The Promise Effect: Altering the Universe by Being God's Promise

Read it. Pray it. Do it. Pick it up when you can and put it down when you must. Grab a story during an in-between time, waiting for a kid to get out of choir practice or that moment when you’ve turned off the TV for the night but you’re not yet ready to call it a day. Or read a quote in the morning and let it bounce around your head as you drive that day. Feel free to make notes in the margins. Add your reactions, journal your progress. How is the Promise Effect happening in your life? This is not a book to be kept on a shelf in pristine condition. It wants to get ragged. This is your book, your challenge, your time with God, so you don’t need to follow any set schedule. However . . . If you’re in the habit of connecting with God in a special way once a week, this book is perfect for you. Whether it’s curling up on a Sunday afternoon or quieting down on a Saturday night, you could go through one of these chapters each week for a year. And if you’re not currently in that habit, this might be a great way to start. If you prefer a daily devotional time, you can still use this book. The different elements of each chapter can provide you with devotional material for each day of the week. You might consider a schedule like this: Monday: Read the main story and the “Live the Promise” challenge. Tuesday: Re-read the quote that starts the chapter and take some time to mull over it. Do you agree with it? If you could add anything, what would it be? What does it make you think about God, about life, about promises? Wednesday: Read the “Insight” portion of the chapter. How can that affect the way you minister to others in this world? Thursday: Read the “Bible Encounter” portion. If you wish, crack open your own Bible and follow along in the text. What is God teaching you here? Friday: Re-read the “Live the Promise” challenge and, if you haven’t already been working on it, consider how you might accomplish it over the weekend. Saturday/Sunday: Focus on the “Prayer” and “Reflection” portions and talk with God about the theme of the week. See how it connects with what you’re learning in church. There’s no single “right” way to use The Promise Effect. The only wrong way is not to use it at all.