If there’s any time of the year that brings the word “wonder” to mind, it’s Christmas.

That “feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar or inexplicable” as Oxford Languages describes it, seems to come to life with the awesomeness of the season.

Bringing a tree inside, hanging lights outside, buying gifts, cooking and cleaning, being with family, seeing familiar faces at church services and feeling the excitement through the eyes of children can boost spirits and anticipation that something wonderful is about to happen.

But as the Rev. John Goodale, caring ministry pastor at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Colorado Springs, knows, it’s easy for adults to lose the joyfulness of the holiday that marks the birth of the Christian Savior, Jesus Christ.

“So often in December it feels like the pace ramps up and there’s more to add to our calendar — social activities, family visits,” he said. “It feels like I’m ready to celebrate Christmas when it’s all over.”

Amid the chaos that can quickly mount, adults often forget to pause and be intentional about preparing spiritually for the meaning of the celebration, he said.

Providing guidance to recapture that feeling from childhood is the purpose of the pastor’s second book, “Restoring the Wonder of Christmas,” which was published in October by Colorado Springs publisher Rhyolite Press.

“There’s a built-in hope it will be a special moment, but with a full calendar we don’t get to celebrate the season as fully as we’d like,” Goodale said.

The book gives a worldview of the Bible’s Nativity scenes in four personable and easy-to-read sections. Each offers a keyword for readers to contemplate and reflect on as they are challenged to view the story in a new light and apply its teachings to their lives.

The perspectives of all the characters are there — Mary and Joseph, the innkeeper, the shepherds, the animals and, of course, Jesus.

The journey begins with what constitutes “Wonder” and moves into “Respond,” including how a seemingly normal day for Mary, the mother of Jesus, required a response from her that changed the world forever. Goodale explores how being open to God’s presence and responding from the heart can affect positive change for everyone.

Cultivating anticipation through the innkeepers’ eyes as God enters the world as a baby gives a fresh look at the manger scene in “Anticipate,” while the “Receive” chapter illustrates how to accept God’s blessings.

The book concludes with celebrating wonder, using the example of a man named Simeon, who’s described in the Bible’s Book of Luke as waiting to see the newborn king with a hopeful nature.

With inspiring words and insight, Goodale encourages readers to do the same.

“Wonder elevates us above the ordinary routine of our days. It makes us feel a little more alive within,” Goodale writes.

“Wonder goes hand in hand with amazement… and often leads to gratitude. Who wouldn’t desire a greater sense of wonder?”

The book helps readers walk through the holidays with less anxiety and more meaning, said Goodale, who’s been a pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs for nearly 30 years.

“My hope is this book is a resource to help people not just go through the season but feel like they’re experiencing all the good of Christmas maybe a little more deeply,” he said.

Response has been healthy; copies have been selling quickly and are available through Amazon and the local Hooked on Books bookstore at 12 E. Bijou St., which specializes in local authors and rare books.

Goodale’s first book, published four years ago, is titled “Finishing Well: Biblical Lessons To Maximize Your Later Years.”

Contact the writer: 719-476-1656.