Review of 'Kingdom Road'

I have never been much of a reader of devotional books. That is... until last year when I picked up 'Stormproof' by John Hagee. I enjoyed the short inspirational messages that perfectly prepared the way for my daily Bible reading.

Several months ago I ordered a copy of Kingdom Road by fellow author Susan Rohrer. Susan and I are the moderators of the 'Christian non fiction lovers book club' on Goodreads. I have read several of her books and enjoy her challenging style and in-depth spiritual analysis of scripture. She always encourages the reader to invite the Holy Spirit into the reading and reflecting process.

In Kingdom Road Susan takes us on a journey pursuing the presence of God in 31 devotionals. Whether you take a day, a week, or a month to read each devotion doesn't really matter, as long as you read them. Susan's writing triggers spiritual revelation, so much so that I had to read each devotion twice!

This is no ordinary journey, it is a trip on the Kingdom road where as a reader you get to walk in the Father's presence, follow in the footsteps of Jesus, stay in step with the Holy Spirit, hear God's voice, and move in your spiritual gifts. And while traveling you will discover the powerful reality of heaven on earth that was promised to all believers.

👉If you have a desire to travel further with the Holy Spirit, don't miss this book. You will enjoy Susan's excellent writing skills as much as her insight and wisdom.

You can find Susan's books on Amazon!

About podcasts, videos, devotionals, and a WIP

PODCAST

A little while back the idea came to me to read and record some of my older blog series and publish them as podcasts. Although I am an avid reader, I understand some people enjoy listening rather than reading, and since I have so much valuable material... why not venture out onto new roads? 😉

My husband and I used to listen to cassette tapes and CDs with preaching and teaching. Nowadays we use YouTube. So, audio messages are nothing new, yet podcasts are very popular at the moment.

I am using the Anchor app to record my messages and they get linked to Spotify, where you can find them under 'Fresh Insights on Ancient Truths',  yep... same name as this blog.

Readers: you might enjoy these short messages while walking, working out, or cooking!
Bloggers: maybe this is an idea for you!

VIDEOS

Last year I taped more than 200 video devotions on the Psalms, on Psalm 119 (incl. the Hebrew alphabet), and on Proverbs 3. They are 2 minutes each and you can find them on YouTube or my Instagram TC channel. If you are in need of encouragement and a daily boost of faith, please consider doing #apsalmaday. 👉And... I am working on a new series!

DEVOTIONAL

At the beginning of this year, I decided to read a devotional, which I hardly ever do. The book is called Stormproof, 100 days of triumph over trouble. It is written by John Hagee.

Well, are we going through a storm worldwide, or what? I want to make sure I keep running the race towards the end, I want my faith to grow stronger.

I need this book, I need these reminders!

Are you reading a devotional these days?

WIP, work in progress

I have been working on a new book for quite a while now (I admit I struggle with writing discipline). It will be the ninth book in my series about the Ten Commandments in the 21st century and it deals with the 7th commandment: do not commit adultery. I plan to publish it this year!

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ (Romans 10:17).

New video devotions on Proverbs 3

Earlier this year I did a video series on the Psalms which I called #apsalmaday. I taped daily devotions, just two minutes each, on the psalms.

I also did a separate series on Psalms 119 consisting of 22 videos that included the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

This way of staying connected with readers, bloggers, and viewers works quite well. Especially in a time where we need all the encouragement we can get! Oh my goodness, we must help each other to stay filled with hope and faith.

So, I decided to do a new series, and well on Proverbs chapter 3. We'll be reading one verse a day and I connect it with another verse in the Bible, preferably from the New Testament. You might have a verse of your own that pops up in your mind. 👉 Let the Spirit lead you on this wisdom journey!

You can follow me on Instagram or subscribe to my YouTube channel! I hope you will.

Journey through Psalm 119

We live in crazy times and if it wasn't for the warnings in God's Word, we would be caught by surprise and probably without hope. Thank God for His Word, thank God that we are the people of hope in a world gone insane.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure (Hebrews 6:19a).

With news stations blaring 24/7, it might be difficult to concentrate on the Word of God. I would like to invite you therefore to join me on a contemplative journey through Psalm 119.

That's right, Psalm 119. It is the longest psalm and also the longest single chapter in the entire Bible. With 176 verses in total, it is quite a long read. But do you know that this psalm is actually chopped up in 22 paragraphs, so-called stanza's, of just eight verses each?

Now that makes reading a lot easier. In this new video series we will read 8 verses a day. Each video meditation is just 2 minutes, so it won't take a lot of your time.... but what a way to start (or end) your day.

👉As a bonus, we are going to learn the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, as each paragraph in this psalm corresponds with a letter of that alphabet. How cool is that? Spiritual and practical food in one bite.

So, find a place of silence, invite the Holy Spirit to teach you, get your Bible and notebook, watch the introduction video and you're ready to go on a journey.🔥You will be blessed, encouraged, and inspired. I promise!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel, watch on Instagram TV or follow on FB, Mewe, Twitter or Gettr.

Yes, you can!

They did it again! Fellow bloggers and writers Jeanette Levellie and Beth Gormong named their second joined effort 'Yes, you can!'

After their 2019 release of Hello Beautiful! they decided to get together again and write another excellent devotional. Their second collaboration comes at a crucial time in our world, when people need hope and help from above.  If you love to read short inspiring and uplifting stories, then this is the book for you.

Yes, you can! is filled with forty devotional stories. Through modern-day true accounts and biblical examples of women who overcame impossible odds, Jen and Beth show the reader how to:

• Receive and believe God’s undying love
• Trust in God’s willingness to answer our prayers
• Tap into God’s power to achieve our goals
• Walk in God’s wisdom to navigate hard circumstances
• Find God’s strength to overcome impossibilities

And (this I absolutely love) each chapter includes a journaling prompt or coloring page to help you personalize the life-changing truths.

Blogging is often the step that precedes publishing articles or books. We all have stories to share, right? May Yes, you can! be an inspiration and encouragement to you and who knows... one day you might write your own story.

You can read more about her new book or leave a note on Jen's weblog.

You can order the paperback and e-book on Amazon.

Times of trouble bring rays of joy

I love it when the blogging community gets stirred because one of us has published a book. It doesn't really matter whether it is a first try at having one's work in print or whether it is the next book in a growing bibliography. Writing a book takes determination, effort, passion, and lots of work. So, having said that... congratulations to Cecelia Lester for bringing out a devotional book, titled Times of trouble bring rays of joy.

What I really like about Cecelia's book is that she has kept the devotionals short and to the point with a scripture to read, her personal reflection, several questions for the reader... and room to write! I love journaling, so any book that allows me to scribble what the Spirit is telling me while reading, gets a big plus. Well done Cecelia.

The subtitle of this book is 'Thoughts of God and His Word', and that is certainly what I, as the reader, can sense. As Cecelia shares her personal thoughts and questions , she opens up her heart and mind for the reader to be inspired. She is not afraid to question popular thinking and the ways of our present-day world. I quote:

"In our twenty-first century society, we sometimes forget that God is sovereign. We try to manipulate Him into doing what we want. We should be more polite and ask Him for guidance before we make decisions."

The devotions have been grouped in a series of topics such as: strength, faith, humility and peace. That makes the reading even more practical as it is possible to pick a devotion fitting our circumstances or needs.

Times of trouble bring rays of joy is available on Amazon as paperback and e-book. Do Cecelia a favor and leave her a review if you enjoy her writings. Let's encourage one another!

About the author:

Cecelia Lester lives in central Indiana with her husband. She started blogging back in 2008. Her mission statement is: "Quiet Spirit writes with the focus to minister to those who hurt, to them who search for God, and those who wish to have a closer walk with Jesus."

See also the interview with Cecelia on my blog back in 2013.