Janet Morrison's Devotional Book Features 26 Weekly Readings to Help You Through the Cold Months of the Year.
Cold weather is difficult for many people. Cool temperatures and sudden changes in the weather can wreak havoc with people who have Fibromyalgia, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Arthritis, and other illnesses and conditions.
This book offers no cures or treatment for any maladies; rather, it offers 26 Scriptures from the Old and New Testaments that refer to light or The Light - Jesus Christ, The Light of the World. Individuals who have Seasonal Affective Disorder and those whose circadian rhythm is out of sync are advised to get natural sunlight in the mornings.
After taking that recommendation to heart, Janet Morrison started repeating to herself, "I need the light. I need the light" as she walked in the sunlight one morning. Not being a "morning person," getting outside to walk in the mornings was not easy for her. After four or five repetitions, the lowercase "l" in "light" was replaced with a capital "L" as she made a connection. She needed sunlight on her face to help ease her Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms and to adjust her circadian clock, but her soul - her entire being - needed Jesus Christ - The Light of the World.
The book is divided into 26 weekly devotionals because some individuals who have Seasonal Affective Disorder start dreading the cold months as early as late summer. Some cannot enjoy the beauty of autumn due to their dread of winter. It is hoped that the Scriptures about light and The Light will help readers cope with their discomfort brought on by the change in seasons.
Each week's devotional includes a Scripture as found in five versions of the Bible: The Message, The Good News Bible, The Living Bible, The New Oxford Annotated Bible (New Revised Standard Version), and TouchPoint Bible, along with Janet's thoughts on that week's Bible verse(s).
Most of the weekly devotionals include insight from Rev. William Barclay's Bible commentaries, a thought to remember, a thought pattern interrupter to counteract negative feelings the reader might be having about the season, an activity suggestion, and a recipe for a comfort food. Other resources used in the book are Halley's Bible Handbook, The Layman's Bible Commentaries by B. Ernest Wright, the NIV Study Bible, and the writings of Lois Tverberg.
Each week's devotional can be read in one sitting, or the different sections of each week's reading can be spread out over the entire seven days.
A lifelong Presbyterian, Janet is not an "in-your-face" Christian. She stepped out of her comfort zone as a layperson to write this devotional book. If you want to be scared into following Jesus Christ, this is not the book for you.
God never promised us a perfect life free of illness, pain, or any sort of physical or mental challenges. He promised to be with us through all the ups and downs of life. That is the core belief this devotional book conveys.
