Q & A with Lysa TerKeurst and
Glynnis Whitwer
What was the motivation
for the Real Life Devotional Bible for Women and how did it come
about?
While our devotions
subscriptions have steadily grown since we started them in 2003, in the past few
years we’ve seen phenomenal growth. We believe this is because we’ve identified
and focused on what makes our writing unique – which is our commitment to being
transparent with our struggles while introducing the hope and power of God’s
Word to make a difference in our lives.
Although our devotions are
based on specific verses in the Bible, we believe their impact will be
exponentially increased when nestled in the books of the Bible. Readers will
immerse themselves in the context of the devotional verse and grasp a greater
vision for God’s heart and purpose for them.
What makes this bible
distinctive from other devotional bibles?
We know what it’s like to
struggle in our marriages, as mothers and in the workplace. And rather than
give advice on the right way to solve problems, or set ourselves up as experts,
we’d rather pull up a kitchen chair, grab a cup of coffee and enter into our
readers’ lives as a friend. That’s the feel of the devotions you’ll find in
this Bible.
It’s one mom sharing with
another how she overcame her feelings of inadequacy. It’s one wife confessing
to another how she overcame resentment of her husband. It’s one friend telling
another how God helped her stop gossiping.
This devotional Bible is
filled with real women writing about everyday issues – but always pointing to
the extraordinary God who brings hope, comfort and healing in the midst of our
struggles.
How do you see the bible
best being used?
Women will enjoy using this
Bible as part of their personal devotion time and we hope it encourages women to
read more of the Bible for themselves. It can also be used as a launching pad
for small group discussions. Also, women who are teachers can use the devotions
as examples in their own ministry.
Are the devotions geared
more to the mature believer or the new Christian?
We eliminate insider language
so a woman who has never set foot in a church will understand the message of our
devotions. And yet, the themes and biblical truths are deep enough that a
mature believer will be challenged.
Both new and mature believers
will enjoy this devotional Bible because we deal with issues specific to women -
and churches don’t always address those types of issues. For example, how often
do churches talk about a wife losing her sexual desire for her husband?
What are some of the
particular issues or challenges for women that are
addressed?
How to not be offended by a
friend, how to have greater intimacy with your husband, how to weather the
storms of life, how to stop gossiping, how to pray for your children, how to
control your words, dealing with hormones, discovering who we are in the midst
of parenting, overcoming the shame of our pasts
Are all of the devotions
related to the Proverbs 31 passage?
No. The devotions are based
on verses from Genesis to Revelation.
How much of what is shared
in the devotions come from your own personal experiences “in the trenches of
life”?
Our greatest lessons come from
what God is doing in our own lives. We are just ordinary women who share the
vulnerable spots in our lives and invite another to walk along side us. We’re
willing to share our mistakes, our regrets, and our pain so we can point others
to our Source of our help and hope. In doing so, we find purpose in the hard
things we’ve experienced. 2 Corinthians 2:3-4 says it well:
“Praise be to the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all
comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in
any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians
2:3-4 NIV)
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