Thursday, March 10, 2011

Fantastic Devotion Books

These book reviews, by Shelly Burke, Editor, appeared in the March issue of the Nebraska Family Times.

Treasured; A 30-Day Devotional Journey
Beautiful Feet; A 30-Day Devotional Journey
both by author Deb Burma

The small size of Treasured; A 30-Day Devotional Journey and Beautiful Feet; A 30-Day Devotional Journey is misleading. Author Deb Burma makes every word count; each short devotion is packed with thought, encouragement, and inspiration. The format of the books means I can stick one in my purse or work bag and quickly read a devotion any time I have a few minutes—although I will also want to take time to really meditate on the messages later.

The theme of Treasured is that God values each of us beyond what we can imagine. Burma reminds us that God sees us as precious and priceless; He sought us and claims us to be His own. During our faith lives we are being transformed in Christ as coal is transformed into a diamond.

Throughout Treasured Burma compares our lives to diamonds; she relates the formation of a diamond (requiring time, pressure, and heat) to the transformation of our lives. The qualities of a diamond (cut, color, carat, and clarity) describe how Christ takes us from rough and uncut to a gem who carries out His mission.

Other devotions include A Girl’s Best Friend, A New Setting, and Precious in His Sight.

Liberal references to Bible verses enhance the message, as do Burma’s personal stories. The devotions always point readers to God and His Word and each one ends with a prayer.

Beautiful Feet; A 30-Day Devotional Journey
“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:15)

In Beautiful FeetBurma encourages us to spend time every day taking a closer look at our feet, and the feet of those around us. She reminds us that Christ walks beside us, and urges us to learn (and follow) what the Lord is calling our feet to do.

Through devotions including A Map for Your Path, Calloused, and Make Tracks! you’ll be prompted to look inside yourself and your circumstances and apply God’s Word to your life, and to spread it to others.

Just as in Treasured, Beautiful Feet, includes Bible verses, observations and personal questions for reflection that make the devotions perfect for a busy day as well as those days when you have a longer period of time for deeper study.

Treasured and Beautiful Feet are carried at Crackers to Caviar in Columbus, NE; (402) 564-4768 and The Abbey Christian Store in Norfolk, NE; (402) 379-0712, or can be ordered from Concordia Publishing House; http://www.cph.org/ or call 1-800-325-3040.
Do you need an idea for your next woman’s retreat? Burma has created complete retreat kits on CD-ROM for both Treasured and Beautiful Feet. The CD-ROMs contain very detailed planning guides, handouts for participants and Power Point presentations. Everything you need to plan and host a retreat is included!

Deb Burma lives in Columbus, NE, with her husband, Pastor Cory Burma and children Chris, Courtney, and Cameron. Read more about Deb in the next issue of the Nebraska Family Times.