66 Ways God Loves You

Back when I worked at the station, one of the major perks of the job was the chance to attend conferences and meet people whose life work had {in part} shaped my life. Musicians and speakers I never dreamed I'd meet in person, and though I frequently made an utter idiot of myself in the process of meeting them, it was still a pinch-me-now experience.

One of those moments came fairly early on in my radio career, when Lynne and I represented the station at the Fresh Grounded Faith conference. We got to meet Kathy Troccoli {grew up listening to her} and the speaker for the event: Jennifer Rothschild. {I write about it here and here if you want to peek into Bekah-of-yore's life.} We not only worked the conference, but we were able to attend and sit under Jennifer's teaching, and I learned much from her in those two days.

We also spent time with her at a dinner before the first night began. If you really want to know about someone, you observe them during normal times, and that's when I learned that Jennifer is genuine and lovely and the same kind of person sitting at the dinner table as she is teaching from the platform.

Jennifer loves Jesus and she loves people. And she very much wants the two of them to meet, which is why she has devoted her life's work to teaching through speaking and writing.

AND she has a brand new book out, called 66 Ways God Loves You.

Here's the thing about this book:

You know that I love a good inspirational, Christian-life book. I love a book that digs deep into the Word and teaches me things about the culture of life in Bible-times or what root words of original languages mean so that I can better apply the verses I know to living my life. Dig in. Spend some time. I love it.

But those books aren't for everyone.

Some people are new to the faith. Digging deep confuses them. They're still trying to curl their minds around the basics. Some people aren't even to the faith yet. They're skeptical that a Book written that long ago could even matter. Some people are just so tired or so busy. Sickness or new babies limit their time of comprehensible study.

So what do you recommend to these people?

It was a conundrum I found myself in not long ago. One of my friends wrote me and said she needed a little daily reading sort of book, but in her current life station, two to three pages would be all she could commit to reading at a time. Did I have any suggestions for her?

Oh how I wish I would have known about this book before I wrote back!

66 Ways God Loves You is a small, completely non-threatening, completely pretty-to-look-at, completely true book about the different ways God loves us, as demonstrated in every single book of the Bible.

Even Leviticus.

Jennifer has gone through every single one of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, pulled a prevailing theme from within it, and written a two page devotional-like reading, explaining that facet of God's love.

As you know, I am not one for brevity, and to write something meaningful in two short pages is quite a feat. And it's a feat Jennifer has accomplished in this book. She includes Scripture references in each reading, quotable, zinger-like sentences - crafted to stay with you after you've closed the book, and truth to soothe your soul, regardless of the source of your soul's tiredness.

A sampling of her wisdom:

"God may not replace what you have lost, but He will redeem what you have lost." - p. 96

"God doesn't want yesterday's trials to be your source of despair. He doesn't intend for yesterday's triumph to be your source of strength either." - p. 84

 "God teaches you the way of love by loving you well." - p. 147

And for each chapter, she has a title page, summarizing what God does in that book of the Bible:

In Judges, God Shows Mercy in Spite of My Failures

In Ezekiel, God Brings Life to My Dead Bones

In 2 Corinthians, God Comforts Me

It's a perfect little gift book: a little square with full color graphics throughout. And if you have someone in your life who is floundering or seeking or just in a stage where in-depth study isn't the greatest need, it makes the most perfect gift. {In fact, I'm sending one to my friend who needed devotional book suggestions.}

For those who know the Bible, it offers a great and succinct reminder of truth. For those who are skeptical, it offers an inviting sample of truth to whet their appetite for more.

Jennifer's conversational and loving heart are evident on these pages, and I'm so glad I could learn from her once again - not in a conference this time, but in the pages of a book.

And in other exciting news, I have an extra copy to give away, so if you would like one for yourself or to give away to a friend, leave a comment {be sure to include your name if you comment anonymously} and I'll draw a winner on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, and announce it on Monday morning's blog post!



** Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers and the Blythe Daniel Agency for providing 2 copies of the book for me to read, review, and give away! All opinions are my own! **