September 19, 2006 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States …. [ANN/Mosaic Staff]
A book is changing the lives of women around the world. No, it's not from Oprah's Book Club. It's a book in which everyday women's experiences with God inspires those that read it.
The book is not only inspiring women but is literally changing the lives of women around the world. How? One hundred percent of the proceeds of the books' sales are going to scholarships for women who otherwise would not be able to afford to go to Christian colleges and universities. The 2007 version of the book, Morning Praise, is a daily devotional that is put together by the Women's Ministries department at the Seventh-day Adventist Church's world headquarters.
“It's a two-fold blessing,” says Raquel Arrais, associate director for the Women's Ministries department. ” Women are blessed by reading it and are blessed by receiving scholarships from the proceeds.”
The Women's Ministries department in partnership with the Review and Herald Publishing Association, based in Hagerstown, Maryland has been working together to edit and distribute the book since 1993. Last year's book sales raised US$32,000, all of which went to scholarships. Since 1993 more than 1,100 women have received scholarships from the books' sales.
Ardis Stenbakken, is the former director of the Women's Ministries department. She edited the very first book and continues to do so even though she is retired. “When I first started editing the books we never had enough devotionals–I or someone I persuaded had to write more to have the necessary 365. Now we usually have enough but we still need many more so we can have a greater variety of authors and topics,” Stenbakken says.
“The book is written by women in different walks of life, young women and old, professionals and housewives, church leaders and church members. The only thing you need to submit an entry is an experience with God that you can share. Sometimes something so simple will touch my life and I will find it inspiring,” say Arrais.
“Women are better at connecting with other women about their experiences,” Arrais says of the book. “The theme Morning Praise is about waking up with something beautiful to say about God.” For everyday of our lives God has something beautiful to share with us, she adds.
The 2007 devotional is available at Adventist Book Centers www.adventistbookcenter.com. It is also available all over the world in German, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
Copyright (c) 2006 by Adventist News Network.
