"Our Faithful God Devotional" by Katie Davis Majors

About this book:

  “The bestselling author of Kisses from Katie takes you on a journey through Scripture to discover more about who God is and how much He loves you, in 52 weeks of power-packed devotional readings.
    In a world of uncertainty, we can find peace in knowing that the God who carried His people through the desert, the God who calmed the seas, the God who promised His presence, is still our God today. In this unique five-day-a-week devotional, featuring a flexible format that adapts to your schedule, Katie Davis Majors invites you into a yearlong experience of immersing yourself in the truth of who God is. As Katie has discovered, the more time we spend understanding the richness, beauty, and kindness of God, the more quickly our hearts turn toward Him with our needs and our secrets, our hurts and our longings. Our Faithful God Devotional will help you draw daily closer to the One who sees you, who loves you, and who holds each moment in His hands.”


Series: No, a stand-alone devotional. 


Spiritual Content- Romans 16:25-27 at the beginning; This devotional consists of 52 weeks for five days, reading a chapter of the Bible each day and has discussion questions to reflect upon and suggestions for things to do (seven of the days end in a prayer to pray); At the very end of the book, there’s a section on putting your faith in Jesus Christ; All about, many talks about, & many mentions of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Him loving us, His purpose for us, His love for us, trusting Him, & forgiveness; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Many Scriptures are quoted, discussed, & listed (versions used are ESV, NKJV, & NLT); Many mentions of those, events, & books in the Bible; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings; Mentions of being in eternity with God & Heaven; Mentions of miracles; Mentions of churches, church going, worshiping and praising God, & a ministry; Mentions of persecution; Mentions of sins & sinners; A few mentions of pastors/preachers, worship artists, & authors; A few mentions of baptisms; A few mentions of books & authors (quotes are shared from ‘Sensing Jesus’ by Zack Eswine & ‘Man: The Dwelling Place of God’ by A. W. Tozer); A couple mentions of the M’Cheyne Reading Plan (designed by minister Robert Murray M’Cheyne); A couple mentions of hymns; A mention of missionaries; 
             *Note: The word “meditate/meditating/meditative” (on Scriptures or on God’s faithful in your life) is used seventeen times; Mentions of Satan whispering lies to us; Mentions of evil doers (in the Bible); Mentions of demon-possessed people (in the Bible); Mentions of idols & pagan gods (in the Bible). 
 

Negative Content- Mentions of murders, attempted murders, & murderers (in the Bible); Mentions of deaths & grief (including grieving for mothers, a baby, and dear friends; in both our world and in the Bible); Mentions of slavery, beatings, & prisons (in the Bible); Mentions of injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of alcohol, alcoholism, a drunk, sobering up, & addictions (including those who died from their addictions); Mentions of lies & deception; Mentions of jealousy (in the Bible); A couple mentions of Stephen being stoned to death & John being beheaded (in the Bible); A mention of gossip; A mention of human waste; 
             *Note: Mentions of anxiety; A mention of HIV; A mention of researching diverse schools; A mention of a brand name (Sharpie); A mention of the Covid-19 pandemic; A mention of Instagram; A mention of Zillow; A mention of FaceTime.
 
 
Sexual Content- A few mentions of an eunuch (in the Bible); A mention of circumcision; 
             *Note: Mentions of Biblical people being naked (Adam and Eve & a demon-possessed man) & us being naked in front of God (because of our sins); A couple mentions of a man having two wives (in the Bible); A mention of a woman’s daughter being assaulted (not said if physically or sexually). 
                                {Non-Fiction} 
                                              336 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

More so than most devotionals I’ve read and reviewed, this one has the reader reading a lot of Scriptures over the time—and they aren’t written out, you need to have your Bible right there with you. Another thing is that it’s only a chapter a day (for four days and then a reread of them on the fifth day), which feels much more manageable in the daily, busy lives we live. I really liked those aspects of this devotional.  

Whenever I review a devotional book for BFCG, I always read it in one sitting and will later choose to see if I’ll go back to it in a couple months to read in the proper way. With this one, I definitely plan to do that because I’d like to savor and learn from this one more. 

I will admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan of all the parts that encouraged to put yourself in a Biblical person’s shoes or imagine how they felt at a particular time, but elsewise, I really enjoyed this devotional. I would suggest it for 16+, but it could definitely be read by those in high school and those older as well. 
 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Multnomah) for this honest review.

"Safe All Along" by Katie Davis Majors

About this book:

  “As a missionary, wife, and mom of fifteen, Katie Davis Majors knows how hard it can be to receive God’s peace instead of giving in to fear and worry. Family emergencies, unexpected life-shifting events, and the busy rhythms of family life have at times left her reeling. 
   In Safe All Along, Katie offers reflections and stories from around the world and from her own kitchen table about her personal journey toward living from a place of surrendered trust. Every chapter leads us deep into Scripture as we learn what it looks like to break free from anxiety and take hold of peace.
   Rich in biblical explorations of lament and praise, forgiveness and hope, service and surrender, Safe All Along asks, What practical choices can we make to experience the peace Jesus promised amid disappointment and uncertainty? How can we live with joy and confidence even when we’re pulled into the rapids of life?
   Our God has promised us a peace that transcends all understanding. And we can accept His promise, trusting that in Him we are safe all along.”


Series: A non-fiction book. 


Spiritual Content- Each chapter starts with a Scripture and has many Scriptures referenced, quoted, and/or discussed within the chapter; About half of the nineteen chapters end with prayers; All about God, Jesus, trusting Him, knowing Him, making time for Him, being honest with God, anxiety, peace, & laments; 'H's are capital when referring to God (unless the Bible version quoted does not); All about many mentions of those & events in the Bible, books of the Bible, Bible reading, & Bible studies; Mentions of prayers, praying, praising, & worshiping; Mentions of Heaven; Mentions of churches, church going, pastors, & church events; Mentions of hymns & worship songs; Mentions of missionaries, missions, ministries, & service; Mentions of blessings, being Blessed, & miracles; Mentions of sins; A couple mentions of youth groups & Sunday school classes; 
             *Note: Mentions of the enemy’s lies; Mentions of idols (anything that turns our eyes from Jesus) & fake god statues; Mentions of Christian pastors & speakers (Curt Thompson, J. I. Packer, John Piper, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, Jim Elliot, & C. S. Lewis); A handful of mentions of contemporary Christian authors (Tara Leigh Cobble, Morgan Harper Nichols, Ann Voskamp, & Dr. Bryan Loritts).
 

Negative Content- Recalling almost drowning & the fear of it (from the author’s perspective, including it almost happening to her daughter as well, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths of loved ones & grief; Mentions of crimes, violence, cattle raiders, being shot and killed by them, gunshots, & stolen cows and items; Mentions of arrests, beatings, torture, being stoned to death, jail, slavery, & slaves (in the Bible); Mentions of threats (in the Bible); Mentions of homelessness; Mentions of lies; A few mentions of injuries & pain; A few mentions of addiction; A couple mentions of abusive or toxic relationships; A couple mentions of animal sacrifice (in the Bible); A couple mentions of wine (one being a mention from the Bible); A mention of the possibility of finding a loved one’s body; A mention of war; A mention of bomb shelters; A mention of racism; A mention of jealousy; A mention of eye rolling; 
             *Note: Mentions of anxiety, depression, other mental illnesses, seeing a therapist, & taking medication (the author shares “I also want to acknowledge that you may be dealing with a clinical anxiety disorder, depression, or some other real, chemical mental illness. This is not the same thing as worry. There is a difference between situational anxiety or nervousness about the future and a true chemical disorder.” And “If you are struggling in a similar way, I am so sorry. I see you. This is not your fault, and it does not make you less faithful. There is no shame in seeking the help you need through therapy or medication or both. As I venture to share some things God has used to help me with my own battle with anxiety, I would never want to suggest that simply thinking differently or forming new habits will be a “fix-all.” He sends “fishermen” to help us on our journey, and therapists have often been mine.”); Mentions of social media & technology (iPhones, FaceTime, Siri, Google Maps, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Airbnb, & Netflix); A few mentions of stories (Kroger, Target, & Tractor Supply); A few mentions of brand names (Lego); A couple mentions of Helen Keller.
 
 
Sexual Content- A couple mentions of affairs and marriage struggles; A mention of pornography; 
             *Note: A couple mentions of miscarriages & infertility; A couple mentions of nursing. 
 
-Katie Davis Majors
                                Non-Fiction 
                                                        272 pages

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Pre Teens- 

New Teens- 

Early High School Teens- 

Older High School Teens- 

My personal Rating- 

Non-fiction books have always been hard for me to review—especially with ones like “Safe All Along” which hit so many cords in myself as I read it. There were so many parts I related to and honestly can’t put into words how I felt. Hence why non-fiction books are hard to review. I’d love to leave it just as “It was great. Related to about 80% of what the author was saying. Easy 4 stars.” But I suppose I ought to write a little bit more than that. 

I think my only real negative is that when most of the Scriptures are mentioned or quoted, the actual reference is marked as a footnote and they are all listed in the very back of the book. I would have preferred to have them right then and there within the actual Scripture and what Katie was sharing, personally. 

I’m touched by this book and heartened in a lot of ways, thanks to the author sharing her personal thoughts and struggles—but yet always pointing back to Christ and your relationship with Him. I love that and really enjoyed this book. 

 

 

See y’all on Friday with a new review! 

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Multnomah) for this honest review.

"Kisses from Katie" by Katie Davis

About this book:

  “What would cause an eighteen-year-old old senior class president and homecoming queen from Nashville, Tennessee, to disobey and disappoint her parents by forgoing college, break her little brother’s heart, lose all but a handful of her friends (because the rest of them think she has gone off the deep end), and break up with the love of her life, all so she could move to Uganda, where she knew only one person but didn’t know any of the language? A passion to make a difference. Katie Davis left over Christmas break her senior year for a short mission trip to Uganda and her life was turned completely inside out. She found herself so moved, so broken by the people and the children of Uganda that she knew her calling was to return and care for them. Her story is like Mother Teresa’s in that she has given up everything—at such a young age—to care for the less fortunate of this world. Katie, a charismatic and articulate young woman, has gone on to adopt 14 children during her time in Uganda, and she completely trusts God for daily provision for her and her family, which includes children with special needs.
  To further her reach into the needs of Ugandans, Katie established Amazima Ministries. The ministry matches orphaned children with sponsors worldwide. Each sponsor's $300/year provides schooling, school supplies, three hot meals a day, minor medical care, and spiritual encouragement. Katie expected to have forty children in the program; she had signed up 150 by January 2008; today it sponsors over 400. Another aspect of the ministry is a feeding program created for the displaced Karamojong people—Uganda's poorest citizens. The program feeds lunch to over 1200 children Monday-Friday and sends them home with a plate for food; it also offers basic medical care, Bible study, and general health training.”


Series: There is a sequel titled “Daring to Hope”; review of that book Here!  


Spiritual Content- All about God, Jesus, Katie’s faith and her love for Jesus, witnessing, praying, God’s grace, His will, & Him leading her; Tons of Scriptures are read, quoted, mentioned, talked about, & referenced; Many prayers; Tons of Talks about God, Jesus, praying, & faiths; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; All about mentions of God, trusting Him, His will, praying, & witnessing; Many mentions of God & following His will; Many mentions of Bibles, Bible reading and studying; Many mentions of & talks about those & events from the Bible; Many mentions of prayers, praying, & answered prayers; Many mentions of Christians, faiths, & love for the Lord; Many mentions of blessings & being blessed; Mentions of thanking, praising, & worshiping God; Mentions of churches, church going, services, & pastors; Mentions of Sunday School classes & Bible studies; Mentions of Jesus’ birth, the nativity, & Christmas; Mentions of Heaven; Mentions of mission work & missionaries; Mentions of miracles; A few mentions of sins;

             *Note: A few mentions of religions; A few mentions of the devil & a witch doctor; A mention of a weekend that felt like hell.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘duh’, a ‘shut up’, and two forms of ‘stupid’; Many mentions of diseases, illnesses, starvation/malnutrition, wounds, blood/bleeding, pain, & deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of wars, fighting, killing, & deaths; Mentions of abusive parental figures & being punished wrongly; Mentions of fathers leaving their families; Mentions of insects that cause diseases; Mentions of homemade alcohol, drinking, drunks, & alcoholics; Mentions of throwing up & vomit; Mentions of sewage, waste, & smells (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of children abducted and sold, & child slaves; A few mentions of a man who killed his stepson and sold a body part to a witch doctor; A few mentions of prisons & killing in the Bible; A few mentions of accidents & injuries; A few mentions of lies; A couple mentions of drug addicts; A couple mentions of gossip; A mention of a murderer from the Bible.

Sexual Content- Mentions of dating, dates, boys, & boyfriends; A couple mentions of rebels raping women and children (no details); A couple mentions of how some men looked at & spoke to Katie;

             *Note: Mentions of prostitution, prostitutes, & a woman selling her body; A mention of Sarah having her servant sleep with Sarah’s husband in the Bible; A mention of a need for basic education in matters of hygiene and sexual behavior in Uganda.

-Katie Davis
                                P.O.V. switches between them
                                                        280 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Add ½ to a full star for those interested in caring for orphans}

I love this book.

Y’all, I love this book.

Let me back up: I first read this book when I was fourteen. It was a library book and as I’m flying through reading these pages on my parent’s bed, I kept thinking: “I don’t want to give this book back. I don’t want to…” I even asked my mom if it was possible for me to buy this copy from the library. Because I did not want to give this book back to the library. (Her answer was, of course, no and let’s just go buy my own copy.)

Even since I first read this book, Katie Davis has been a role model for me.

I’ve talked about how much I love this book in a few of my YouTube videos, but not in the sense of when I was a new teenager, a certain Asian country was on my heart. Reading about Katie’s experiences of being away from the country her heart was in, had me yelling “She gets it! She knows what I’m feeling! I know what she’s feeling!” At that time, I hadn’t yet been to my country, though, so looking back, it wasn’t quite the same. ;)

Rereading this book in preparation of her newest release, Daring to Hope, (which was already been reviewed Here!) had me recalling all those emotions of reading about Katie, her growing family, & their incredible faiths.

This time, though, I had my own copy to underline the majority of the book. ;)

See y’all on Wednesday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

"Daring to Hope" by Katie Davis Majors

About this book:

  “How do you hold on to hope when you don't get the ending you asked for?
  When Katie Davis Majors moved to Uganda, accidentally founded a booming organization, and later became the mother of thirteen girls through the miracle of adoption, she determined to weave her life together with the people she desired to serve. But joy often gave way to sorrow as she invested her heart fully in walking alongside people in the grip of poverty, addiction, desperation, and disease.
  After unexpected tragedy shook her family, for the first time Katie began to wonder, Is God really good? Does He really love us? When she turned to Him with her questions, God spoke truth to her heart and drew her even deeper into relationship with Him.
  Daring to Hope is an invitation to cling to the God of the impossible--the God who whispers His love to us in the quiet, in the mundane, when our prayers are not answered the way we want or the miracle doesn't come. It's about a mother discovering the extraordinary strength it takes to be ordinary. It's about choosing faith no matter the circumstance and about encountering God's goodness in the least expected places.
  Though your heartaches and dreams may take a different shape, you will find your own questions echoed in these pages. You'll be reminded of the gifts of joy in the midst of sorrow. And you'll hear God's whisper: Hold on to hope. I will meet you here.”


Series: It is connected to “Kisses from Katie” by the same author.


Spiritual Content- All about God, Jesus, Katie’s faith and her love for Jesus, having Hope, blessings, witnessing, praying, God’s grace, His will, trusting God, & Him leading her; Tons of Scriptures are read, quoted, mentioned, talked about, & referenced; Many prayers; Tons of Talks about God, Jesus, praying, blessings, having Hope, & faiths; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; All about talks about & mentions of those & events from the Bible; All about mentions of God, trusting Him, His will, having Hope, praying, blessings, & witnessing; Many mentions of prayers & praying; Many mentions of Bibles, Bible reading and studying, devotionals, & Bible studies; Many mentions of blessings & being blessed; Many mentions of Jesus’ birth, the nativity, & Christmases; Mentions of thanking, praising, & worshiping God; Mentions of Christians, faiths, & love for the Lord; Mentions of churches, church going, & songs/hymns; Mentions of Heaven; Mentions of miracles; Mentions of sins; A couple mentions of missionaries;

             *Note: A few mentions of the devil.

Negative Content- Many mentions of diseases, illnesses, starvation/malnutrition, wounds/injuries, blood/bleeding, pain, & deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of wars, fighting, & deaths; Mentions of a fire & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of alcohol, making alcohol, drinking, & alcoholics/drunks; Mentions of throwing up & vomit; A few mentions of drug addicts & rehab; A couple mentions of someone who was poisoned; A couple mentions of thieves & stealing; A couple mentions of lies; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of swearing; A mention of murder; A mention of a women abused by many men; A mention of divorce; A mention of human waste.

Sexual Content- Mentions of dating, dates, & romantic relationships;

             *Note: Mentions of labors, mothers dying in labor, mothers losing a lot of blood after labor, & cutting the cord (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of a miscarriage; A couple mentions of prostitution; A mention of rape; A mention of someone’s daughter that was assaulted.

-Katie Davis Majors
                                              Non-Fiction
                                                        224 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Add ½ star for those interested in caring for orphans}

Ever since I first read Kisses from Katie when I was fourteen, Katie Davis has been one of my top role models.

To say that I was giddy about this new book by Katie Davis Majors, is a compete understatement. I was thrilled.

Another girl, who's also slightly older than me, that I look up to is Meredith Toering and she is constantly talking about hope, having hope, and sharing about Who gives Hope. When I found out that this new book was about Daring to Hope, it felt like both girls I look up to were sharing about the same thing and I loved that.

While part of me still enjoys Kisses from Katie the best (review of that wonderful book coming next month) because of all the adoption connections, I did really (obviously) love this book as much. Katie’s faith is just as inspiring and makes me want a faith that’s strong like her’s just like when I read her first book for the first time. 

One of my favorite quotes from this book would be: “We hold on to our hope. There is always a ram in the thicket. Because there is always the Lamb on the Throne.”

See y’all on Wednesday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Multnomah Books) for this honest review.