CLICK ON THE COVER to jump to Amazon.If you enjoy Bible study using the best-selling New International Version, then you’ve almost certainly read Zondervan books already. As the main publisher of NIV Bibles and NIV Bible-study books for general readers, the Zondervan team continually rethinks the way millions of men and women like to open, read and study their Bibles. How frequently do we like to read scripture? What do we want along with our Bible reading? For the New Year 2012, the Zondervan team is offering four different Page-a-Day choices. We asked author and Bible-study teacher Jane Wells to review the main offering for women …
JANE WELLS ON
ONCE-A-DAY DEVOTIONAL
FOR WOMEN
There are seasons in our lives, especially as women, when daily Bible reading and prayer just seems too daunting to start, much less maintain. For example, newly converted Christians are easily overwhelmed trying to figure out how to start. Busy moms, on the other hand, may simply have difficulty finding enough time to sit down and read.
Zondervan has created a solution that works for both the busy or beginning Christian woman: Once-A-Day Devotional for Women. This paperback contains 365 readings, each including a section of scripture, a few paragraphs of teaching and a prayer prompt to encourage the reader to bring her devotional time full circle. The book is small enough to be held in one hand while rocking a baby to sleep, but big enough to not be easily lost amid the shuffle of a busy life.
The devotional topics are as varied, and as universal, as the needs of the women who will read it, ranging from maintaining focus on God to praying for the safety of family members. Dated January 1 through December 31, Once-A-Day Devotional for Women makes a great holiday present for yourself or a friend. Got a little money from a Christmas gift? Treat yourself to a copy. Need to find a New Year’s gift for a good friend or beloved relative? Consider choosing this devotional. This is an ideal way to help you keep that New Year’s Resolution to grow closer to God.
OTHER ONCE-A-DAY BIBLE OPTIONS FROM ZONDERVAN
CLICK THE COVER to jump to Amazon.Nationally, more women than men egage in thoughtful spiritual reading—but Zondervan hasn’t left men out in the cold. There’s also a Once-A-Day Devotional for Men, so think about a His and Hers New Year’s Resolution?
Or, if you want to share a single volume as a couple—and you want to focus primarily on the New Testament and the life of Jesus—Zondervan also is publishing a Once-A-Day Walk with Jesus Devotional: 365 Days in the New Testament. This edition was prepared in cooperation with the Walk Thru the Bible program, an evangelical ministry founded in 1976 to encourage a growth in grassroots Bible study. In this edition, you’ll find an inspirational quotation from a famous Christian writer along with each day’s readings. Those writers include Martin Luther, Oswald Chambers, John Calvin, C.S. Lewis and many others. Occasionally, the text of a classic hymn is the daily companion, instead of an author.
Among the four Once-a-Day editions, we are especially impressed with the NIV Once-A-Day Bible (shown at right). Millions of people set out to read the entire Bible but very few make it cover to cover. Often, these year-long reading schedules are printed in easy-to-lose fliers or as supplements to the Bible, requiring readers to flip back and forth each day. The most dreaded barrier to a 365-day Bible-reading challenge is the big black date at the top of each entry. Fall behind and you’ll feel so guilty that you’re likely to simply give up and shelve the whole idea. The Zondervan team made a simple, yet very welcome change: Each daily reading is numbered 1-to-365, not dated. So, your 365 days easily can span more than a year. Miss a few days? Well, just keep going when you have time!
CARE TO READ MORE FROM BIBLE-STUDY TEACHER JANE WELLS?
Jane Wells’ new book brings the excitement of the Twilight novels into an easy-to-lead Bible-study series. She explains it all in Glitter in the Sun: A Bible Study Searching for Truth in the Twilight Saga.
Connect the Twilight characters with Bible stories and your daily life.
Organize your group easily with tips and discussion questions.
Enjoy short, inspiring chapters.
Share honestly with others thanks to the author’s own real-life stories.
Step back and reflect on the bigger themes that have led millions to Twilight in the past decade—and 2 billion to Christianity over 2,000 years.
Please, tell a friend to start reading ReadTheSpirit along with you!
We welcome your Emails at [email protected]
We’re also reachable on Twitter, Facebook, Amazon and other social-networking sites. You can Subscribe to our articles via Email or RSS feed.
Plus, there’s a free Monday morning Planner newsletter you may enjoy.
Originally published at readthespirit.com, an online magazine covering religion and cultural diversity.
