Hang out with Jesus for a year: My review of a devotional written by R.P. Nettelhorst

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 1, 2011)

A 365-day devotional that focuses on the spoken words of Jesus as recorded in the Bible, A Year With Jesus seeks to draw the reader into a deeper relationship with God. Each entry contains a scripture passage taken from numerous translations from the Bible, along with explanations from the author to bring greater understanding to Jesus' words. The daily devotions are separated into several sections by themes such as Love and Hate or Life and Death.

I found this devotional to be a real treasure. The commentary section following each scripture passage held my interest and caused me to think deeper about the scripture that I'd read. I loved the focus on simply spending time with Jesus to get to know him better, much like sharing a cup of coffee together with a friend. In one entry, Nettelhorst writes "it is easy for us to grow so familiar with Jesus that we lose sight of how marvelous he is". This book can serve to remind you of the wonder of Jesus and of his words.

It would be hard to own a devotional like this and still try to use the excuse of having no time for daily Bible reading, because you'll definitely be able to fit time to read the devotional into your busy schedule. The entries are brief while still being packed with knowledge and insight. Numerous times I walked away and found myself still pondering the words that I'd read. And what could be a better use of your time than meditating on the words of Jesus?

I highly recommend this devotional and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: Book was received courtesy of the publisher through the Booksneeze program, for the purposes of this unbiased review.