Hello, friends! I recently read a fabulous book that I wanted to tell you about – Inside Out and Upside Down: How Intimacy With Jesus Changes Everything by Jennifer Hayes Yates. This is a seven week Bible Study which will immerse you into the Word. I don’t know about you, but I could always use more time in the Word!

This book contains six readings per week. The first five are intended to be read over the course of five days and they are true Bible Study format. The author references Bible verses, but asks the reader to look each one up. I love that because it has the reader engaging in the Word, which will in turn bring more power and insight to the reader. And it also allows the reader to use whatever version of the Bible that they are most comfortable with.

The sixth reading of the week is reserved as a weekend devotional. It amazed me how the author was able to change the tone in the sixth reading. The first five readings were constructive and filled with multifaceted lessons. However, when we get to the weekend devotional, the reader now has a feeling of rest. The pace has slowed down and you are able to soak in all that you learned throughout the week. Also during the weekend devotional, the author includes Bible verses. But this time she provides the text and doesn’t ask the reader to look them up. The weekend devotionals are a soothing and peaceful way to wrap up each week.

This book is packed full of valuable tidbits. One particular thing that really hit home was how much God wants to have a relationship with His children. Unfortunately, many Christians have a strained perception of religion. Perhaps we were taught that we had to follow certain rules, guidelines, and rituals. Or maybe we have gone to church, but left it there at the door when we exited the building. Whatever the case may be, countless Christians today are missing out on a precious gift – having a relationship with God. In this book, the author shows us how God has always wanted to have a relationship with us from the very beginning. When we begin to see God’s desire, we also begin to truly see God’s heart. And perhaps for the first time, we will be able to step into that relationship with our arms wide open.

The book also talks about the world we live in versus the Kingdom we belong to. We have a calling on our lives which doesn’t line up with the ways of this world. From the time when Jesus walked this earth through present day on this earth – Christians are hit with much adversity. We learn that there are costs for following Jesus. But those costs are very much outweighed by the rewards. And ultimately this leads us to a decision. We are not of this world. But we have an opportunity to positively impact this world. This book prompts the reader to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth that Jesus talked about.

Reading this book has been an amazing journey for me. I think it will be for you as well. Whether you are a seasoned Christian, a new Christian, or someone who hasn’t quite taken that leap yet – I believe you will get some valuable insight out of this book. Here is the link where you can find it on Amazon. Happy Reading!