Review and Giveaway for Glimpses of God: A Winter Devotional for Women

About the Book

Book: Glimpses of God, A Winter Devotional for Women

Author: Shirley Crowder & Harried Michael

Genre: Non-fiction, Christian devotional

Release Date: November 6, 2019

As Christ-followers we also experience spiritual seasons. These seasons do not come in order like seasons in nature, which come regularly without fail. Each spiritual season we experience is defined by certain features also. In spiritual winter we think of the coldness of our relationship with God; in spring, new growth; in summer, warmth and heat; in fall, shedding the old and preparing for difficult days ahead.

This book is focused on winter—both calendar and spiritual. During our spiritual winters, when it feels as though God is far away or we feel stuck or dormant, we must rest in the truth of God’s sovereign mercy, grace, love, and care for His children. It is the first in the Glimpses of God” series.

 

Click here to get your copy.

Winter is one of my favorite seasons, especially when we live somewhere there is snow.  So a devotional centered around my favorite season brings me joy.  The personal stories bring a lot to this devotional.  The book contains thirteen chapters with five readings per chapter.  The authors have done a fantastic job of bringing the season of winter and the Word of God into a wonderful combination.  I look forward to actually beginning this when winter begins.  I look forward to seeing what these authors create for the other seasons.

From titles like “Yearning for Sunshine”, “Beneath the Snow”, “Finding Joy in Winter” and more the daily devotionals contain the perfect balance of  Scriptural readings and personal stories, a prayer and thought for the day that kept my interest.

So check out this devotional for yourself.

I received a copy of this devotional for my fair and honest review.

About the Authors

Shirley is passionate about disciple-making, which is conducted in and through a myriad of ministry opportunities that include biblical counseling, teaching Bible studies, and writing. She is Biblical counselor commissioned by, and serving on the national Advisory Team for, The Addiction Connection. She is co-host of “Think on These Things,” a Birmingham AL radio/TV program for women; and a freelance writer.

Harriet is a wife and mother to four grown children and grandmother to two precious grandchildren. She has authored a growing number of books, including “Prayer: It’s Not About You”, a finalist in the 2011 “Women of Faith” manuscript contest. She is also a freelance writer with numerous published pieces, including more than a hundred devotions in various magazines.

 

More from Shirley and Harriet

From Africa to America, Life Long Friends

March 14, many years ago …

In the heart of the African jungle in the Niger River delta of eastern Nigeria, the first cry of a newborn baby echoes from a small jungle hospital. The baby is a girl, Harriet Clarice, the third child of medical missionaries, Alice and Keith Edwards.

Harriet and her family stayed in this remote part of Nigeria for a year until the other family returned from furlough. At that time, they went for another year to Oyo, Nigeria to language school and then on to Ogbomoso in central Nigeria, where they stayed the next ten years. Keith practiced medicine at the hospital in Ogbomoso, and Alice worked with him as a nurse.

 

October 24 of the same year Harriet was born …

Deep in the Yoruba country of southwestern Nigeria, some 260 miles away from Joinkrama, piercing through the tropical night sounds, the first cry of another newborn baby cries out at a guesthouse in Ogbomoso. This baby is also a girl, Shirley Jeanne, the fourth child of missionaries Jeannie and Ray Crowder.

In 1962 the Crowders moved to Ogbomoso. Ray served as administrator of the 96-bed hospital, and Jeannie taught kindergarten and ministered to the Nigerian women with home visits and Bible studies. Harriet’s parents worked at the Ogbomoso hospital with Ray.

 

Lifelong friends

Harriet ended up living just up the dirt road from Shirley. They played together nearly every day and formed a friendship that remained, even after years and distance separated them.

Harriet and Shirley, and the others in this unique group of individuals, who shared a common childhood in Nigeria in our beloved tropical homeland half a world away from where most of us live now, grew up calling each other’s parents aunt and uncle. Even as adults, we still feel a kinship as though we are family—cousins perhaps.

Some years ago, at a mission reunion, Shirley handed Harriet a book to which she had contributed. That was the first time Harriet knew she was a writer. Shirley had discovered a few years earlier that Harriet was a writer, too.

Several years ago, Shirley suggested that they prayerfully consider writing a devotional book together. Through that experience, they learned that they work well together. Their similar understanding and views on scripture is a good foundation for the different strengths each of us bring when it comes to writing.

Since that first book, we have worked and continue to work together on other projects. Glimpses of God: a winter devotional for women is the first of a 4-book devotional series. Through our devotionals we want people to see Glimpses of God all around them. Creator God made the world and the seasons throughout the year. By using the seasons in nature, we help readers see correlations to the spiritual seasons Christ-followers experience and to get “Glimpses of God” in and through everything that happens.

So, we guess it could be said that we are once again “playing” with our childhood friend in spite of several decades having passed since they played together happily beneath the shade of mango trees.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader,  November 9

The Power of Words, November 10

Artistic Nobody, November 11 (Author Interview)

Jacquelyn Lynn, November 11

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 12

Sara Jane Jacobs, November 13

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 14

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 15

For the Love of Literature, November 16

CarpeDiem, November 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 18

Texas Book-aholic, November 19

janicesbookreviews, November 20

A Reader’s Brain, November 21

Inklings and notions , November 22

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, Harriet and Shirley are giving away the grand prize package of a copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/ee16/glimpses-of-god-a-winter-devotional-for-women-celebration-tour-giveaway

Review of God’s Mail Volume 3

I have been reading God’s Mail Volume 3 by Ron Hardin from God’s Mail. This collection of poems addresses the challenged of both believers and non-believers.  Ron began his own ministry when he was 28 when he started writing poems for the Lord.  These poems are intended to encourage, instruct and comfort God’s ministers and people. Ron Hardin has written over 500 poems that share insight into what the Spirit of God is saying currently to His people.  The books are available in both paperback and Kindle formats.  For this review I received the Kindle version.

God’s Mail: Volume 3 tackles such timely topics such as recovering from abortion to suicide, and just everyday life in general.  This book provides encouragement and more.  The book combines both Scriptural passages and poems to weave together a powerful message of God’s grace, love, and mercy.

Ronald Hardin has a tremendous amount of life experiences to look back upon and to utilize, including spending some time in jail.  His ministry, Prophetic Call, has grown throughout the years.  His word are meant to instruct, correct, and exhort God’s people and ministers, men in government as well as many others.

The poems and passages of Scriptures uplifted and inspired me.  I kept wanting to read more.  I found the variety of Biblical versions included worth paying attention to as I read more.  This is a book I feel could be read straight through or after reading the introductory materials could be read in whatever order that best suits your personal needs.

As a Christian wife and mother, I found this book to be uplifting and inspiring. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in worrying, so the section titled “Don’t Worry” was very timely, especially since we are waiting for our next set of military orders to a yet-to-be determined location.

 

I also enjoyed the section on Edging Closer since I desire a closer-deeper relationship with God.

Another section I enjoyed was the one entitled “BON APPETIT”.  I desire to eat from God’s table and to feast on His Word.

I feel like this book is one that could be read alone or used in a group.  The variety and number of Scripture passages provided would allow people to delve deep into God’s Word while enjoying fellowship together.

I also feel this book would be a great one to read either first thing in the morning to start your day on the right note or just before bedtime to end your day in God’s presence.

Throughout the years, I have found certain books speak more to my soul and this is one of those books.  It makes me think and feel at the same time.  The passages of Scriptures bring me to God’s Word and into His presence.

So if you are looking for a book to inspire you or make you feel something, check out this book for yourself.  It truly is one I feel is worth reading.

Other members of the Home School Review Crew are sharing their thoughts about God’s Mail Volume 3 from God’s Mail this week.  So check out their reviews by clicking here or on the graphic below.