It might be too early to think about the decorations and trimmings associated with the Christmas season, but one writer, who lived the earliest years of his life in Selma, is hoping readers in the Black Belt are ready to read about the real meaning of the holiday.

Dr. Jerry Henry, who grew up in his family’s home on 3rd Avenue, will be back in Selma selling and signing his book ‘The Christmas Promise: From Eden to the Magi’ from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Vaughan Room at the Selma Public Library on Nov. 4.

“The book will take you all the way back to the Garden of Eden where God made his promise to Adam and Eve that evil would not have the final word. You will look through the lenses of the prophet Isaiah as well as the lives of many other Bible character,” Dr. Henry’s wife, Susan said.

Dr. Henry said the book — which focuses on how God has fulfilled the promise made in the Garden of Eden — had been something he had wanted to do for a long time.

“It’s really been a long time in the making. My first Ph.D. seminar, had to deal with the birth of Jesus Christ, and the verses in the Bible that deal with the birth of Christ. So, that stimulated an interest that was already there, even back then,” Henry said.

While the book will appeal to those that are well versed on the Christmas story, Henry thinks it will also attract a wider audience that want to learn more than they currently do.

“People that have some kind of interested in the bible, and have enjoyed reading stories from the bible. Anybody who has any kind of interest in the Christmas stories, would be interested in this book,” Henry said.

Dr. Henry is currently the pastor of First Baptist Church in Fairhope.

Along with a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University, Dr. Henry received masters and doctoral degrees from Southwest Baptist Seminary, and has taught at Judson College, Samford University and the University of Mobile.