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Author Corbitt has composed a Christian-themed journal of 365 modern parables. These readings are diverse and offer a fresh, simple look at timeworn ideas. On New Year’s Day, the journal opens with the reminder that it’s time to let go of yesterday because God is already here, making all things new. Regarding forgiveness, a mother advises her little boy to pray to Jesus on behalf of those who tease him at school (July 26). On January 16, the parable concerns a man who, worrying about his children, keeps filling groundhog holes until his children declare they have no groundhog problem. They are right; their father dealt with it though they never knew he was doing so. The June 26 entry compares the beauty of dandelions, a prolific weed, to the attractions of sin. On Christmas, the author reminds us that “we are the ones who received the birthday gift.”
Corbitt has constructed this book with meticulous care. Each entry opens with a biblical quotation drawn from several attributed sources, including the New King James Version, the New Living Translation, and the New American Standard Bible. The stories sometimes involve the author in dialogue with God, as when she questions why God will reject the unfruitful tree or imagines walking with God through Paradise. She presents refreshingly innovative interpretations at times, suggesting that if someone steals from us, we should forgive the sin but be wary of the sinner, perhaps leaving fake money in the thief’s path. She has fashioned many charming metaphors to make her points: God, she believes, sees us as His beautiful roses, ignoring the thorns of our many sins. This devotional collection could make a thought-provoking study for Christian groups, as well as giving practical counsel and inspiration to readers who choose it for daily meditation.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review