I collect devotionals so I was excited for the opportunity to review this new devotional by Anita Higman. It is a unique book, unlike my other devotionals. There are 40 devotions based on 40 different Bible characters such as Joseph, Peter, Lazarus, Paul, Ruth, Jonah, Rahab, Esther, Zacchaeus, Daniel, Hannah, and Job. The author gives us readers a glimpse of what their daily lives, thoughts, and feelings might have been like and helps us see how God worked in each of these lives and met their needs. She did a great job at bringing these characters to life. We can relate to them in so many different ways. What they learned can still apply to today's issues. Each devotion includes the Story from God's Word (passages from the Bible) and the Story--from Then to Now which is a lesson in application that the author shares from her own experiences. Each devotion ends with thought-provoking questions that are useful for for either personal reflection or group discussion. I enjoyed reading this insightful book. I usually don't like to read fiction that is based on Bible characters because I feel that it may not retain the accuracy. However, the author's retelling of these characters is quite Biblically sound and believable (it provides the actual Scriptures to compare to).
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Sometimes even the most virtuous things in life can be a distraction--it's easy to use the excuse that we are chasing after what is good and wholesome. But even good books cannot replace God's Word, and even the most eloquent sermons cannot replace that still small voice of God." (p. 89)
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When faced with matters of faith, do I always take a stand for Christ, for the sake of righteousness and justice, even if it means loss or humiliation or peril? I pray that God will give us the strength to be as daring and committed and unflappable as Rahab!" (p. 94)
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Everything, good or evil, curse or blessing, has a powerful ripple effect. Rarely do people get to see how the waves of their actions make it to that distant shore. No matter how small the kindness, no matter how insignificant the effort might look from our earthly vantage point, it will all make a difference. Now and for eternity." (p. 111)
~ I received a free copy of this book via the Book Club Network, Inc. in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
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