Title: Every Day with Jesus: God Loves and Cares for You
Author: Shirley Howard
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1532042841
Pages: 392
Genre: Religious, Christian, Non-Fiction
Reviewed by: Leah Shepherd

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Every Day with Jesus: God Loves and Cares for You is a daily devotional book, helpful and inspirational for Christians who wish to nurture and grow their faith. Time spent with this book each day is a worthwhile investment. The goal is to bring us closer to God and help us remain grounded in our faith.

The key themes in the daily lessons include trusting God, the power of prayer, forgiving others, doing what pleases God, and ridding your heart of anger and resentment. Many of the passages remind us about God’s constant protection, steady presence, and endless love for us. “God is with us at all times. And there is nothing that can separate us from His love for us,” author Shirley Howard writes.

Readers may want to return to certain sections of the book when life brings discouragement, despair or pain. We can be hopeful because of what Jesus has sacrificed for us and what God promises to do for us.  “No matter what situation we may find ourselves in, Jesus Christ offers hope that can never die when we surrender to His will,” Shirley Howard writes.

Each day in the book’s year of devotionals includes a short Bible passage and a prayer. Each month starts with a poem written by Shirley Howard. The prayers and teachings here are mostly nondenominational and grounded in the Bible. The book doesn’t address theological positions in which different Christian denominations disagree on.

Shirley Howard urges us to always obey God as a way to show our love for God, and she reminds us that God forgives us when we don’t obey Him properly. Obedience to God’s will cultivates in us the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

In this book, we see a complete, multidimensional picture of God with many roles: Redeemer, powerful warrior, conqueror, strong rock, faithful shepherd, loving protector, etc.  This is a serious-minded devotional with somewhat formal language and rhymes, as opposed to other devotionals that aim to be hip and modern to appeal to a younger audience.

Every Day with Jesus: God Loves and Cares for You is a good pick for any Christian who wants a solid, dependable guide to learn more about God and the Bible. It’s a hearty meal in small tidbits.