I always begin the new year with a few goals and plans for the year. Finding a devotional series that I can reflect on daily--and consistently--AND feel benefit from is often a challenge. I recently had the opportunity to read and review Connecting with Christ: 52 Weekly Devotionals To Nurture Spiritual Growth from Yolanda Tonette Sanders. Check out this book, read my thoughts and an excerpt from the book and learn about author and editor Yolonda Tonette Sanders.
An encouraging and refreshing collection
of weekly devotionals that readers will enjoy for many years to come…
By Yolonda Tonette Sanders
CONNECTING WITH CHRIST: 52 WEEKLY DEVOTIONALS TO NURTURE SPIRITUAL GROWTH, Nonfiction/Spiritual, Yo Productions, 212 pp.
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Self-care is a buzzword often mentioned when people seek to optimize their health. Suggested self-care practices tend to include activities such as exercising, getting a massage, or eating a healthy diet. While all of these actions have their place, none of them are sufficient enough to provide the soul-care we need to maximize our self-care. Self-care without soul-care equates to temporary solutions that leave us searching for the next new thing. However, when Christ becomes the center of our holistic health journey, we not only find fulfillment in Him but also a dependency on and trust in Him to truly live our best lives-emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
My Review
A Weekly Devotional is a Different Format for Some. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about having a weekly devotional rather than a daily thought or verse for reflection. How do I focus myself--and find what I need to reflect on the weekly devotional more than once? Having said that--selecting random daily devotionals leave me feeling as if I am constantly jumping from place to place--touching on a subject--but never really profoundly connecting with a message. As I worked through the first week of Connecting with Christ--and found ways to consider the scripture referenced--I became excited knowing that the following week followed a similar theme. Working through weekly devotionals focused on a monthly theme gives much more time to benefit from the reflections, learn and even grow spiritually.
Contributors Collaborate in this Unique Devotional. As with any devotional, you may not connect with a specific author. Their views, interpretations, and words may not be the ones you need from your place in time. While I am working through the devotionals weekly--I took some time to read through the different authors' writings. I certainly felt a stronger connection to some of the weekly themes, but I didn't feel that any of the writing styles or guidance offered by different authors felt misplaced or out of sync with the book's flow. The authors' weekly devotionals are well-written, well-edited, and flow together seamlessly.
The Devotionals Follow a Calendar-Like Theme Flow. While the book isn't dated--it has a calendar year flow with themes generally considered during certain months. (Love in February, Thankfulness in November, Giving in December) Having started the book for a week in January--I worked through a week of Renewal. I know it isn't necessary--but I feel that I should "skip" to the Love-themed month (since it is now February) to feel more in sync with the holidays and society messages floating around me this month.
Would I Recommend Connecting with Christ: 52 Weekly Devotionals To Nurture Spiritual Growth from Yolonda Tonette Sanders? I think this is a devotional style that I will both read and reflect on consistently--and I feel it will provide that deeper connection that I have missed in the past. I will likely need some extra pages for written reflection during some weeks as the page to page and a half included in the book provides a starting point for thought, but an extra journal or tablet may be helpful for some readers. The book is broken into 12 monthly themes. Personally, I would recommend beginning on the theme that corresponds to the month that you start using the devotional--although I also feel that a month of Renewal (theme 1) is valuable any time of the year!
I would recommend this book to anyone seeking a deeper connection with God and a devotional that allows you to really focus on a spiritual area of your life for a more extended period. It is unique in that you can begin with any theme you choose in the book--and you can use it again and again for reflection as you learn and grow spiritually.
Buy the Book
Thoughts from Others
“If ever there has been a time in history when we need to connect with and cling to Christ, it is now. Loud divisive voices vie for our attention. World events distract. Personal challenges overwhelm. Staying connected to Christ takes effort, even for the most devoted believer. Connecting with Christ aids in fostering that connection. Yolonda Sanders chose contributors well, those who provide thoughtful, encouraging, helpful guidance in making connection to Christ a priority.”– Candy Arrington, author, Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well
“Inspiration can wane when the winds of discouragement blow through our lives. Connecting with Christ offers 52 weeks of easy encouragement everyone can benefit from. Easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to apply to our wind-blown lives. Receiving inspiration from a variety of authors makes you feel like you’re family. Coming together to talk about life and how God’s truth plays an active part for all of us is priceless.”– Linda Goldfarb, Speaker-Trainer-Coach, Award-winning author of the LINKED Personality Series, helping you take your next best step- Relationally-Spiritually-Professionally (www.LivePowerfullyNow.org)
“Connecting with Christ is a unique, faith-filled, inspiring devotional designed to cultivate a thirst for the Word as you grow in your spiritual journey. You will feel the love of God and experience His goodness, grace, and faithfulness, which are woven throughout this work.”– La Verne Tolbert, Ph.D., author of How to Study and Understand the Bible (www.etaworld.org); Founder & CEO of Teaching Like Jesus Ministries, Inc. (http: //teachinglikejesus.org/); and host of Sunday School Made Simple (https: //www.youtube.com/c/SundaySchoolMadeSimple)
“Eternal, intrinsic, and unique, your soul is a touchpoint between you and God. A healthy soul is protection against agnosticism, hatred, prejudice, and superficial materialism. Yolonda Tonette Sanders and others provide a resource for the vital care and feeding of your soul and help you connect with the God who loves you.”– PeggySue Wells is the bestselling author of 29 books, including The Ten Best Decisions A Single Mom Can Make, and the founder of SingleMomCircle.com
If you conduct an internet search for devotionals, I’m sure that you won’t find a shortage of materials. The challenge when constructing this project was creating something different enough to draw others’ attention without requiring an enormous amount of time. The goal is not for anyone to spend an exorbitant amount of time with this devotional. As wonderful as this project is, nothing should replace the written Word of God contained in the Holy Bible. My prayer is that this work leads you to the Word and enhances your understanding of
Scripture.
Enclosed you will find 52
devotionals broken into 12 themes to correlate
with the 12 months of the year.
Although the devotionals are ordered,
feel free to go through the themes in a manner that best suits your needs. There is only one devotional per week.
Ideally, the hope is that you will
read the devotional at the beginning of the week and meditate on the Scripture and overall message for the rest
of the week. You are encouraged to read the entire passages
of the Scriptures listed to see what the Lord may reveal
to you outside of what is written
in this book. There is a place for you to jot down your thoughts each week if you choose.
You will notice that this work contains
no dates, only generic weekly
references (e.g., week 1). This is so you can use the entire collection of devotionals for many years to come. You do not have to follow the order of the weeks or themes. Go through
this book as the Lord best leads
you. May you hear His voice loud and clear as you journey on this road called life.
Love and Blessings,
Yolonda Tonette
Sanders
Yolonda Tonette Sanders is the CEO of Yo Productions, LLC and co-founder of the Faith & Fellowship Book Festival. Her writing portfolio includes academic papers, novels, short stories, poems, and other creative works. She is an editor for a national publication, a professor, and serves on several boards and associations. Yolonda holds two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree, and is currently completing her Ph.D. in organizational leadership. She treasures her relationships with family and close friends. Yolonda is blessed to be the wife of David; mother of two adults, Tre and Tia; “Nini” to her grandchildren, Khari and Khia; daughter of Eddie; sister to Milton; and dog mom to Paco.
Her latest book is the nonfiction/inspirational Connecting with Christ: 52 Weekly Devotionals to Nurture Spiritual Growth (Yo Productions).
Visit her website at www.yoproductions.net or connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.
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