A number of new and forthcoming devotionals combine the short, digestible format with entries from some of today’s most popular authors. Jenn Gott, v-p and publisher for HarperCollins Christian Publishing’s gift division, notes, “We believe wholeheartedly that creating devotionals for well-known authors is one of the best ways to expand their message. Readers are hungry for inspiration, for a daily routine of reading and reflecting.”
HCCP is eyeing the vast audiences of three of its major authors for new releases. Out now, Resilient Hope: 100 Devotions for Building Endurance in an Unpredictable World by Christine Caine (Thomas Nelson Gift) was inspired by Caine’s hikes in the mountains of California, where she experienced setbacks and disappointment as well as resilience, endurance, and hope, according to the publisher. Caine is cofounder with her husband of both the A21 Campaign, a nonprofit that fights human trafficking, and Propel Women, a Christian ministry. Her books have sold more than a million copies, according to HCCP, including more than 200,000 copies sold of the 2017 devotional Unshakable: 365 Devotions for Finding Unwavering Strength in God’s Word.
Morgan Harper Nichols, a poet, artist, and owner of the online store Garden24 who speaks openly about living with autism, is offering You Are Only Just Beginning: Lessons for the Journey Ahead (Feb. 2023)—the latest art and poetry book in a series with Zondervan. The collected affirmations, such as, “Hold space for the beauty of what was and still. Please. Trust. There is more to come,” focus on confidence, self-discovery, and grace. Past titles by the author, including 2022’s Peace Is a Practice: An Invitation to Breathe Deep and Find a New Rhythm for Life and 2020’s All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living, have sold more than 200,000 copies, according to the Zondervan.
Lysa TerKeurst, bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries for women, is publishing You’re Going to Make It: 50 Morning and Evening Devotions to Unrush Your Mind, Uncomplicate Your Heart, and Experience Healing Today (Thomas Nelson Gift, Mar. 2023). In it, TerKeurst’s insights on loneliness, compassion, and more are paired with quotes from scripture, prayers, fill-in-the-blank prompts, mantras, and color photography.
Joni Eareckson Tada, author of bestsellers such as 2010’s A Place of Healing, offers Songs of Suffering: 25 Hymns and Devotions for Weary Souls (Crossway, out now). The book includes hymns chosen by Eareckson Tada, alongside devotions and photography. Sheet music is provided for each hymn, and the audiobook features the author singing the spiritual songs.
“The hymns in this volume are ones that I turn to when I need help in persevering through pain,” Eareckson Tada writes. “I have lived with quadriplegia for more than half a century and have wrestled with chronic pain for much of that time. My suffering savior has taught me to always choose a song—a song that fortifies my faith against discouragement and breathes hope into my heart.”
Roma Downey, who starred on the hit CBS television series Touched by an Angel in the 1990s, presents Be an Angel: Devotions to Inspire and Encourage Love and Light Along the Way (Convergent, Feb. 2023), which was inspired by her social media posts on friendship, kindness, courage, and faith. The book collects quotes, words from scripture, and Downey’s personal reflections in the form of 52 devotions.
“Readers have long admired Roma for her outspoken faith in Hollywood,” says Becky Nesbitt, executive editor at Convergent. “She had the lovely idea to offer weekly devotions in book form to her broad audience. She gently nudges them with a ‘be an angel’ challenge, prompting them to apply the reading in a practical way.”
Finally, former NFL quarterback, Heisman winner, and bestselling author Tim Tebow debuts in the devotionals category with Mission Possible One-Year Devotional: 365 Days of Inspiration for Pursuing Your God-Given Purpose (WaterBrook, Nov.). The secret to a meaningful life is not more comfort or ease but a clear mission, he writes. The book, which includes repurposed content from Tebow’s 2022 self-help title Mission Possible, promises to help readers focus and make impactful choices, according to the publisher.
