Devos for the New Year

I don't know about you, but I am a woman who likes structure and it helps me to build God into my day if I have a guide: In 2011 I plan to read through the Bible in a year, and will also be spending some time each day in a devotional. Tyndale House has an excellent series of "One Year" devotionals with so many offerings and angles that you're sure to find something to engage  just about anyone you know. Two I've found, and love, in particular, are the One Year Book of Inspiration for Girlfriends and the One Year Devos for Animal Lovers.

As the title suggests, the Girlfriends book isn't so much a deep devotional as a clever, thought-provoking way to see God at work in little snippets of daily life.  The author, Ellen Miller, is down-to-earth and has life stories that resonate with everyone. I appreciate that she focuses not only on home, family, and friends but also on the worklife, which, for many of us, is an important place to look for inspiration. One friend told me that when she missed a day's reading, she always went back and read it later. I do, too. I can't think of a better endorsement than that.

My daughter, an animal lover, will be getting the Animal Devo under the tree this year. Author Dandi Daley Mackall, well-known for her charming horse stories, opens up the animal world to include everything from family pets to killer bees and dustmites. And she makes it work!  These devotionals delve a bit more deeply into a spiritual analogy and include a simple, but effective, idea to do each day.  Anyone from 6-16 who loves their pets, a zoo, or even Animal Planet, will enjoy working through them in 2011.

As it says in James 1:5: "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." These devos are wonderful places to be pointed to that wisdom each and every day.