The Imitation of Christ -- New Year Resolution Review

Disclosure: I was sent this book to review free of charge from Worthy Inspired. All opinions in this post are my own. I did not receive any other compensation for this review. I am including links to each item for your convenience but do not receive anything if you purchase them.

On Monday I started a new series for this week: New Year Resolutions Review. My first goal for 2016 is to work with Hazel more regularly on her Spanish. My second goal was to find joy in my every day life. Today I share my third goal (which these are in no particular order for my goals). Today's goal is to grow closer to Jesus. The book to help me do this is The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis and compiled and edited by James N. Watkins. 

 
James Watkins has compiled a version of this 500 year old bestseller into modern English. The book was released on Monday for sale! This version contains 90 devotionals on various topics such as taking up Christ's cross, loving, trusting, knowledge, obedience, humble, gracious, patient, forgiving and so many more!

Each devotion gives the reader something to think about and draws the reader into a closer relationship with Jesus. Through the devotionals the ideas are there to imitate Christ in behavior (and thought). Some of the passages are written as the disciples and some as Christ and Watkins has labeled them as such.  All have references to scriptures and are labeled as well. The original version was written anonymously in Latin in the Netherlands. It is widely believed that it was written by Thomas à Kempis. Thomas à Kempis did not want to take credit for it since he believed it would be more meaningful for the author not to be known and the questions to refer the words and thoughts instead of who wrote it.

Each day I read a devotional or two and it gives me thoughts for the day to see if I am behaving more Christ-like. Often the sermon at church is how we can change our behavior to be more Christ-like and I feel this book helps remind me all week of those important lessons. 

This book is helping me grow spiritually and bringing me closer to the life for which I am striving. I know I cannot be alone on this since it has been around for 500 years and is only outsold by the Bible itself. This version brings the language to one I can understand easily and really put my head around. It brings it into modern language without taking away the meaning behind the original writings. If you are craving to grow more spiritually closer to Jesus I hope you will check this book out!!