Customer Reviews

A Place of Quiet Rest: Finding Intimacy With God Through a Daily Devotional Life

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Okay, I finished this book! You'll find my initial review below - I was the first reviewer of this book. This book has impacted me more than any other book I've read on the subject of having daily Quiet Times with the Lord. If you need to be convinced of the need for this in your own Christian walk, or you need to get back on the path, please read this book! Nancy Leigh DeMoss does such an outstanding job with this book. Chapter 6, entitled "The Hard Thing for me is..." discusses many "excuses" or things that stand in the way of having productive daily devotional times. The author addresses all these issues and gives really practical and helpful suggestions, all the while giving examples from her own life.

One of the women in our small group Bible Study had been to a Women's Conference where Nancy Leigh DeMoss spoke on this issue "Devotional Time: Duty or Delight" and she came back and told our group about it. I was already reading this book and after hearing about the conference and looking at my book, every woman in our group wanted the book for themselves and already several of them are reading it and reaping the benefits of a closer walk with the Lord! Nancy, when are you writing another book?

This is an excellent book from one of the great Christian women of our day. I have found this book so encouraging and instructive. Though it was written primarily for women, I have found great help in it. I think every Christian would benefit from the practical Biblical teaching that Nancy DeMoss gives. Very few, if any, leaves are left unturned. Extended time is given to issues such as obstacles to overcome, dealing with distractions, preparing our hearts for devotion, time in the Word, and both praise and prayer. Each chapter ends with a "Making It Personal" section, giving a list of application questions, and a testimony relating to the devotional life from other Christian women such as Elisabeth Elliot, Joni Erickson Tada, and Kay Arthur.

This book has added meaning to me, because I was on staff with Life Action Ministries for three years and know Nancy DeMoss personally. Her testimony regarding her father's consistency in daily devotions had an impact on me in 1994. I also remember her own personal testimony in 1995 when the Lord did a lot of the ground-breaking work in her life in this area (this book being one of the results!). She is a special Christian woman with a special message to ladies of this generation. Men, this would be a great gift for your wives! (Ladies, reading and applying this would be a great gift to your husbands!) Highly recommended!

If your daily time with Christ has become no more than a check on your "to-do" list, then let this book turn it for you, as it did for me, into a daily "love time" with Jesus Christ. The book has been adequately described in detail by other reviewers, but I just wanted to confirm their reports and relate that this is a book that will change your daily devotional time to an activity you cannot live without. Journalling, Bible study, intercession, singing, and other elements of a daily quiet time are covered in detail. Nancy De Moss shares her own failure at times to carve out her time with Jesus and does not set herself up as an example of perfection, but gives us enough tools to help us keep our devotional life vibrant. With notebook and Bible nearby I now thoroughly enjoy my time with the Lord each morning. The book is a great gift but be sure to give one to yourself first. Keep it, and re-read it once a year. It will become a favorite for a "renewal week-end" for yourself once a year.

The heart of this book is in the right place but it could be crippling for those of different temperaments than the writer. Those who often journal, make lists, and are comfortable with routines will find this book practical and encouraging. Spontaneous people and those who don't enjoy writing may feel like spiritual failures when the practices suggested come so unnaturally to them.

DeMoss SEEMS to limit spiritual growth to "quite times," leaving out the practices of servanthood and secrecy. She seems to overlook the value of stillness and waiting for the Lord, generally suggesting you fill your quiet time with activities.

In chapter 5, DeMoss presents a strong argument in favor of MORNING devotions. She presents numerous scriptures for support (the most convincing being Job's example). She does not address Mark 6:46-47 (afternoon prayer), Luke 6:12-13 (all-night prayer), Psalms 55:17, Daniel 6:10 (Three times a day), Psalms 88:1, Luke 18:1, 7-8, Deuteronomy 6:6-9, 11:18-21 (day and night). Those don't believe morning devotions are sacred and those who would do better at another time may feel unnecessary guilt from this chapter.

Chapter 9 is titled "Getting the Word into You." Showing her bias as a writer, every technique she suggests is based on various forms of writing. (There are lots of good ideas.) This chapter ends with an unusually overwhelming set of questions in which you are instructed to try EVERY method of study recommended to study Psalm 19.

DeMoss writes: "Of course, there's always a danger that a daily quiet time or any other spiritual discipline can deteriorate into a lifeless routine. But I have discovered that it is much easier to breathe life back into a dead routine than to get life there is no routine at all." (Pages 94-95) DeMoss' heart is in the right place. Her book is full of practical suggestions. The forward and the first two chapters are outstanding. The rest of the book will be helpful to some and frustrating for others.

Those seeking to practical suggestions for spiritual growth of a more spontaneous nature may enjoy The Life You've Always Wanted by John Ortberg.

Do you need a break? Do you need a refreshing? Stop what you are doing now and make a cup of tea and emerse yourself in the soothing book. It will aid you as you slow down from your fast-paced lifestyle. It will enable you to pause and rest.

I have read alot of devotionals and many books encouraging the reader to have quiet time with the Lord. But this one is the best yet! If you already have a daily established time set aside for you and the Lord, it will make you guard it even more. If you have not yet begun, you will be excited to do so and wonder why it has taken you so long!

Full of rare jewels, overflowing with treasures; reading this along with your journal is a must! You will not only record great finds from within the book, but also from within your relationship with the Lord!

--- reviewed by Susan for Christian Bookshelf

I respect Nancy Leigh DeMoss and her walk with God. She shares insight and stories about her faith, her struggles and others' stories as well. This book draws you into intimacy with God. It teaches you practical steps in several spiritual disciplines, but articulates how to have intimacy-not just a routine. I really enjoyed reading it and was very challenge by each chapter. I enjoyed the review questions and the personal reflections from several Godly women. The only thing that I would change about this book is to write it for men and women. It is a great book on spiritual disciplines and will impact anyone who reads it. The special focus that it places on women will be especially helpful to young mothers though.

Okay, I must confess, I haven't finished this book yet. I've read about 50 pages of it. But I really couldn't wait another day to review this incredible book. The subtitle is "Finding Intimacy with God Through a Daily Devotional Life". This is not a book of "shoulds" and plans that you have to follow to the letter. Nancy DeMoss's enphasis is that we shouldn't have devotional times to please God (he couldn't love us more already), or to feed proud of ourselves, but to spend time with Jesus Christ, the Lord of our lives!

The book is beautifully laid out, from the inviting cover, to the organization of the chapters of the book to an appendix of devotional books (I could add about 3 times as many, though! <g>).

The whole book centers on establishing a vibrant devotional life, starting with the priority, the purpose, the pattern, and the problems that come up when we're trying to have a good devotional life. Then Nancy DeMoss has chapters on receiving the Word, responding to His Word,

A great feature of this book is that at the end of each chapter, there is a section of questions called "Making It Personal". These questions are just outstanding and get you thinking about what you've just read and you can apply what you've learned to your life immediately. Unlike some other study questions I've run into in other books, these questions do not have an obvious answer and really get you thinking. I find that writing the answers down in a journal helps me a great deal and it will be interesting to look back at the answers in future years.

Another great feature of this book is that at the end of each chapter (after the questions section), there is a personal reflection written by other Christian women such as Elisabeth Elliot, Kay Arthur and many others. There are 12 of these vignettes, one for each chapter and they correspond beautifully with the material in the chapter.

When I finish this book, I'll write another review! I recommend this book highly!

I hope to see other reviews of the book here! Don't you wish you could writen authors directly!

After seeing Nancy Leigh DeMoss at her "Renewing the Heart conference", I couldn't wait to delve into this book. What a wonderful find! What an encouragement. This book has completely changed the way I look at my prayer and devotional life. I highly recommend it!

I have read this book 5 or 6 times. My copy is falling apart and all marked up. Though I don't always accomplish it, it is my goal to read it once every year. It truly helps bring me back to the place of worship if I have become distracted with the busyness of life. Rather than being a how-to book, this book truly makes me thirst and long for more of God. In regard to building intimacy with the Savior, it has very practical suggestions to be sure, but there is no prescription or "best way" given; rather, a variety of ideas are given enabling the reader to glean from those suggestions that best suit her personality and needs. For example, I have always disliked journaling, but nothing I read in this book makes me feel guilty for not doing so. I feel that I can take those suggestions that are "for me" and discard those that aren't. No guilt necessary. Though having morning devotions are encouraged, there is no legalism here by the author. She extends grace throughout the book. Her desire is for readers to be in love with Jesus and be at His feet in worship - whenever that may be. Excellent read!

I was already trying to have daily time with the Lord when I read this book. But this book gave me a lot of advice to make this time more meaningful. There are contributions from various women (such as Kay Arthur who I love) as they give advice about your devotional time. I've read Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh Demoss and, to me, this is the better from the two books. It emphasizes developing your relationship with God. The book includes many nice poems and hymns. I really feel that the advice given in the book will help deepen and strengthen my relationship with the Lord.