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Thursday, January 17, 2013

"Where God Finds You" by Anita Higman & a GIVEAWAY

Where God Finds You: 40 Devotions Bringing Bible Characters to Life  -     
        By: Anita Higman

What does it feel like to walk on water?  How did Pilate's wife sway his decision?  What must Mary, Jesus' mother, have felt when visited by the angel?  

These questions and any more are pondered in Anita Higman's new devotional, Where God Finds You. Each reading begins with a fictionalized account of a Bible story told from the unique perspective of a key player.  The story is followed by the actual scriptural story and then by the author's thoughts and questions to  think about.

The Where God Finds You initial fictionalized account that at the beginning of each devotion resembles Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, but there the resemblance ends.  Where Young tries to imagine the words that Jesus might say in certain scriptures, Higman imagines the entire scene - what must it have felt like to be that character?  During the important event in each scripture, what might each person have seen, heard, or experienced?  How might their decision affect their futures, and what sort of role might that have played in the making of it?

I have always been fascinated by trying to imagine what it must have been like to live in Bible times and have such momentous - and often scary! - things happening all around you.  I love that Higman has incorporated this concept into her new devotional, but the best part is that it doesn't stop there.

Each devotion goes on from the fictionalized account.  That story is enough to make you think and ponder scripture, and that's important; but Higman's plan to print the scripture immediately following gives you the opportunity to compare the two and see for yourself exactly what the Bible has to say and what is Higman's imagination.  Higman's thoughts on the scripture, which follow the text itself, show that she is human.  They lead each reader in quiet contemplation.  The reading makes you feel as if you're sitting down for tea with a friend for a good heart-to-heart.

Each devotion is short enough to fit into your busy schedule but meaty enough - and creative enough - to leave you pondering it throughout the day, and isn't that what we're to do with God's Word?

I rarely use a devotional because I want to be reading straight from the Bible each day, and I rarely have time to do both. Where God Finds You is the perfect blend of both story and real scripture - and I can't wait to go back and read it again, more slowly this time, during my personal devotion time each day.

The only problem with this book?  There are only 40 devotions within.  Turning the last page leaves me wanting many more.

So, would you like to win your own copy of this fantastic devotional?  Use the rafflecopter below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a free copy of Where God Finds You from Buoyancy Public Relations in exchange for an honest review.

3 comments:

  1. I don't always use a devotional, but when I do, it does seem to help me be more consistent about being in the word. Right now, I am just working my way through the Lutheran Hymnal, using the Propers of the Day - I am not really in sync with what time of year it is, but I'm OK with that. Today I am reading what is listed for the first Sunday in Advent using Cycle A of the Three Year Series. My readings today were Psalm 50: 1-15, Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13: 1-14, Matthew 24:37-44 and Matthew 21: 1-11.

    I am also slowly working my way through reading the whole Bible. I am in Job now, I think I just finished Chapter 10. I try to do at least 5 chapters each night, try being the operative word here. Hope you are having a great day.

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  2. I have used the Daily Bread and I like to use bible studies too
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  3. I use devotionals through the Bible app on my phone.

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