Cover Image: Sure as the Sunrise

Sure as the Sunrise

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Member Reviews

I wish they would have put more effort into ensuring the file was compatible with kindles to make it readable. It wasn’t and I just couldn’t get around how disjoined everything was with how badly the formatting was. I was really excited for this book too. Did not finish. Rating is only because a star rating is required but does not represent the content of the book.

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Sure as the Sunrise is an awesome devotional by Emily Ley! Ms. Ley has written 100 encouraging devotional entries with practical advice sprinkled within. I used Sure as the Sunrise as part of my personal devotional time and it really ministered to me. I often read more than one entry a day. Sometimes I found the practical advice repetitive, but that does not detour from how it ministered to me. I highly recommend Sure as the Sunrise by Emily Ley! Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. My review is also on Goodreads.

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Sure as the Sunrise by Emily Ley is a lovely devotional book. This author’s work is always realistic while simultaneously being a breath of fresh air— that’s not easy to do! Here, you will find extremely short thoughts to get you on your day. Each devotional starts with a Scripture and then tells an anecdote from life that helps give you perspective. I love this book and think it is one to buy in hardback and read in small doses each day, as intended. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

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I was initially drawn to the devotion because of the bright and inviting cover, However I didn’t much care for the contents of the book.

As a devotional, I expected more of a scripture based daily lesson with a verse and then an explanation or practical life application. I didn’t quite get that from this book which felt more like personal essays tied to verses.

They were short to read which was nice but overall I was expecting more.

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I love Emily's books. They're so easily absorbed with hidden gems tucked throughout. I love that this one is a daily devotional with tidbits of her real life sprinkled through. I'll definitely be revisiting this in the new year.

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I’m a big fan of Emily Ley. I use her Simplified Planner, and I’ve read all of her books. So as a fan who has read all of her books, her Instagram captions, and listened to her podcasts, I can say confidently that this book offers nothing new. The only difference is that Emily’s familiar stories are tied to bible verses in this devotional. There are 100 days of devotion as well as places for reflection every week. I enjoyed the snippets of Emily’s stories, for the most part, but I was just hoping for something new. Also, I was hoping for more general audience content as I feel many of the pages focused on motherhood. At the end of the day though, I’ll keep following and reading everything from Emily.

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If you know me I love Emily Ley’s books and product line. (Thank you @sslove918 for the introduction)

And she’s tipped into writing devotionals.
Sure as the Sunrise is set up a devotional with 5 devotion days and 1 reflection day each week with 1 day of rest. 20 weeks long/100 days.
The topics in the devotional reflect the topics she’s covered in her books but with more emphasis on inviting God into each day. Each day comes with a prompt to dig deeper into the topic, whether it’s creating a bucket list or self reflecting on the work we are partnering with God on.

But remember it’s a devotional, so there’s a lot of Emily’s stories and experiences than there is scripture. And the only day that has space to write is the reflection day so you’ll definitely require a journal.

If you love the design and aesthetic feel of her books, like Grace not Perfection and Growing Boldly then you’ll love the design and aesthetic feel of this devotional. Except this one sticks with 1 color scheme: the sky at sunrise.

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Sure As the Sunrise” by Emily Ley is a collection of 100 sweet devotions. Each devotion encourages readers to actively pursue positivity and make time for things that matter. The daily devotions are very short and quick to read. Decluttering, prioritizing, and resting are encouraged (and appreciated). While the devotional book is not time consuming, it does help the reader focus her day. Fans of Emily Ley will really enjoy this devotional book!

The anchor verse for this book is beautiful: The Lord's unfailing love and mercy still continue. Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. Lamentations 3:22-23 GNT

Each week includes five daily devotions and a weekly reflection. Read the book for 20 weeks to enjoy the devotional experience. Reading this book is a reminder that God does not change. His love and mercy is dependable. 

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley.

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Different from her other reads, Ley once again knocked it out of the park. Sure as the Sunrise gives the reader hope that no matter how crazy, bad, or busy the day before was, God is there the next day and brought the sun up again. Packed full of real life and scripture to go along with it, Ley gives the reader 100 days of wisdom and hope that each day is a new day.

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This is a great devotional. I absolutely love how Emily Ley writes things to be so relatable. I recommend grabing this one to start your morning with

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Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC copy of this book! For years, I have been looking for a devotional that was thoughtful, but not too long, and related to me as a woman, mother, and working parent. Emily's book hits all three of these. She starts out with a short verse and then gives a sweet meditation on that verse, pulling in real life experiences of hers that relate to that day. She continues to refer back to the "sun rose again" mantra, which is a soothing pattern to expect throughout the days of the devotional. I appreciate that she doesn't give us a holier than thou sentiment in these days- she tells it like it is with her own faults and mistakes which is refreshing compared to other devotionals I've read. I would recommend this to women looking for a short jumpstart to center their day before the hectic sets in.

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This is a nice 100 day devotional book, most relevant to women who are already fans of Emily Ley and are themselves wives and/or moms.
The book is intended to be used in the morning, 5 days a week for 20 weeks. Each daily page has a title, bible verse, essay from Emily, and a blurb with questions and/or action items. Then the week ends with a few pages of Reflection.
I enjoyed Ley's other books and her style, so I found this book helpful and interesting.
After Closing Reflections, there is a section on Morning Routines, including the author's and a space to create your own.
With a a space inside the front cover to write who the book is from, this would be a good gift for mom friends or female relatives, as long as the topic would resonate with them.

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Confusing mix of disparate parts.
The setup of each day in this devotional is as such:
Title, Bible verse, Essay, Action items
I found myself struggling after reading each day to understand how those four parts went together. It should not be that difficult for the reader to understand what you are trying to convey.
There was no “wrap up” to connect all the lines.

Good intentions for those who need this.
Rather than much of a bible-based devotional, I found this more of a Simplified-planner-based devotional. Slapping a bible verse onto a page doesn’t make it any better than if you left it off. This felt like checking a box in what the author “should” do.

Not for me.
Stars 2
Would I Recommend? Eh

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This is my first book by Emily and I quite enjoyed it. Each devotional felt like sitting down for coffee with a friend. Each scripture came with a little tidbit from her life, how she applies that scripture to her life, then ends with a question or challenge to apply it in your life. I like how she takes the scripture then applies it to daily life. You can tell her life is planners and organization - it definitely comes through in the devotionals. The topics are varied but I felt they had a good continuous flow. I enjoyed at the end of each week being able to reflect on what I've learned and worked on. The resources at the end were helpful in setting up a morning routine. I do find that when I prepare the night before I'm less hectic and stressed the next day. All in all, it was a nice daily devotional with sprinklings of planning your life better.

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Emily Ley has a gift for inspiring others to get organized and get back to the basics. Now, with her daily devotional, Sure as the Sunrise, she has proven that she also has a gift for leading others in their faith journey. I have long been a fan of her Simplified podcast, particularly her weekly blessing at the end, so now to have a devotional extending this blessing into a daily offering is a blessing indeed. Thank you, Emily, for being yourself and for being a gracious hostess and friend for the many who follow and admire you.

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Sure As The Sunrise by Emily Ley will probably fill carts of women soon and maybe be a stocking stuffer or gift for the holiday season. Why? Because the book cover is beautiful, the author is cute and bubbly, she uses God's name throughout, or maybe it's her popularity. I'd guess that all of these reasons will leave well-meaning people buying this "devotional".Generally, a devotional is one verse and an author's commentary. The commentary doesn't have to be anything more than their personal thoughts on that small portion of scripture or how they feel the verse applies to them. This devotional is not much different from all the others.

- She uses many translations of scripture including the paraphrase The Message.
- In one entry on kindness, Ley uses Ephesians 4:32 and then states, "The kindest people I know weren't born that way. THey became that way through life experiences that, more often than note, were hard." Surely Christians can grow to become kind, but Ley leaves out the beginning of the letter to the church at Ephesus; the part where they were dead in sin and because of Christ have life that can share love and kindness.
- 1 Corinthians 6 about our bodies being temples is used for a devotion for reading about her fitness journey.

There are plenty more examples of out of context scripture usage. There's also the concern of what biblical doctrines Ley affirms. This devotional is less about God and more about self. So in the end who are we being devoted to?

*I received this dARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Another lovely book by Emily Ley. She always does an amazing job with her writing. I always feel such a positive attitude when reading her books. I can’t wait to buy the hard copy!

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I truly appreciate daily devotionals about several contents of lifestyle. Sometimes, We 're just in need for inspiratiohnal thoughts and motivation to look in another angle or to clear the view about subjects and stuff like that. There are so many ideas and ways to live, But as Christians, We have a major purpose and role model to follow up, and We keep needing to catch reminders to not let distraction makes Us to look to another side, Morning will always come... We lift Our eyes Up to the hill.

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If you’re a fan of Emily Ley, this devotional is the perfect addition to your growing library of her books and planners. It’s beautifully created and has her consistent simplified theme. I felt the devotional entries could have gone a little more in depth as well as the scripture assessment, but I enjoyed the weekly check in questions and assessment. This would make a great Christmas present for anyone in your life with a Simplified Planner.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Gift for the advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publishers. Opinions conveyed are my own.
Scripture Connection

The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue,

fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise.

Lam. 3:22-23
Theme/Design

The book has a strong morning theme and the daily devotions are designed to be read in the morning. Frequently, Ley offers a challenge for the day or the week. Overall, I would use the word “refreshment” to describe the key message of the book. It’s a message of rejuvenation in truth, of exchanging the cares of the world for Christ’s light yoke.

Organization

The devotional is divided into twenty chapters, or “weeks,” consisting of five daily devotions, followed by a reflection section with space for written introspection. Then, there’s a simple reminder in pretty cursive on a pink gradient, in honor of the sunrise.

While I’m accustomed to daily devotionals consisting of standalone studies, I really liked this approach, which developed themes over several days, allowing for a deeper dive. Rather than brushing the surface of the topic via short devotional, the reader has the opportunity to revisit the topic, from various angles. The format also makes it easier to relocate a favorite section.

Each titled devotion begins with a verse, followed by several paragraphs of discussion and concluding with a point of personal connection (i.e., a challenge, questions to consider, or a prayer).

A Favorite Quote

May you accept the bountiful grace God is offering you. May you lay down your lists, your tasks and your calendar and allow the Creator of the heavens and earth to renew your spirit, to create abundant space within you for peace, calm and rest.

Emily Ley, Sure as the Sunrise, Day 66
What I Liked

In an addition to the chapter organization, I really enjoyed the content, itself. Ley’s writing is sweet, encouraging and engaging. She invites her readers into her life, as she shares about how the Lord has been present with her in various circumstances. In doing so, she also invites the reader to experience the grace found in Jesus. And the grace she talks about is real— not cheap nor something we can earn. It’s in and from Him.

I especially liked the last part of each devotional, which provided a personal touch point for the reader. These sections offer tangibles in the form of prayers, reflection questions and challenges. My favorites are the written-out prayers, which are honest and do a great job of putting into words than I’ve felt but wouldn’t necessarily know how to express. I also appreciate that the challenges are specific, rather than general.

Emily Ley is well known for creating Simplified® planners and, although I’m not familiar with the product, I definitely see how God has gifted her in this area. Just as planners allow the user to itemize the details of the day, Ley itemizes specific ways to care for one self and rest with Jesus. The tangibles are one of my favorite things about the devotional—and one of the ways it stands out.

On top of the daily interactives, the end of the book includes resources for planning your morning routine (the importance of which is established in the book), along with Emily’s own routine. Again, I appreciate how practical this is, and I think it’s neat that the author is using the gifts God gave her to draw others close to Him. It’s such a blessing (especially for someone with autism—me— who really values specificity and planning).

Audience

Sure as the Sunrise is a women’s devotional, best suited to married moms. There are quite a few references to raising children or at least being married; although the author does provide alternate examples for those who are not, I would say this is the Target readership. Nonetheless, although I’m a single woman, the Lord really used this book for me. There is so much truth and refreshment packed in the pages.

Recommendation Status

This is a great women’s devotional that encourages readers to breathe before the busyness of the day—and spend time with Jesus. While I’d recommend it especially to women who are married and have children, I think it’s a valuable resource for all women, regardless of marital status.

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