Behold: 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God

by Sarah J. Callen

Our days are filled with busyness: work meetings, family obligations, church responsibilities, and more. We know that we need to spend time with God, but how often does our reading the Bible become checking an item off a to-do list?

Behold is an invitation to just sit with God. Spend time with him. Enjoy his presence. For 40 days, let's sit with him, enjoy him, and choose to be in awe of him.

172 pages, Paperback

Published December 2, 2020

About the author

Sarah currently lives in Dallas, Texas and dreams of founding businesses, giving strategically, and sharing art with the world.

Some of her favorites include: coffee shops, rainy days, a well crafted sentence, and a beautiful work of art. Some dislikes include: having her photo taken and driving in traffic.

Her life motto is: Every number has a name, every name has a story, and every story is worthy of being shared.

Reviews

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this devotional, BEHOLD 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God  by Sarah J Callen, though it is very different than the Devotions I have previously gone through. It is more like a devotional and Bible study mixed. I really like that it makes me dig deeper into the Word of God, reflecting more on each day's scripture reading. For example in Numbers 6:24-26, I have heard this passage so many times during my life, but reading it, thinking about how the Lord blesses ME, and keeps ME; how He makes His face shine on Me, and is gracious to ME; and how He turns His face toward ME, and gives ME peace! And all I can say is Wow! I know many church services starts with this passage, but I need to wake up every morning with this wonderful promise from my God.

And this us just one day. There are 39 more days to reflect on scripture that will bring you closer to our Lord. Each day starts with a passage of Scripture. On the first page of each devotion, you write 'What stands out to you in this passage, then there is plenty space to reflect on, Pause, Be, Enjoy, Wonder, and What is God saying to you. Making this and a much deeper devotional than any I've ever seen. The author does a really nice job of showing us, me mainly, how to stop and reflect on what we have read. And to help us grow in our walk with the Lord. I so much want to encourage you to check out this wonderful devotional. You will be glad you found a closer walk with our wonderful Lord. This one is a Five Stars all the way. Wish I could give it more

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Kaitlyn S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting devotional to go through, because there wasn't much written by the author. It's a book that will lead you to study the Scripture for yourself, and in that way, it's pretty much non-denominational, which was interesting.

There was much that I liked about this devotional. It was interesting, it was intense at times, and it MADE you make time to sit still and pray and meditate on the Scriptures, which is good! So often in devotionals, I see a "this-only0takes-a-few-minutes" type of approach, when we should be willing to spend MUCh more time learning to know the One who died for us.

I didn't agree with every conclusion this author drew for every Scripture passage. Many times it felt like she was interpreting passages based on her feelings, rather than with any Scriptural authority, and many times if you added to the passages she was recommending, and read more of the chapter, you'd end up with a clearer, fuller picture. But, most women's type of devotionals mainly go based on feelings than actual doctrinal truth, and this one was better than most.

I REALLY enjoyed how she had blank pages for you to go through and meditate on your own favourite passages.

I received an e-book copy of this book form the author to review, but I would highly recommend finding a print copy if it interests you. There are many journaling type of pages -- I keep a prayer/Bible study journal, so it wasn't a big deal for me, but it might be for some.

I am VERY thankful to have received a copy of this book to read and review, and I thoroughly enjoyed working through it!

[Aminata Coote · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 40-day devotional is an invitation to slow down and spend some time savoring the Word of God.

There aren't a lot of words in this devotional because the author is giving you space to taste and see the beauty of God.

Each day, the reader is given a passage of Scripture to read and meditate on. The devotional is intended to be used as or with a journal.

The selected passages focused on the majesty and awesomeness of God. Scripture references came from both Old and New Testaments.

I enjoyed reading this devotional though I admit that slowing down to savor was something I had to focus on doing. Behold reminded me of the importance of focusing on the majesty of God. I was encouraged me to pause as I read the Bible to savor the glory of God.

I received an advanced reader's copy from the publishers through Just Read Tours; a positive review was not required.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. No guilt here. But is your quiet time an item on your to-do list that can often receive shorter shrift than you'd like for it to? For those of us who have busy days, the answer can frequently be "yes." And although I am a woman who loves her Bible studies, sometimes completing a day's lesson can feel overwhelming. Yet I long (and I believe my spirit longs) for that time with God and in the Word every day. It refreshes me, sets my mind on truly good things, and connects me with the One who made me. So, what is the answer?

I believe that Sarah J Callen's incredible devotional "Behold: 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God" can be part of the answer. This is a rich (yet uncomplicated) devotional that feels like a Bible study. And, the Bible, and God, are the true points of focus here. For 40 days, Sarah has pulled Scripture verses (sometimes entire chapters) from the Bible. The reader, first, is directed to read the verses. The next question truly enable the reader to slow down, stop, and pay attention: What stands out to you?

After the reader writes down (in the print book, there are spaces available, but I used a journal for my notes as I reviewed the digital book) her answers, Sarah offers a brief, encouraging devotional thought on the passage. I found these to always be encouraging and uplifting, and she always included something important that I could notice and think or pray about.

Then, Sarah encourages the reader to: Pause. Be. Enjoy. Wonder. And then, to write down what God is saying to you.

Included in the Scriptures are some of my own favorites (2 Peter 3, Exodus 33, Psalm 34, Isaiah 6, and more). The author also encourages the reader to select her own verses on certain days. In any case, whether the passages were personal favorites or not, they were all rich. And spending time on them helped me, truly, to see and hear new things about God and to pay attention to what He might be saying.

If you're pressed for time yet still want to have meaningful Bible times, I recommend "Behold: 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God." You will find your quiet times blessed with the beauty of God's character, presence, and His Word. It will make a difference for you.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened this devotional. I have been craving a deeper connection with the Lord, and be more present and consistent in my alone time, and I saw Behold as a great start for me, and anyone that needs a more focused time. I love the call to just BE, and the prompting to spend more time in the Lord's presence, whereas other devotionals I've read seem to boost a quick/less time consuming read.

I like that each day has a similar structure and the "devotional" from the author is only a few paragraphs long, and while this gives the reader plenty of time to reflect on the Scripture for the day, it felt more like a Bible study or writing prompt than a devotional.

Each day begins with a Scripture reference, which you are prompted to read before anything else, though it is not printed in the book itself, which isn't an issue for many people since there is the Bible app, plus physical and other online Bibles, but I personally wish the author would've included the verses along with the references. Without them the book really has the feel of a Bible study worksheet and not a devotional.

Since there is a lot of space to write your thoughts, promptings, doodles, or anything you feel led to do in the space provided I found myself wishing I had the physical copy instead of the digital copy. I know you can add your notes to digital copies, but for me it just wasn't the same, although I did find a workaround by writing my thoughts in a journal that gives me plenty of space for whatever the Lord leads me to do that day.

Despite my disappointments, I do believe this is a good resource, but highly recommend the print version to really get your money's worth, and be prepared to acquire a deeper relationship with the Lord. Behold is a great reminder to slow down, open your mind and heart, and just watch what the Lord will do.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book for JustRead Tours and read through Kindle Unlimited. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout the years, I have had the chance to both read and review many devotionals and I always enjoy the chance to do so. Oftentimes, these devotionals have a pretty standard layout: a verse, a few pages of insight from for author of the devotional, perhaps some questions to ponder and a prayer. Upon reading the very first devotion I realized that this devotional was quite different than those I've read in the past.

First of all, each devotion starts with just the mention of a verse--- not written out in the book itself. I must admit I'm a little bit torn on this. On the one hand, I wasn't a huge fan of this as it requires getting out a Bible at the same time, which isn't always ideal for every circumstance. As such, I do tend to prefer having the verse written in the book itself. But the more I thought about this, the more I actually appreciated it... after all, it encourages you to open your Bible, and that's always a good thing, right? Aside from that, it allows YOU to choose which translation works best for you so you can better suit it to your own preferences. As I thought about it like this, I began to appreciate this aspect a little more. Is it a little more inconvenient? Perhaps, but it's not completely a bad thing either.

Next, I realized that there really wasn't as much of a devotion as I've come to expect from the writers. Rather than a few pages of personal stories and such, there was really just a paragraph or two and the rest was space to allow YOU to contemplate the passage given and your thoughts on it. As such, it really felt more open ended and personal.

At the end of each reading there appears to be plenty of space to write those thoughts down. I personally received this as a digital version, so I couldn't say with 100% certainty just how much space, but it seemed like it ought to be a good amount. With this in mind, I would certainly recommend choosing the hard copy version over the Kindle version as I feel like that will help you get the most out of it. (Of course, you can always use a journal instead, but again, I'm all about things being as convenient as possible.)

At the time of writing this review, I must admit that I have not read through all 40 devotions but enough to get a good feel for the style. I am liking what I see so far. While you can be flexible with this one--- skipping around or not doing every day, etc, as a 40 day devotional, I cannot help but think this could be a great option for the Lent season as well. Overall, a unique devotional and one worth checking out.

** I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thought are my own.

[Monica H (TeaandBooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to start my day with a devotional, like many other Christians. Behold: 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God by Sarah J. Callen turned out to be a helpful devotional to me in several ways.

In Behold, Callen encourages readers through four prompts as a part of each reading: Pause, Be, Enjoy, and Wonder. At the start of the book, she shares how hard it was for her to slow down and spend time reading the Bible as a workaholic. I was raised by a workaholic and I struggle with many of the issues she raised. These few phrases really stuck with me from her book, "A few years ago, I prayed, “God, I want to be a human being instead of a human doing.” And He has been so faithful to respond to that prayer over the years." Since reading this, I have been reminding myself that I am a human being. Callen also says not to be too legalistic in the forty day aspect of this devotional but rather to go at your own pace. I like that she gives the reader that encouragement even though we don't exactly need the author's permission.

I also like that each Behold reading encourages the reader to study the Bible passage and spend time with God each day rather than just a verse and a few quick lines to meditate on each day. To compare it to life, I thought it was the difference between a fast breakfast bar and a full breakfast. However, I would encourage readers to either get the hard copy of the book or to be sure you have a notebook or journal handy to go along with this book and Bible in order to get the most out of the book. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a daily devotional.

I received an electronic copy of Behold through JustRead Tours Review Program. All opinions within this review are my own.

[Kendra Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devotionals have been a part of my life for over 2 decades. Although,
I go through seasons in my life that Devotional Reading and Bible time
seem to take a "back burner" to the Routines of life.

Behold: 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God by Sarah J. Callen is
a Devotional with a STRONG message. Sarah J Callen has written
a Devotional that strongly encourages readers to be really focused
on the Devotionals and God's Word. The layout of the Devotional
is really good. Each Day starts with a Scripture to look up and read
and Study. There is also space to write down notes and thoughts.

I enjoyed the thoughtfulness of the Author and the encouragement
she gives in this Devotional. The Author really encourages the reader
to not rush through the Daily Devotional, rather sit and savor God's
Word and be encouraged. Take more then "just a moment" in spending
time with God. I was encouraged and blessed in reading this Devotional.
I HIGHLY Recommend this Devotional.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this devotional that really focused on the awe and wonder of who God is. Sarah invites us to just sit and really think about the verses. First she chose a passage, from a few verses to 2 chapters. Then she had some thoughts about it and at the end of each devotional thought she had the words, "Pause, Be, Enjoy, and Wonder" to remind us to not rush through this and just sit with God. I appreciated her honesty about her shortcomings and struggles and could totally relate! One thing I didn't like was when we looked at some of the passages more than once and a few times she said for us to choose our own passage. If this had been a longer devotional, it would have made more sense to me but when a devotional is for forty days, I felt a little cheated out of content. Overall, I felt it was helpful to use and could see myself reading it more than once. We could definitely all use more quiet time with God!

I received a free pdf copy of this book from JustRead Tours. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own.

[Emma Filbrun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated this devotional/Bible study guide. I rarely use anything like this, but had been thinking I would like to have something to help me get more out of my daily reading. I have been appreicating this guide; the author doesn't tell me what to think, but gives suggestions for how to approach any passage of Scripture with a sense of wonder as we behold God. She gives a number of different passages to spend time with, and also gives time for the reader to choose their own. I have spent a couple of days on some passages, and really enjoyed learning better how to see God. I received an electronic copy, and printed it out to use. I highly recommend having a print copy, as this is laid out in a journal format and it's best to be able to write in it.
I received a review copy of this book from the author, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

[Candy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say this a devotional that brings a new refreshing way to liven up and dig deeper in our walk with the Lord. I received a digital copy of th iui s book but I would have rathered a regular book copy as it has places to write in and not able to do it digitally. Having said that, all you need is a journal or notebook to go along with the digital copy and you might even need one for a book copy if you find yourself embracing the devotional with in depth insight and really engaging with it,you may need more room to write than the space alotted although each section: Pause,Be,Enjoy,Wonder,and What is God saying to you?,don't all reqire you to write something unless there's something you feel compelled to want to remember and each gives a half of page for each section. So I humbly grabbed my journal wrote down the Scriptures of the day and continued on a moving, enlightening journey of 40 days growing closer in my walk with God and now I have a new way of doing any devotion as I read the Scriptures daily, be it one or more scripture I learned to pause and take time in evaluating what I read and what I think,feel and hear from God

[Shonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this devotional, a great devotional for everyday. Easy to read and bible verse are great. I enjoy that it gives you a question to reflect back on. I love being able to answer the what stands out to you in this passage part of the devotional by reading passage and underline what stood out to me. This would be a great devotional for a women’s life team. Lots of room on the pages to write down notes as well. This book would make a nice gift for someone going off to college or for a friend that would like to start a bible study.

Was given a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own

[Suzie Waltner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not your typical devotional book. Two things stood out to me immediately upon reading the first chapter of Behold: 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God. First, Sarah J. Callen doesn’t include the scripture passages (only the references) in this devotional. I appreciated this for a few reasons.

It encourages readers to open the word of God and not just a devotional book. Plus, you can read the version you like best or the one you are most used to reading. And digging into the Word means you can read around the passages in the devotional for context or if you want to dig deeper. It is an open invitation to spend more time in the Bible.

I also appreciated that the author gives a few of her thoughts but encouraged me to slow down, to sit, slow down, and reflect on what in that day’s Bible reading stood out to me. This is a book that lends itself to journaling and diving deep.

Callen occasionally gives readers opportunity throughout this devotional to choose their own scripture, as well. If you are searching for something that lends itself more to Scripture reading, reflection, and contemplation than a quick devotional to mark a daily quiet time off your to-do list, consider picking up a copy of Behold.


Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Leslie McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devotionals are one of my favorite things to read (and write!). I have numerous books, and I'm always excited to have the chance to read a new one. So I was happy to check this one out.

In general, I do prefer hard copy devotional books, and what I reviewed was an electronic copy.

I could totally relate to the author stating how she likes to cross things off her to-do list. And I agreed with the fact that devotional time should not just be one more thing to tick off, as it prevents quality time with the Lord.

This book was quite different from any other devotional book I've read in the past. Perhaps this should be classified as a Bible study instead, as it only lists the Scripture verse, but the author doesn't actually list the verse. Therefore, the reader must have a Bible with them to read the passage before continuing with the daily reading. I found this a bit inconvenient, and other readers may, as well. In the past, I've taken devotional books with me when I travel, and I don't travel with a Bible, and I don't always have access to WiFi.

Each daily reading has a similar structure, asking the reader what stands out to them in the passage, and giving prompts at the end of the very brief devotion, along with space for reader reflection. It's more of a guide to help the reader focus on the passage they've looked up in their Bible. Unlike most devotionals I've read, there's not a specific reflection for each day based on the reading, just general daily prompts.

Callen does a nice job of reminding the reader to slow down and focus on what they're reading, even if the passage is familiar.

If you're looking to add to your Bible reading time (and have access to a Bible while doing so), this is a good 40-day book to add to your time.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy as part of the JustRead Tours blogger program, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

[Jennifer Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent several weeks with this devotional in my daily time with the Lord, sometimes spending several days in one day of the devotional because there was just so much to savor. This devotional came at just the right time when I felt the Lord tell me I needed to stop, just look up, and gaze upon Him and rest in all that He is and promises to us. There were many moments when the passage and words in this devotional came at just the right timing, often a sign to me that the Spirit is present and using this to speak to me. I loved this devotional and the blessing it was to me in this current season. I can't recommend it enough!