Review: Jesus Calling and Jesus Calling Magazine by Sarah Young
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It’s so good to have this blog back and to search for hidden gems each day. I’ve been away from Christian Book Finds (and the entire book world) for the past few years and things have changed a little. Novellas seem to be extremely popular with a few of the top publishers, something I didn’t expect to see from them. Other things have stayed the same, though. Some of the books I remember posting years ago are still going through their same sale cycles.
While searching for great books to post the other day I came across The Jesus Calling Magazine. Ordinarily I would throw out anything with only a few pages, but for some reason it really drew my attention, so I bought it. After a little digging I found a treasure chest of freebies I’ll share with you at the end of this article.
The Jesus Calling Magazine
This is the exact issue I purchased and once I got it loaded onto my Kindle I was pleasantly surprised at how much it felt like a real magazine. I bought it because it included an interview with Broadway star, Kristin Chenoweth, or as I know her, the voice of Rosetta in Tinkerbell. (I really need to broaden my entertainment, I know.) I had read articles about her in the past so it intrigued me.
There were also several other articles and even a recipe, all beautifully laid out in magazine style. One article was by Emily Ley, which I knew from studying about planners. She created The Simplified Planner and has written several non-fiction books as well.
So after reading the magazine I decided I had to do a little more digging to make sure I was giving you the full scoop on this find. Here’s what I found.
The Jesus Calling Magazine is kind of an off-shoot of the book line Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I’d seen the book many times before but hadn’t made the connection, even with the ads for Jesus Calling in the magazine. I found links to free issues of the magazine, which I’ll share in a minute, but first I had to know more about Jesus Calling, the book.
What is Jesus Calling?
Jesus Calling is a New York Times bestselling Christian devotional. It’s sold over 35 million copies and is published by Thomas Nelson. According to Amazon it’s 393 pages. (That’s a pretty hefty devotional.)
Who Wrote Jesus Calling?
Jesus Calling was written by Sarah Young. Sarah and her husband, an ordained minister, were missionaries in Japan and Australia for many years, though they now reside in the United States.
When was Jesus Calling first Published?
It was first published by Integrity Publishers in 2004. After the book’s success a whole line of Jesus Calling devotions were written for men, women, children, and special occasions. The Jesus Calling line was later purchased by Thomas Nelson in 2006.
What is Jesus Calling about?
This year-long devotional is formatted with dates so you can easily read a section daily and finish in a year. It was written as if Jesus is talking directly to you, which has caused some controversy.
Is Jesus Calling a Catholic book?
A lot of people online were asking if the book was Catholic. I don’t see anything to indicate that this book is Catholic in nature. Sarah Young, as described on her website biography, is a member of the Presbyterian Church in America.
Is Jesus Calling New Age?
I think the debate about this centers on two things. First, the way the author wrote the devotional as if she were Jesus, and second, that she claimed to receive the words directly from Jesus. Some people interpret this as the author making up and promoting a false christ. Some people claim that a few of the phrases she used in the book were referencing other new age books, but the terms in question were common to everyday language and certainly could have been coincidental. I haven’t personally read the book and I’m not up-to-date on new age religion.
Is Jesus Calling Biblical or Heresy?
With the question over New Age references aside, I think the controversial part of this book is that it was written in the voice of Jesus. As an author myself, I’ve often wondered if it was Biblical to put words into God’s mouth with my fictional stories, as I figure anyone with a healthy reverence for God would. Personally, I think that’s something each author should decide for themselves. As far as reading it in a book, most people accept Biblical fiction, which makes fictional accounts out of real life Bible heroes, and often puts words in Jesus’ mouth. The way Jesus Calling is different is that it’s non-fiction. But I believe the intent with both is the same, to inspire people. But I can see how some people might find this type of writing in a devotional off-putting. Still, others may be deeply touched by it.
Is Jesus Calling a Good Devotional?
As far as popularity goes, it has an exceptionally high positive review rating, despite being a bit controversial. The devotions are short and easy to fit into a busy lifestyle. The book has sold over 35 million copies and that probably doesn’t count all the other books in the Jesus Calling line.
Where Can You Find Jesus Calling?
This is a super popular book line and can be found virtually anywhere Christian books are sold. Here’s the link to Jesus Calling on Amazon.
Jesus Calling Website
I went to the Jesus Calling website and found all kinds of great things, including freebies! I know how my blog readers love freebies and this website is full of them. They’ve got discussion guides, a podcast, and eight issues of Jesus Calling magazine that can be read online for free.
Free Jesus Calling Discussion Guides
I counted nine downloadable discussion guides for different groups like men, women, family, seniors, athletes, etc. I had to put my email address in and then it instantly gave me a download button. (I chose the men’s guide.) It was 56 pages long! Someone did a lot of work on this.
The page has a pretty background so I’m not sure how well it would print in black and white but they gave a question set for each week of the year with lines to write the answers on.
If they’re all like this one they’ll be great for a book club or church setting. You can find the free discussion questions here. https://www.jesuscalling.com/discussion-guides/
I noticed Amazon has the discussion guides as an ebook, and some are free and others paid, but I don’t know of any way to print a Kindle book. The discussion guides from the website are printable.
Free Podcasts from Jesus Calling
https://www.jesuscalling.com/podcast/
There are buttons at the top of the podcast episodes list so you can filter by things like celebrities, authors, athletes, or by themes like encouragement and trusting God.
I usually prefer to read, rather than listen to podcasts. I know that’s weird but I understand what I read better than what I hear. I did check to see what listening to it would be like and it played instantly from my computer without signing up or downloading any extra apps. I read the interview with Kevin Sorbo and was super absorbed. I’m not a big podcast person but I enjoy reading articles about the personal Christian lives of celebrities I know from television.
https://www.jesuscalling.com/podcast/god-refuge-strength-kevin-sam-sorbo-pastor-robert-j-morgan/
And it was lengthy, not just five questions about how you met Jesus and chose a career, it was an in-depth chat with Kevin Sorbo and his wife Sam. So I can see myself returning to this podcast in the future.
Free Issues of Jesus Calling Magazine
There were eight free issues when I visited and all I needed to do was click in the middle of the picture and it opened full screen with turnable pages. I may read the one with Loretta Lynn next. Just click the link and scroll down to see the free issues. https://www.jesuscalling.com/magazine/
I hope you enjoyed this article and found something that will benefit you. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think of Jesus Calling or Jesus Calling magazine.
