Soul Sustenance: The Crooked Christmas Tree

What does a father do when he's on the quest for the perfect tree but the one his kids pick out is rather...well, crooked? He eventually realizes that it's a modern-day parable for all of us. I had a chance to read the book that was inspired by this event, The Crooked Christmas Tree.

The obvious parable is, of course, included in the story - we are imperfect, but God loves us. Author Damian Chandler takes it farther, though, sharing other memories and lessons throughout the book. Each section is only a few pages long, which means it's easy to read a little here and there, or all at once. It also works for a family reading time during the Christmas season. Most of the book is suitable for families with kids of all ages - there is one scene where the author is talking to someone in front of a strip club, so families with very young children might not want to get into that. However, it's a good modern-day fable, and a great reminder for all of us this Christmas season.

DAMIAN CHANDLER was born in Toronto Canada and raised on the island of Barbados. His ministry journey started in a small church housed in the basement of his uncle’s home. With only nine members, the burden of the ministry fell equally on the shoulders of all, including 16-year-old Damian. That small church created his spiritual hunger and formed the foundation of his call to ministry.

He holds a Masters of Divinity; founded Impact Youth Ministries, an urban youth ministry focused on developing teens with a contagious and fearless faith; and has served churches in Seattle, Huntsville, and now Sacramento, where he is senior pastor of Capitol City SDA Church.

Damian is passionate about ministry but he is even more passionate about family. After years of dedicated pursuit, God gave him the desire of his heart and a partner in life, his wife Tanzy Chandler. They later added to their partnership daughter Zoe and sons Salem and Levi.