40 Days. 40 Words.: Easter Readings to Touch Your Heart

by Ken Petersen, Randy Petersen

Take a meaningful journey through 40 key words of Easter. From terms found in the Gospels—repent, palm, cross—to words related to traditional Christian practices—Maundy, ashes, abstain—these readings guide you to a fuller understanding of our Savior’s death and resurrection. Every day includes a Bible verse, devotion, and reflective question, prayer prompt, or exercise so you can appreciate the significance of each term and what it means for you.

Genres: Christian, Devotional, Faith

145 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 22, 2023

Reviews

[IrenesBookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have nothing negative to say about this book! I loved it. It is a perfect book to read in the days leading up to Easter. I read the book in one sitting as the chapters were short. Each chapter the authors take a word (fasting, repent, humility, cross to name a few) and present it in the light of Easter. They talk about the definition of it and how it relates to the Easter story. It really helps get your mindset on Christ and what Easter for Christians is really all about. The book is informative yet not in a preachy way. The ability to do it over 40 days is a great option too. You could read it on your lunch break or before bed on the 40 days leading into Easter Sunday. It is a perfect gift for a Christian friend and a really good book for a new Christian!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Our Daily Bread Publishing, for the temporary digital ARC that I read and gave my honest opinion of.

[Psusan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply outstanding! 40 Days. 40 Words, Easter Readings to Touch Your Heart is an excellent devotional for Easter being actually for anytime of the year. By brothers, Ken Petersen and Randy Petersen, this easy to understand but deeply profound devotional spoke to my heart in every one of the forty daily words. Extremely meaningful, faith and scripture based this is a devotional for anyone who is or interested in following in the steps of Jesus.

I highly recommend the 40 Days. 40 Words devotional published by Our Daily Bread. Each daily reading is somewhat longer than the usual daily devotional that they produce daily. However, it is not too long with each day’s word being so very significant.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a digital ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

[Dione Hanke]

40 Days, 40 Words is a great book to use to prepare your heart and mind for Easter!

This book could be read alone and studied each day. But I think it would be more fun to read it with friends or in a group. Then you could discuss what words especially spoke to you and listen and learn from others about their experience with the book. When we speak out loud about our experiences it helps solidify them. I also really like learning from others about their prospective.

This book would also make a great gift before Ash Wednesday to friends and family. Most of us are trying to decide what to give up for lent. But this book would be something people could add to their life preparing for Easter. Just make sure they have the book at least 40 days before Easter.

I plan to use it for my study in 2024. I will also be giving the book as a gift to family and friends in 2024.

[Shirley Andrade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remembering Christ

This is a very heart-warming 40-Day Devotional Journal written by Ken Petersen and Randy Petersen. It is a journal depicting a different topic, for the 40 days of fasting, leading up to Easter Sunday; also known as the period of Lent. The topics range from ashes, abstaining, and fasting to praying, repenting, meditating, grief, and many more topics associated with the period of Lent.

The authors states that this observance was officially adopted by the Council of Nicaea in AD 325 and became a period of forty days eventually known as Lent.

This is a very good journal for all those, desiring to use a fasting journal as a reminder of Christ's suffering. I highly recommend it.

[Diane Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Our Daily Bread Publishing for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My church had skipped the Advent devotional last year, and I feared they would skip the Lenten devotional this year. As a result, I was delighted to see this title on NetGalley’s list.

I read it throughout Lent and found it to be quite meaningful. Not all of it lined up exactly with my faith tradition, but the format offered a lot of food for thought. Each day focused on the study of a different Lent-themed word. It was undated, so it could be used any year, unlike the devotionals my church provides.

I definitely recommend this book for anyone seeking to ponder the deeper meaning of the season leading up to Easter.

[Phyllis Whitaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book on Ash Wednesday. It was an eye opening read for the Lent Season. I learnt some things I didn’t know. Each of the 40 days had a different word. Each word brought my faith into sharper focus. I am overcome with a thankful heart for what Jesus did for all of us on that cross. It’s a debt that we could never pay on our own merit. Read this book. It’s not very long, but it is packed with so much information that will increase your faith. It made me more aware of the price that was paid for us. Most of all, it makes you more aware of the love God has for us. This book makes me want to more like Jesus. Jesus came as a servant to show us the way to the Father. May all of us love others as He loved.

[Susan Faloon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Our Daily Bread Publishing via NetGalley shortly after Easter 2023. I can say that the 40 Easter readings are appropriate for any time of the year. It could be, for example, read during the forty days leading to your birthday, Christmas or starting today. I took forty days to read it and fully intend to read it again at Easter time next year.
This is my unsolicited opinion of the book. I think it's good for an individual's devotions and would be great for a book club or group Bible study. There's a lot to think about as daily words reflect on things like sacrifice, nail, baptism, tomb, Maundy, salvation and more. Each word has a scripture reference and a prompt to help enhance the reading and prayer suggestions. This is a good book which may enhance a readers' knowledge and commitment during the season of Lent. It certainly caused me to think, what if Jesus had changed His mind, changed our fate? He has given us an incredible eternal gift.

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words hold power. They dictate attitudes, thoughts and even our actions in life. They shape our world and even moreso in the Christian culture where every word used holds a multitude of meanings. This book of forty words is amazing! I loved how it brokedown the meaning and the magnitude of each word.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love words. And 40 Days. 40 Words by Ken Petersen and Randy Petersen does not disappoint. This book is a devotional that discusses 40 words that are related to Easter. Each section opens with a Bible verse and includes a devotion, prayer, and reflective question. I voluntarily read this complimentary copy of this beautiful book that I will refer to often on my religious journey.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic Easter devotional. Perfect to use for the forty days of Lent.

[Cat Roule · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and timely. Perfect devotional for the Easter season.