The Beauty of Believing

Each daily devotion in The Beauty of Believing begins with a Bible verse at the top of the page and then presents a story or narrative illustrating the topic. A highlighted box each day includes “More to Explore,” consisting of additional Bible verses relating to the daily topic. Then there’s “Girl Talk,” an application section with self-reflection. Finally the box closes with “God’s Talk,” offering a prayer idea incorporating the daily topic. Geared to tween and teen girls, the topics include common pre-adolescent issues of social cliques, self-doubt, and competitive striving. Since the contributors are Faithgirlz! authors, they are very familiar with pre-teen dynamics---friends who drift apart, slower developing bodies, wanting to be a believer when friends seem to act inappropriately, etc. Comparable devotionals include 365 Devotions for Girls by Band H Kids Editoral Staff and More For Girls Only! Devotions by Carolyn Larsen. Those who desire some art illustrations along with the Bible and prayers can consult 3-Minute Devotions for Girls by Janice Thompson. One advantage of The Beauty of Believing is that the layout of the narrative provides enough space to highlight and make brief notes. Another advantage is that Scripture quotations are from the New International Version (NIV), The Amplified Bible (AMP), New Living Translation (NLT), The Message (MSG), the New American Standard Bible (NASB), or New King James Version (NKJV), giving both a personal and varied approach. Leroy Hommerding, CLJ * Christian Library Journal *