The Tender Words of God: A Daily Guide - Paperback

by Ann Spangler (Author)

This unique devotional is the result of a personal quest. In order to let the truth sink in--that God is love--Ann Spangler began hunting through the Bible for the words that every person longs to hear--words of peace, protection, and mercy. Realizing her tendency to absorb the harsher words of the Bible more easily than its encouraging words, she devoted several months to reading and reflecting only on God's tender words. The result is a series of morning and evening readings designed to cut away our unbelief so that we can hear the truth about love from God himself. Each week contains morning and evening readings, enough for ninety days-- passages to soak in and call to mind when one is tempted to doubt. While the core of the book is Scripture, each reading is framed with personal reflections related to the week's theme, making this devotional read equally well as a thought-provoking message for those who want to know God better.

Back Jacket

Over the years, Ann Spangler has read through the Bible several times, plowing straight through from Genesis to Revelation. But like many people who tend to be self-critical, Ann found it easier to absorb the harsher-sounding passages in the Bible than those that speak of God's love and compassion. Then one day, Ann listened as her friend Joan talked about a time in her life when she became convinced of God's love. Ann expected her friend to reveal something complicated and difficult, a tragedy perhaps that God had brought her through. But Joan had simply decided to set aside one month in which she would act as though God loved her. And that settled it for her---for good. In the months that followed, Ann decided to develop a remedial course in which she could reflect morning and evening on the most tender words of God in the Bible. She prayed that God's penetrating Word would transform her as she hunted through Scripture for words of mercy, compassion, peace, and protection. The Tender Words of God is the result of this process, offering ninety days of devotional readings on some of Scripture's most encouraging words. While the core of the book is Scripture, each week contains reflections and daily prayers that chronicle Ann's struggle to know God better. These are included not because she believes her quest is all that remarkable, but precisely because she knows it is ordinary, expressing as it does our common longing to love and be loved, especially by the One who made us. Ann invites you to join her on this journey to know God better, to let his tender words become like guardians at the beginning and at the end of each day, convincing you once and for all of his faithful, committed love.

Author Biography

Ann Spangler is the award-winning author of several best-selling books, including Women of the Bible (with Jean Syswerda), Praying the Names of God, and Praying the Names of Jesus. She is also the general editor of The Names of God Bible., Her latest book is Praying the Attributes of God. Together her books have sold millions of copies. She and her two daughters live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. www.annspangler.com