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If . . . What If?: Quirky Questions & Daily Devotions to Feed Your Family & Your Faith
Quirky Questions. Clever Conversations. Faith-Filled Families.
Anyone can ask a good question, be it to create chit-chat, launch a deeper conversation or uncover truth. If you had some help getting started, you might even find your relationships with God and your family better for it. What if along the way your questions could help you better understand the whole Bible, cover-to-cover?
This unique book of 365 devotions is all about that. Written by a father and son, it's filled with clever questions and profound insights that speak to kids, teens and adults alike. It's the kind of thing you can pull out around the dinner table, bring with on a hike or read on a family road trip—pretty much anywhere you're willing to wrangle a few minutes to grow together. It's sure to create meaningful discussions, deepen your family's faith, and offer plenty of laughs along the way.
Anyone can ask a good question, be it to create chit-chat, launch a deeper conversation or uncover truth. If you had some help getting started, you might even find your relationships with God and your family better for it. What if along the way your questions could help you better understand the whole Bible, cover-to-cover?
This unique book of 365 devotions is all about that. Written by a father and son, it's filled with clever questions and profound insights that speak to kids, teens and adults alike. It's the kind of thing you can pull out around the dinner table, bring with on a hike or read on a family road trip—pretty much anywhere you're willing to wrangle a few minutes to grow together. It's sure to create meaningful discussions, deepen your family's faith, and offer plenty of laughs along the way.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published November 15, 2018
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 2, 2019
I am so excited to have joined the B&H/LifeWay Bloggers. They will send me a book to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.
My first book is entitled, “If…What If? Quirky Questions and Daily Devotions to Feed Your Family and Your Faith.” I am able to select the book that I want to read and review. In this case, I did not find the cover appealing at all. However, the idea of combining quirky questions and devotions intrigued me. I am so glad that it did because I find this book to be useful, engaging, easy to read, and full of truth.
Reading the Introduction set the tone for the entire book. The authors, a father and son, immediately relate to their readers by being honest, humorous and explaining in easy to understand terms what the book will contain.
The book is designed to help families understand the Bible better by breaking down the major teachings of the Bible into bite sized explanations. The authors state in the overview, “Tracking so far? Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Either way, it’s pretty awesome! To help you with this, we created a memorable phrase to help you understand the big message of the Bible: THERE IS HOPE.” This also explains how the book is set up. There are 11 different topics covered and the when you take the first letter of each subject, it spells, There Is Hope. Each subject is broken into 14 daily readings. Each daily reading contains some of quirky questions to help start a conversation. this is followed by a Scripture reference/s for the family to read together. Following that there is a devotion regarding those verses, a quote which draws back to the major them, and then more serious questions for the family to discuss. The final days of each week, days 7 and 14, are recaps, which contain Scripture, questions and prayer prompts.
If…What If? is remarkable in several ways. First, each day contains important truths from God’s Word in a very easily understood way. I was extremely impressed with the amount of information that was contained in this book. The authors managed to spread out the information in a way that made this information personal, important and easy to comprehend. Second, because the authors write in a format that sounds almost like they are talking to you, it reads more like a conversation than a lesson. Third, the quotes at the end of each day’s lessons serve not only as reminders of the lesson but reminders of how to live in light of what has been learned. Throughout the entire book, I marked quote after quote and finally just ended up putting tabs on pages so that I could easily turn back and remember that day.
I believe that this book would be an asset to families with children of all ages and varying stages of faith. The beginning questions each day are fun and will help pull in those who aren’t exactly excited about a daily devotional. The authenticity of the authors enables the reader to see the information without feeling as if they are being talked down to. Though each day is a small part of the gospel, the entirety of the book brings an extensive amount of information to the reader.
While some daily devotionals use only cute, fluffy, feel good material, this devotional brings the truth of God’s word very clearly, and yet still manages to be fun.Tony Myles
My first book is entitled, “If…What If? Quirky Questions and Daily Devotions to Feed Your Family and Your Faith.” I am able to select the book that I want to read and review. In this case, I did not find the cover appealing at all. However, the idea of combining quirky questions and devotions intrigued me. I am so glad that it did because I find this book to be useful, engaging, easy to read, and full of truth.
Reading the Introduction set the tone for the entire book. The authors, a father and son, immediately relate to their readers by being honest, humorous and explaining in easy to understand terms what the book will contain.
The book is designed to help families understand the Bible better by breaking down the major teachings of the Bible into bite sized explanations. The authors state in the overview, “Tracking so far? Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Either way, it’s pretty awesome! To help you with this, we created a memorable phrase to help you understand the big message of the Bible: THERE IS HOPE.” This also explains how the book is set up. There are 11 different topics covered and the when you take the first letter of each subject, it spells, There Is Hope. Each subject is broken into 14 daily readings. Each daily reading contains some of quirky questions to help start a conversation. this is followed by a Scripture reference/s for the family to read together. Following that there is a devotion regarding those verses, a quote which draws back to the major them, and then more serious questions for the family to discuss. The final days of each week, days 7 and 14, are recaps, which contain Scripture, questions and prayer prompts.
If…What If? is remarkable in several ways. First, each day contains important truths from God’s Word in a very easily understood way. I was extremely impressed with the amount of information that was contained in this book. The authors managed to spread out the information in a way that made this information personal, important and easy to comprehend. Second, because the authors write in a format that sounds almost like they are talking to you, it reads more like a conversation than a lesson. Third, the quotes at the end of each day’s lessons serve not only as reminders of the lesson but reminders of how to live in light of what has been learned. Throughout the entire book, I marked quote after quote and finally just ended up putting tabs on pages so that I could easily turn back and remember that day.
I believe that this book would be an asset to families with children of all ages and varying stages of faith. The beginning questions each day are fun and will help pull in those who aren’t exactly excited about a daily devotional. The authenticity of the authors enables the reader to see the information without feeling as if they are being talked down to. Though each day is a small part of the gospel, the entirety of the book brings an extensive amount of information to the reader.
While some daily devotionals use only cute, fluffy, feel good material, this devotional brings the truth of God’s word very clearly, and yet still manages to be fun.Tony Myles
January 28, 2019
I am always looking for a good devotional to use with the family. And this book did not disappoint!
Written by a father/son duo, this devotion really brings plenty of opportunity for family learning, growing, and discussing. I have a 7 year old, and the book was just slightly above what she can comprehend. But with a little tweaking from myself, or my husband, it's still a great resource! If I had to put an age on this book, it would be 9 years old and up. However, if you have younger kids, don't fret! This is still a great resource! You just have to put a little more time in explaining. So let's get to it!
What did I like about the book?
1) I love how each devotion is deep, yet short. Being deep is so important. Kids need to see how their faith works in the real world, they need answers to questions, and they need to be able to defend what they believe. This is important. If kids don't get these answers from their parents, they will seek them out from other places. So, I find it VERY important for devotions to be deep.
However, as a busy mom and a kid with a small attention span, I also want it to be short. That way, it can actually get accomplished. By being short and deep, this devotion fits great in our family!!
2) I love the fact that this book is focused on family discussion. So often we teach Biblical concepts through lecture, discipline, disappointment, and awkward talks. We don't mean to, it just happens. As parents, we want to have Biblical talks with our children but are unsure how to do it. This book solves this problem.
Each day, there are questions to open up discussion. Everyone has the opportunity to open up and talk, not just the kids. This brings the family together in their growth. Not only are you growing your relationship with God as a person, but also as a family unit. And bonus! You also get to know more about your kids!
3) I love that this devotion is for everyone in the family. Often, a family devotional is more focused on the kids learning and the parents teaching. This book takes a different approach. It allows each family member to have the same amount of input. There are questions for the family to answer.
4) I also love that each day has a statement of hope. This may sound a little weird, but it is so important, especially for teenagers and those dealing with depression. Each day, the statement is focused on how the "lesson" from the day gives us hope. Kids, and adults, are facing so much in this world that can bring depression, cynicism, and guilt. These statements help you understand how you can take hope in what the Bible tells us.
What did I not like about the book?
1) To be honest, nothing. I wish my 7 year old was more interested, but that's not really a problem with the book! This book is for older children and their parents. So, all-in-all, I liked all of it!
I definitely recommend this book as a devotion for your family. If your kids are 9+ years old, this family devotion is for you!
Written by a father/son duo, this devotion really brings plenty of opportunity for family learning, growing, and discussing. I have a 7 year old, and the book was just slightly above what she can comprehend. But with a little tweaking from myself, or my husband, it's still a great resource! If I had to put an age on this book, it would be 9 years old and up. However, if you have younger kids, don't fret! This is still a great resource! You just have to put a little more time in explaining. So let's get to it!
What did I like about the book?
1) I love how each devotion is deep, yet short. Being deep is so important. Kids need to see how their faith works in the real world, they need answers to questions, and they need to be able to defend what they believe. This is important. If kids don't get these answers from their parents, they will seek them out from other places. So, I find it VERY important for devotions to be deep.
However, as a busy mom and a kid with a small attention span, I also want it to be short. That way, it can actually get accomplished. By being short and deep, this devotion fits great in our family!!
2) I love the fact that this book is focused on family discussion. So often we teach Biblical concepts through lecture, discipline, disappointment, and awkward talks. We don't mean to, it just happens. As parents, we want to have Biblical talks with our children but are unsure how to do it. This book solves this problem.
Each day, there are questions to open up discussion. Everyone has the opportunity to open up and talk, not just the kids. This brings the family together in their growth. Not only are you growing your relationship with God as a person, but also as a family unit. And bonus! You also get to know more about your kids!
3) I love that this devotion is for everyone in the family. Often, a family devotional is more focused on the kids learning and the parents teaching. This book takes a different approach. It allows each family member to have the same amount of input. There are questions for the family to answer.
4) I also love that each day has a statement of hope. This may sound a little weird, but it is so important, especially for teenagers and those dealing with depression. Each day, the statement is focused on how the "lesson" from the day gives us hope. Kids, and adults, are facing so much in this world that can bring depression, cynicism, and guilt. These statements help you understand how you can take hope in what the Bible tells us.
What did I not like about the book?
1) To be honest, nothing. I wish my 7 year old was more interested, but that's not really a problem with the book! This book is for older children and their parents. So, all-in-all, I liked all of it!
I definitely recommend this book as a devotion for your family. If your kids are 9+ years old, this family devotion is for you!
February 6, 2019
I chose this book because I was intrigued by its uniqueness and also because it was written by a father and son duo. If...What If? is a daily devotional book that spans 365 days. Each day includes a title, an "if" question, a "what if" question, a specific passage of the Bible, a couple of paragraphs of devotional thoughts, a closing thought, and three final prompting questions.
I'd like to elaborate using day 137, which stuck out to me when reading the book. This day is titled "Your Words." The page starts off with two very interesting questions:
IF whenever you wore a shirt whatever was written on it would come true, what words or sentences would you want to wear?
WHAT IF that happened to all the things you owned? How would that affect what you shopped for or how you received gifts?
Each page starts off with a seemingly unrelated to anything question that ends up directly relating to Christianity. It's a very interesting read that is perfect for it's intended use - to spark conversation among families.
I took off one star for this reason - I can't for the life of me keep up with daily devotional books. While If...What if? boasts its uniqueness, it is also much more complex than a daily read. It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more to complete one single page. I already struggle to keep up with a typical daily devotional book so making one that is arguably too involved just discourages me from continuing to use it. Obviously, my opinion is my own, and just because daily devotionals are not for me does not mean they aren't for everyone. If you like them, then this book is perfect for you!
I'd like to elaborate using day 137, which stuck out to me when reading the book. This day is titled "Your Words." The page starts off with two very interesting questions:
IF whenever you wore a shirt whatever was written on it would come true, what words or sentences would you want to wear?
WHAT IF that happened to all the things you owned? How would that affect what you shopped for or how you received gifts?
Each page starts off with a seemingly unrelated to anything question that ends up directly relating to Christianity. It's a very interesting read that is perfect for it's intended use - to spark conversation among families.
I took off one star for this reason - I can't for the life of me keep up with daily devotional books. While If...What if? boasts its uniqueness, it is also much more complex than a daily read. It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more to complete one single page. I already struggle to keep up with a typical daily devotional book so making one that is arguably too involved just discourages me from continuing to use it. Obviously, my opinion is my own, and just because daily devotionals are not for me does not mean they aren't for everyone. If you like them, then this book is perfect for you!
February 2, 2019
The father-son dynamic enhances this great devotional
In this new family devotional, father and son, Tony Myles and Daniel Myles, respectively, pose interesting and thought-provoking questions, while presenting Scripture studies on topics such as the Trinity, identity and purpose, just to name a few.
Published by B&H Publishing, this 272-page devotional covers Genesis through Revelation, with daily readings that are short enough to allow families to engage in longer discussions about the chosen subject matter.
Among the many things that makes this devotional unique is after each topic (i.e., Trinity, identity, purpose, etc.), Tony and Daniel also include a weekly recap that summarizes what was just reviewed and discussed, possibly for family members to gain better comprehension and retention.
Overall, this devotional is well-written and perfectly suited for all ages – and even for singles. What stands out the most – apart from Tony and Daniel’s knowledge of the Scriptures – is the incredible father-son dynamic, which definitely enhances this great devotional.
I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars.
Full disclosure: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, I received this book free through B&H Publishing. My opinions are my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review.
© 2019 by Doug S., M.A.
In this new family devotional, father and son, Tony Myles and Daniel Myles, respectively, pose interesting and thought-provoking questions, while presenting Scripture studies on topics such as the Trinity, identity and purpose, just to name a few.
Published by B&H Publishing, this 272-page devotional covers Genesis through Revelation, with daily readings that are short enough to allow families to engage in longer discussions about the chosen subject matter.
Among the many things that makes this devotional unique is after each topic (i.e., Trinity, identity, purpose, etc.), Tony and Daniel also include a weekly recap that summarizes what was just reviewed and discussed, possibly for family members to gain better comprehension and retention.
Overall, this devotional is well-written and perfectly suited for all ages – and even for singles. What stands out the most – apart from Tony and Daniel’s knowledge of the Scriptures – is the incredible father-son dynamic, which definitely enhances this great devotional.
I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars.
Full disclosure: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, I received this book free through B&H Publishing. My opinions are my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review.
© 2019 by Doug S., M.A.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews