 and up. It is a companion to Little Did We Know, a collection of short stories written for teens and adults.

Shimon was a shepherd boy when he first saw the newborn King in a Bethlehem stable. Join him in his journey as he re-encounters the Lamb of God at the Jordan, and follows the Miracle Worker through the wilderness, the Messiah to the cross, and the Risen Savior from the upper room. Though Shimon is a fictional character, we’ll hear the audio of the Gospels unfold through his eyes, and experience a story of redemption - the redemption of a shepherd - and the redemption of each one who chooses to follow the Good Shepherd.

In a day when most religious leaders were known for their efforts to discredit the ministry of Jesus, there came one who earnestly sought Him. In a day when most religious leaders mocked Jesus as He hung on a cross, there came one who meekly helped bury His body. And in a day when most religious leaders felt threatened by Jesus, there came one who courageously chose to take a stand for Him. This is the story of a teacher called Nicodemus who God used to teach what it means to seek God, not only in word, but also in deed.

The Book of Acts recounts the stories of numerous men and a few women God chose to use to plant His church in the first century. This is the story of one of those–a merchant called Lydia. Explore her story and the story of the times in which she lived—the portion you may already know … and the rest of the story that could have been.

This is the story of Mary Magdalene. The Gospels tell us she was a successful woman. But they also tell us she found herself under the control of seven demons until the day Jesus set her free. From that day forward she was one of the women who traveled with Jesus. She was a firsthand witness to much of His ministry. She was one of the few who stood at the foot of the cross. She was one of a handful who journeyed to the garden tomb. She was the first to actually see Jesus after He had risen.

In a day when the culture dictated that women were to be seen and not heard, God raised up a woman with the faith, wisdom and courage to lead her people as a judge over Israel. After settling in the Promised Land, the people of Israel repeatedly turned their backs on God and went their own way. But by His grace, God mercifully responded to His people’s cries for help by raising up judges to lead His people back to Him. This is the story of one of those judges—the one called Deborah.

Yes, it’s true—Rahab was a prostitute—until the day God redeemed her. But gratefully, once we have been redeemed, God doesn’t see any of us through the lens of our sin; rather, He sees us through the lens of His Son. It was by faith, this woman of courage and strength did not die with all the others in her city. And it was by faith, she became a part of the ancestral line that led to the advent of Jesus. This is the story of the heroine who protected the Israelite spies … and so much more.

Joseph was an unlikely choice to be the earthly father of Jesus. There was nothing about him on the surface that would have prompted any of us to consider him worthy. And yet, no other man in history has been charged with the tremendous responsibility he was given. He wasn’t randomly chosen by God. He wasn’t chosen simply because he and Mary were engaged to be married. He was, most definitely, not an after-thought or a footnote. He and Mary were betrothed because God had chosen them both and ordered their steps accordingly … from before the beginning of time.

Simon was a loyal son, a selfless brother, a faithful husband, a loving father, a trustworthy friend, and a skillful fisherman, as well as a natural leader—long before he ever met Jesus of Nazareth. He put the needs of others before his own. He led with his heart; often before he engaged his head. Some might call him impetuous, but others would say impassioned. He was the only one willing to step out of the boat and walk on the water. He alone drew his sword to defend his Master. But this same man failed in a moment of fear and denied his Lord.

Most of us know the messages delivered by the prophet Isaiah, but do we know the story behind the man? Raised in the king’s palace, Isaiah, unlike other prophets, was given a unique perspective to counsel kings and foretell the coming of the King of Kings. His family relationships most likely created an internal conflict for him as he delivered the difficult messages Jehovah God had for His people and their kings. Long before Isaiah ever knew the events that would unfold in his life, God had been at work in him to mold and shape him into a man to whom He could entrust this assignment.

Most of the descendants of Adam turned their hearts away from their Creator and did evil in His sight. But in the seventh generation, there came an ordinary man who, at the age of sixty-five, turned his heart toward God. Explore the story of Enoch, the friend who walked with God for three hundred years until God took him in an extraordinary way. Consider a walk with God that resulted in his being one of only two men who never experienced physical death.

He was a slave who became a cupbearer. He was a cupbearer who became a king’s emissary. He was an emissary who became a leader. And he was a leader who became a legend. All because he was a faithful servant of the Most High God. Consider his story—the portion you may already know … and the rest of the story that could have been.