Book Review: Knowing God by Name

 Knowing God by Name by Sharon Jaynes, Mary Southerland, and Gwen Smith

I had always wanted to study the names of God in depth. I was thrilled when I received this book. I totally soaked it all in :). Knowing God by Name was written by three gifted writers. It's an eight-week devotional that covers 40 names of God. In the Bible, names are very important. They often reflect the characteristic attributes about the persons. Even more so, God reveals His character by referring to Himself by different Names. He wants us to know and understand Who He is, what He does, and how we should relate to Him.

Who is God to you? Elohim (The Creator). El Shaddai (The All-Sufficient One). Adonai (Lord and Master). Abba (Father). You may be familiar with these. But God is so much more! He is also the Jealous God, the God Who Sees, the Lord Our Peace, the Lord Who Heals, the Lord Our Righteousness, the Lord My Restorer, and more. For most of the names, the authors include the original Hebrew or Aramaic or Greek words. The book is divided into 8 weeks and each week consists of 5 different names. Day 6 of each week is "Now It's Your Turn"--the section which includes questions to help readers ponder each of the five names/attributes covered in that week more deeply and personally, suggestions for digging deeper into God's Word and into worship, and journaling pages for readers to write down their thoughts and/or prayers. At the beginning of each day's devotion, you will find a Bible verse in which the name is used. Each devotion concludes with a prayer.

I enjoyed all the Biblical truths, practical insights, and personal stories shared in this book very much. I learned a lot. I also appreciate the pronunciation guide for God’s Hebrew and Greek names :). This book is a gem; I highly recommend it! It can be used for personal study or for small groups. Prepare to discover about God in fresh ways, grow closer to Him, and experience Him more intimately! It will enrich your understanding of Who God is, will strengthen your faith in Him, and will deepen your relationship with Him. The more I know God, the more I love Him and the more grateful I am for Him. The more I love Him and the more grateful I am for Him, the more I want to know Him and to make Him known.

You can watch their free online videos for this study at http://www.girlfriendsingod.com/knowinggodbyname/. You can read Chapter One here.

One of the names covered in the book is Yahweh Rohi (The Lord Is My Shepherd). I really like what Mary Southerland shares, "The certainty that we are loved fosters peace and eliminates stress. Sheep don't come across as stressed-out creatures. In fact, they seem almost oblivious to danger. Sheep don't worry about where their next meal is coming from, if they will have a place to sleep each night, when the next enemy or thief will attack, or even what the next day holds. When sheep are sick or in need, they simply turn to their shepherd, instinctively knowing he or she will take care of and comfort them." (p. 125)


~I received a copy of this for free via Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.