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Motivated by a profound love for God, the Bible, and the literature they have taught in middle schools and high schools, authors and English teachers Nancy Knol and Brian Karsten offer Christians a unique devotional volume. 

As they explore themes such as beauty, truth, sin and forgiveness, discernment, love, wisdom, and more, Knol and Karsten highlight stories and poems that have influenced how they understand God’s world and that have stirred within them empathy for each literary character’s pain, suffering, challenges, or joy. 

What sets this devotional apart from the many on the market? The authors explain: “What we believe makes this book valuable (and perhaps somewhat unusual) as a devotional is its approach of pondering rather than moralizing. Who knows? The reader may find a moment of new awareness about how and where they fit into this world full of challenges and wonders and discover that God is in the thick of it. We are not alone. We belong.” 

Inspired Words is reflective and refreshing, stimulating and satisfying. The authors return again and again to God’s amazing grace and his redemptive work in the world. For example, in the last devotion, which focuses on a passage from Silence by Shusaku Endo, they write, “The good news is that the Kichijiros (a man who denied Christ) of this world are welcomed back into the embrace of God time and time again. In the words of Rodrigues (a priest): ‘But Christ did not die for the good and beautiful. It is easy enough to die for the good and beautiful; the hard thing is to die for the miserable and corrupt.’” 

Inspired Words would make a great gift for anyone who is seeking to know God better and to discover more about his loving work in the world.

(Resource Publications)

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