Life-Giving Encouragement from Ecclesiastes

Our Daily Bread is a well-known Christian ministry that provides daily devotionals and other resources to inspire and encourage individuals in their faith journey. The ministry is most recognized for its widely distributed daily devotional booklet, also titled "Our Daily Bread."

Our Daily Bread devotionals typically consist of a short reading, a relevant biblical passage, and a prayer. The content is designed to be accessible, providing spiritual insights and reflections that are applicable to everyday life. The devotionals cover a wide range of topics, offering readers a holistic perspective on faith, Christian living, and the relevance of biblical teachings in contemporary contexts.

Our Daily Bread devotionals have garnered widespread appreciation for their simplicity, clarity, and profound spiritual insights. The brevity of each entry makes them suitable for individuals with busy schedules, allowing readers to easily incorporate a moment of reflection and connection with their faith into their daily routine.

This particular devotional on Ecclesiastes is truly Life-Giving. Each day is written by a diverse group of authors, contributing to a rich variety of perspectives and writing styles yet points us to a hope that is not vanity or a vapor. This diversity ensures that the content remains engaging and relatable to a broad audience. The biblical passages complementing the reflections provide a solid foundation for the messages, encouraging readers to engage with Scripture regularly.

In this special devotional inspired by the book of Ecclesiastes, readers are guided through the thought-provoking reflections of Solomon, the Preacher. The devotional explores the timeless themes of Ecclesiastes, encouraging readers to contemplate the vanities of life, the pursuit of wisdom, and the enduring significance of fearing God. Through concise reflections and carefully selected passages from Ecclesiastes, the devotional provides daily insights that prompt a deeper understanding of life's complexities and the profound wisdom found in acknowledging God's sovereignty.

This devotional invites individuals to embark on a journey of introspection, prompting them to consider the transient nature of worldly pursuits and the ultimate fulfillment found in a life centered on reverence for God. Each day's reading serves as a poignant reminder of the wisdom encapsulated in the pages of Ecclesiastes and encourages a purposeful and God-centered approach to daily living.

The book is structured with the daily Scripture first, then a mix of word studies, prayers, and explanations. Overall it felt unified and accomplished its purpose of Anna Haggard, General Editor, that you will discover the boundless joy, immeasurable satisfaction, and incomparable peace of living in trusting dependence on God, even when your journey is unexpected.

This is the nicest devotional that I have seen in a long time. The illustrations are gorgeous and you will love what each day brings while you read it.

Let me first say that I love devotionals, but am bad at actually remembering to sit down and read through them daily. This one is so refreshing, because not only are the Bible verses of the day in the book itself, but it also goes into depth about the words used and, more importantly, ~why~ they were used. I've been a Christian for so long, but I wasn't one to always dig deeper on my own. I love that this devotional gets me thinking with questions. I can't wait for more!

Thank you NetGalley and Our Daily Bread for this eARC :)

Time to dig deeper into a book with a book that is full of so much wisdom! This book is a happy medium of beginning believer and one that has been for a long time without being overwheming or lacking depth. I love the study of individual books and what it can bring to certain seasons of my life. This book is all of that. I truly feel like it gave life and encouraged me to dig deeper into Ecclesiastes.

I love a good deep dive and this book gave me that in the book of Ecclesiastes! I love how the author breaks the book down into bite sized pieces for daily reading, or you can read it like me and just dive full force in a blow through in a couple of weeks! It was a good devotional and I’d love to read more by this author!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this in-depth 30-day study through Ecclesiastes. The layout and color scheme are simple and yet beautiful, drawing me in to relax and experience the words being shared. Each day focuses on a passage, then various authors share their thoughts and reflections on the topic within the passage. I especially enjoyed the word study and thoughtful questions posed at the end of each chapter. Delight yourself in the One who loves you unconditionally and is trustworthy, even when the steps don’t seem to make sense. Hear the words afresh from others who have experienced the same encouragement and lovingly pass it on.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Life-Giving Encouragement from Ecclesiastes is a true encouragement from a Bible book that did not always encourage me. Now I see it differently thanks to the devotionals from this book by Our Daily Bread. Each devotional includes reading from Ecclesiastes, a devotional, then a word study or book study guide, a thought for the day and a prayer. All concise but meaningful. Along the way wisdom, guidance and an appreciation for this Biblical book is found.

For all to read and learn from this Biblical book of poetry, I highly recommend Life-Giving Encouragement from Ecclesiastes.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a complimentary digital copy. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, my personal opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Inspirational Devotion Book on the book of Ecclesiastes. It was somewhat difficult to read because there was not a way to download the book on Kindle and/or an epub download. Highly recommended and wonderfully written.

Ecclesiastes invites us to seek purpose beyond the fleeting and to find fulfillment in our relationship with the One who holds all things in His hands.

I have enjoyed reading from this devotional every morning. The entire book of Ecclesiastes is shared with daily insights from a multitude of authors. Each chapter is broken down into scriptural sections with a thought for the day. Sometimes definitions of words used in the day’s scripture are included and the majority of the days include a prayer.

I love how this devotional is laid out with wisps of greenery that make up relaxing illustrations. The font is a bit small, however, these “older” eyes could still read it fairly easily. If you enjoy reading scripture with encouraging insights, you will value this 30 day journey.

I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review.

Anna Haggard has done the best job of curating thoughts and insights on this challenging book I’ve ever read. True to the text yet not depressing, the insights that accompany the devotions made me love this book. And I never have before! I feel as though I understand better why God included this strange book in the Bible. Thank you!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I love the bautiful art in and on this book. I also appreciated the passages being included in the book. Some people may enjoy this others may not. There are authors takes after the reading and great thought-provoking questions. Great for a devotional not too short but not too long and difficult as others.

Have you ever felt like Ecclesiastes is the book of bummer verses? You’re not alone! But wait! “Life-Giving Encouragement from Ecclesiastes” flips the script, revealing the hidden gems of wisdom within this often-misunderstood book.

This devotional, published by Our Daily Bread, is like a warm cup of cocoa on a crisp morning – comforting, insightful, and sure to brighten your day. Each day, you’ll delve into a bite-sized portion of Ecclesiastes alongside insightful reflections.

The authors don’t shy away from the book’s tough questions. Still, they weave hope and practical takeaways that leave you feeling encouraged, not defeated.

Here’s What Truly Shines

Daily Dose of Encouragement: Who doesn’t need a little pick-me-up each day? This devotional delivers short, uplifting messages that resonate with everyday life.

Finding Light in the Shadows: Ecclesiastes grapples with life’s uncertainties, but this devotional helps you see the purpose and beauty woven within them.

Trusting the Bigger Picture: Let’s be honest, sometimes life feels meaningless. This devotional gently nudges you towards a life of faith and dependence on a loving God, even when you can’t see the end goal.

Practical and Engaging: This devotional isn’t just about lofty ideas. It provides thought-provoking questions and prayers that help you apply the wisdom to your own life.

Whether you’re a seasoned Bible reader or just starting out, “Life-Giving Encouragement from Ecclesiastes” is a delightful way to approach this thought-provoking book. It’s a month-long journey that will leave you feeling more equipped to navigate life’s ups and downs, all with a heart full of joy.

*** I’d like to thank NetGalley and Our Daily Bread for sending me a complimentary review copy in exchange for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. #LifeGivingEncouragementfromEcclesiastes #NetGalley.

Life-Giving Encouragement from Ecclesiastes by Anna Haggard, Our Daily Bread editor, is a lovely devotional. Each devotional contains scripture from Ecclesiastes, an easy to read devotional, study guide, thought for the day, and a prayer. It is very encouraging and assists readers in better understanding this book of the Bible. The illustrations are charming.

Life-Giving Encouragement from Ecclesiastes is a wonderful addition to any collection of devotionals. It would make a nice gift. I highly recommend it. A copy was provided by NetGalley, but these are my honest words.

I really enjoyed this devotional in Ecclesiastes. I hadn't read this book in a while so I was Nice to be in this book again. This was an easy to follow devotional and I would definitely read through it again.

I loved the meaningful insights on the book that is notorious for talking about how meaningless life on earth is. Helped me delve deeper in my faith and gave me a greater space in my soul as I pondered the text. Loved the graphics and font!

I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. Well-written devotional on a treasured book of the Bible. The devotionals were clear and easy to read. Including the text of the scripture at the beginning is a big bonus and helpful. I really enjoyed the authors' perspectives and voices, the application questions, word studies, and prayers. The only thing I would have hoped to see more of is pointing the readers to the Gospel and Jesus Christ.

Beautifully designed, even as an ebook! I love how quick these devotionals are to start my day, but it isn't shallow. The Biblical context and different sections add so much depth!

Thank you to Netgalley and Our Daily Bread Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I've never done a deep dive into Ecclesiastes before. This book came along at a timely point in my life, and sections of Ecclesiastes stood out to me in a way they never have before.

I found it interesting that different authors did each section breakdown. On one hand, it disrupted the flow of the book a bit and definitely broke continuity. On the other, they all brought such varying writing styles and perspectives, it added a layer of diversity. That will be a personal choice for each person.

I enjoyed it and am glad I had the opportunity to read it. I found it comforting for the particularly trying season of life I've found myself in this year.

I'd rate this a G.

Original review posted 6/27/24.

This is a very helpful daily guide to reading Ecclesiastes which can appear to be a pessimistic book at first glance. I enjoyed using this guide although it took me longer than 30 days to get through it because of life and all its demands and interruptions.

Ecclesiastes is a great book to read because it acknowledges the complexity of life and its unanswered questions, especially the question why?

Why did xxxx happen? Why do the wicked seem to prosper? Why do the innocent suffer? What is the meaning of life? And every other question that isn’t easily answered.

The book of Ecclesiastes doesn’t provide answers in a direct way but it explores the ‘asking’ and in a way it gives us permission to ask our own questions. In 30 days the reader is taken on a journey through Ecclesiastes with commentaries from a number of different authors. The reader then finds themselves in dialogue with those authors and with Ecclesiastes. I found this helpful as a daily guide and the list of other books to read which can be found at the back is also helpful. The way the book is stricter is helpful because the reader can go at their own pace and take longer than 3o days or read it over a shorter period.

I don’t think I discovered the ‘boundless joy’ that the blurb describes but I did discover a reflective daily journey through this old testament book which I enjoyed and appreciated.

Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.