"mornings with jesus" review & giveaway

About the book (provided by Litfuse): "Be still and know that I am God.” is one of the most beautiful verses from the Bible, but it’s not easy to practice in this busy world. Mornings with Jesus will help you do just that—“be still” in Jesus’ beautiful and powerful presence. For those who are seeking a deeper experience in their relationship with Christ, Mornings with Jesus offers a fresh perspective of who Jesus is (the Healer, the Son of God, the Comforter, the Good Shepherd) and what that means for day-to-day life. With a warm and friendly voice, 365 short devotional writings on the character and teachings of Jesus encourage readers to greet each day by drawing near to Him and inviting His presence into their day. Spend time with Jesus at the beginning of each day and experience His nearness and peace in a new way throughout the year. Each day’s selection includes: • a Bible verse • an entry based on Jesus: His words, miracles, and parables; His wisdom, compassion, and comfort; His mystery, power, divinity, and humanity • a “faith step” that will inspire and challenge readers to apply the day’s message to their lives.

To see what other reviewers are saying, go here. You can buy the book here.

My take: Mornings with Jesus is a great devotional to read as you begin your day. It reminds me of the "Our Daily Bread" devotionals my grandparents used—only these devotionals are geared toward women. I wouldn't recommend this as the only thing you do in your time with the Lord, but it makes a nice supplement to Bible reading and prayer. It's a great way to focus your thoughts first thing in the morning.

I received my copy a few days into the new year, and I've been reading each day's devotional as soon as I wake up in the morning. I decided that, even though I needed to review the devotional, I would not read ahead; I'd simply read each devotional on the appropriate day and base my review on the days I'd read. A couple weeks ago, I was really struggling with being happy for my friends who were in new relationships, had recently become engaged, or had just had a child—all things that I have longed for but have not yet experienced. I woke up one morning feeling really fragile. When I opened the devotional, the day's message seemed geared right to me. Author Sharon Hinck spoke about her desire to be genuinely happy for friends who were experiencing great joys while she walked through a season of pain. And then she wrote the words that jumped off the page at me: "I can't do any of it. But Jesus can. And he lives in me."

In my own power, I cannot remove my eyes from my pain to rejoice with my friends. But God can grant me that power, that joy! That reminder—that I don't need to face things alone—was so freeing! The next day, I wanted to tell a friend what I had learned, so I opened the devotional to the previous day's devotion to soak in the message again. What I saw was a message about being busy. Confused, I started flipping through the pages. I finally found the devotion I'd read ... it was the one written for the following Tuesday. Somehow, even though I have a bookmark that I move along day by day, I'd managed to read the wrong devotion that fragile Friday morning! I may not know how it happened, but I know why. It's because on that Friday morning, God knew exactly what I needed to see in order for Him to speak truth into my heart!

About the giveaway: I have a copy of Mornings with Jesus to give away to one of my readers! As I said before, this book is a great supplement to your time with God, and I'm sure it will be a blessing as you use it. On Saturday, I'll choose one commenter at random to receive a copy. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post by 6 p.m. (CST) on Saturday, February 18. The giveaway is now closed! Go here to see who won!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."