Write2Ignite

Ten years ago, I wrote a devotional on the names of God—my first published book, released in hardcover by Revell of Baker Publishing Group.

It was also just the beginning.

Shortly after that, Revell published a special print run with a proprietary cover for a large bookstore chain. Three years later they again released the same devotional in softcover with a new title, Daily Reflections on the Names of God: A Devotional.

Now in 2022, more than ten years after being first published, Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully released this month as an abridged, hardcover gift book edition of the original devotional. This new edition contains my favorite, personally-selected entries from the original book. And it’s now available (cliché alert!) “wherever books are sold.”

Four print runs for the same content. Every author’s dream—or at least, my dream. But other than writing the best content I could, the publishing of every edition of this devotional was outside my control. Outside of mine, but not outside of God’s.

The biggest lesson for me in all this is to do my best and trust God for the rest. The “rest” is everything else: agent, acquisitions editor, print run or print runs—all of it.

So how am I able to trust God for the results? By knowing who He is as He revealed Himself as opposed to who I think He is. And sadly, even for many Christians, it’s easy to confuse the two.

What is your understanding of who God is and how He works? Is it a biblical perspective, or have you been molding your understanding of God to fit your desires and expectations? If your perspective is not biblical, then it’s time to look at who God says He is and how God says He works.

Every name of God revealed in the Bible shows us something about His character and His ways. With each new revelation, it’s as if God whispers to us, “Come closer, My child. I have something new I want to tell you about Me.” The more we learn, the easier it is to trust Him and rely on Him.

In Reflections on the Names of God, readers explore each of sixty names and attributes of God in three ways. In the first devotion for each name or attribute, we “look up” to see how and why God describes Himself the way He does.

In the second devotion, we “look in” to focus on how the particular name or characteristic applies to our lives, and how it changes or strengthens our relationship with God.

Finally, in the third devotion focused on the same name or attribute, we “look out” to apply what we’re learning about God and ourselves to our relationships with others.

Seeking to deepen your relationship with God? Or maybe you’re looking for the perfect gift for birthdays, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or for a bridal shower. Reflections on the Names of God will be a gift that keeps on giving!

This devotional really is the book that refuses to die because that has been God’s plan for it. I don’t know how long this next edition will last, but I don’t need to know. I just need to trust the One who holds it . . . and me.

How well do you know God? How well do you want to know Him?
How does knowing His names and attributes help you trust Him?

DOOR PRIZE!

One attendee to the Writing Devotions Master Class will win a copy of Ava’s Reflections on the Names of God.