Being snowed in from the blizzard we had 8 days ago (nearly 4 feet of snow then and 2 more feet this morning), I was able to finish my book. I read Sheila Walsh's book "The Shelter of God's Promises." When deciding on a book to chose to read, this book caught my eye from the list and I knew it was the one. I am the teacher for my church's women's group. We began a new theme for the year in January called "Claiming God's Promises in 2011". I figured this book would be a good companion to our monthly studies. What I expected was another book, listing some of God's promises and the verses they come from in the Bible. List, explain the promise, and read the verse. That is how most of the books I have been researching handles God's promises. But I was sincerely surprised with the way Sheila Walsh approached God's promises. It is not written in a one dimensional approach. You, too, will enjoy this book as much as I have.
The author has written her book with the reader in mind. She presents 10 promises that we can relate to: Needing something to hold on to; not having enough; afraid and feeling alone; not being able to see God's plan while in pain; not really believing anyone can love us; failing; feeling broken; feeling as if things are crashing down around us; knowing there is something better; and finally, having a future. Each chapter is written using a personal introduction or analogy relating to the particular promise and a story from the Bible, either Old or New Testament that supports the promise. She explains how God is in the midst of each promise and how He will not break any of His promises. I read each chapter intrigued on how she shared the promise in such a way that I knew God meant the promise for me.
It was not another list of promises. I felt as if she was speaking directly to me when explaining how the Lord makes a promise and how we can claim it personally. When she began thinking and praying about writing this book, she had one objective in mind: "What are the promises of Christ that we can stake our lives on in the best and worst days?" Sheila Walsh stated "Clearly, there are more promises than those I have included in this book. There are more than three thousand promises that take us from the first page of Genesis to the last words of the Revelation of John on Patmos. But I chose the ones that I saw, almost as foundation stones in a shelter, those that would take a lot of weight and weather the worst of storms." She did just that. And after reading her book, I was able to see how I, too, can trust the Lord to be my shelter no matter what is happening in my life. I can turn to Him in the best of times or the worst of times. God promises to be my shelter.
There is also a plus to this book. It has a free, in-depth Bible study included with it. The Bible study centers on each chapter with special sections labeled "Discovery", "Believe", and "Live" and at the end of each chapter study it has a verse to memorize. I am going to encourage the ladies in my group to all read this book and then suggest that we do a group study together.
When deciding what book to read, I thought this book would be just another companion to all of the other books that list God's promises I have collected over the years or checked out at the library. Only Sheila Walsh was able to keep my interest and did not write in the same format as others have. After reading her book, I truly believe that God's promises are not just for someone else - they are for me, too. I know you will come to trust the Lord and His promises in a more personal way once you have read "The Shelter of God's Promises."
I received this book free from BookSneeze.com and am submitting this review for other readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.
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