The Love as a Way of Life Devotional: A Ninety-Day Adventure That Makes Love a Daily Habit (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Elisa Stanford (Contributor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Start Developing the Best Habit of All

To become a person who consistently loves others, you first need to be a loving person. In this companion devotional to Love As a Way of Life, you’ll find inspiration for letting love guide the way you respond to others in every situation. The daily readings capture God’s wisdom and direction in practicing the seven traits of a loving person. Compelling stories and biblical illustrations will show you how to live out the characteristics of kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty.

These ninety short devotionals–perfect for reading on your own, with your spouse, or with a friend over coffee–deliver the inspiration and encouragement you need to make love a lasting habit. Whatever your love language, you’ll enjoy richer, more rewarding relationships as you embark on an exciting daily adventure in loving others.

About the Author

Dr. Gary Chapman is the author of twenty-six books, including Love As a Way of Life and the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages. An internationally respected marriage and family-life expert, he hosts the daily radio program A Love Language Minute. Dr. Chapman and his wife, Karolyn, live in North Carolina, where he serves on a church staff.

Elisa Stanford is the author of Ordinary Losses: Naming the Graces That Shape Us. She lives in Colorado with her husband and two daughters.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307444694
• ISBN-13: 978-0307444691
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #232,498 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars together is always better..., February 13, 2009

By	Jeffrey Borden "Pastor" (Western, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I picked up this book, I mistakenly thought that it was a "marriage" devotional. Although it is not specifically intended for marriage, its principles are certainly true in marriage as well as in any other relationship. Based on seven distinguishing characteristics of a loving person, the authors focus on each characteristic for a total of twelve daily devotionals. With each devotional being only 2-4 paragraphs in length, their brevity makes them easily readable in our busy lifestyles. Although they are short, each devotional closes with a prayer, a thought, or a suggested action step, which help the reader take the next step to apply the devotional in their lives. I particularly liked that the authors began the book with devotionals emphasizing that true love is only found in a relationship with Christ and ended the book with devotionals emphasizing that only His grace enables us to extend these characteristics of true love to others.

3.0 out of 5 stars Remains (http://justinfarley.blogspot.com/2009/02/remains.html), September 11, 2009

By	Justin Farley "Justin Farley" (Monroe, WA) - See all my reviews

I would recommend Gary Chapman and Elisa Stanford's The Love as a Way of Life Devotional: A 90-Day Adventure that Makes Love a Daily Habit. [...].

Paul once encouraged the church to "Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying" (Romans 12:12). Patience is not a natural Farley trait . . . which means that this is a prime area that God can transform within me (and that I have a responsibility to develop along with him). Chapman told the story of a French artist by the name of Pierre Auguste Renoir (a influential painter in the nineteenth century). Towards the end of his life he developed a painful sort of rheumatoid arthritis which made his work troublesome (nearly impossible really). One of his closest friends finally asked him why he insisted on continuing his work when the pain was nearly unbearable. Renoir's reason was, "The beauty remains; the pain passes" (Chapman, 43-44). Life is full of difficulty and discouragement. Much of life hurts (whether self-inflicted or brought upon from outside sources). Only he gives us the patience to endure under the hardship. Even the godless can love their friends . . . followers of Christ are called to love the unlovables . . . the ones who want to take what is most important to us. The agony will not last forever. We must trust that the creativity and compassion of Christ will last a lifetime . . . both in us and through us . . . .
In his book, Love As a Way of Life, best-selling author Gary Chapman shows readers how to cultivate a new lifestyle built around the seven characteristics of authentic love. Now in a companion devotional, he provides ninety inspirational readings to help Christians consistently live out the characteristics of love in every relationship. Each devotional entry showcases biblical truths that guide a life of love, offering fresh insight and practical guidance in how to make love a lasting habit. Over the course of three months, readers will learn to follow God's lead as they practice the characteristics of a loving person: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty. The devotional makes an ideal gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Couples, parents, new graduates, and anyone celebrating a milestone in life will welcome this inspiring daily guide to richer, more satisfying relationships.
Gary Chapman, PhD, is the author of twenty-six books, including the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages. An internationally respected marriage and family-life expert, he hosts the daily radio program A Love Language Minute. He and his wife, Karolyn, live in North Carolina where he serves on a church staff. Elisa Stanford is the author of Ordinary Losers: Naming the Graces that Shape Us. She lives in Colorado with her husband and two daughters.

3.0 out of 5 stars Love as a Way of Life Devotional, September 10, 2009

By	W. Barker ""http://wendisbookcorner.blogs... (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Perfect for : Personal Use, Bible-Study group

In a nutshell: The authors have written a wonderful little faith-based devotional that aims to help the reader focus on the seven characteristics involved with loving a person, whether that person is your spouse, relative, friend, or co-worker. Each devotional starts with a scripture from the Bible, then continues with a few paragraphs pertaining to the topic of the day.

Extended Review:
Content: The book contains 9 sections, including seven characteristics of a loving person, an opening section called "Love as a New Way of Life" and a closing section called "Making Love a Way of Life Every Day." In between these two sections are the seven traits: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, honesty.

Format: Each topic is listed at the top of the page (there are a total of 90 topics), and is followed by a scripture from the Bible, then a few paragraphs that address the topic, ending with a thought or prayer for the day.

Readability: These topics are quick and easy reads, and will provide you with a nice start (or break) to your day.

Overall: These inspirational devotionals only require a few minutes to read, but will provide you with wonderful life stories that you can learn from and share.