We all need help staying on a godly course to become the courageous men and women the Creator wants us to be. In Be Encouraged: A Daily Devotional, Volume 1, Gregory A. Johnson lays out a road map of prayers, scriptures, and stories that will motivate others to love and perform good works. Unlike the long-term demands of a year-long devotional, this shorter thirty-day version will be more practical to complete. The devotional can also be used during holy times, like Easter and Christmas, to reinvigorate one’s spirituality or to sustain faith during spiritual trials.  

 

Each day begins with a theme like “How to Live With Fearless Confidence,” “Why Does God Not Answer My Prayers,” and “Where to Find Safety in a World Gone Mad.” Johnson’s provocative commentary on the day’s theme is followed by well-chosen scripture and a prayer that emboldens the reader to set forth on achieving his or her goals. The easy-to-read selections are relevant, full of conviction, and blessed by God’s grace.  

 

The devotional is more of a spiritual experience than a how-to book. Heeding the command of Hebrews 10:24-25, Johnson asks his readers to “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”  It is a reminder that the prayerfulness and stillness found in a Sunday church can also be had over Monday morning coffee or during a break in our bustling workday.

 

The devotional will help focus the reader’s attention to turn to God on a daily basis. With its passages celebrating hope and shouting down sin, the book serves as a powerful reminder of the divine presence in all our lives. Like all devotionals, its acts of prayer, scripture, reflection, and suggestions for action will bring you daily to a place of renewal. For instance in one entry called “How to Look At Your Circumstances Differently,” Johnson admits that he may be tired or even somewhat depressed when he goes to his place of prayer. But he comes out another person, strengthened, and full of gratefulness. The day’s prayer ends with a call to action, “Instead of being burdened and anxious, help me be patient as I pray, allowing you to work in each situation.”

 

Readers will enjoy the book’s practicality, relevance, and inspiration. Its down-to-earth style is cultivated by a pastor who has ministered to folks from every conceivable walk of life. Johnson answered God’s call to ministry in 1988 and hasn’t stopped since. The ordained minister is a Christ follower whose desire to encourage people to walk in the path of Jesus goes far beyond church walls and Sunday services. His ministry has reached society’s haves and have-nots alike. He has ministered in homeless shelters, halfway houses, and prisons. He has also worked for two Fortune 400 companies as well as with the governor’s office for technology in Kentucky.  His devotional brings true spiritual nutrition for every hungry reader and listener.