Daring Devotion: A 31-Day Journey with Those Who Lived God’s Promises (A Missions Devotional)

by M.R. Conrad

For thirty-one days, step back in time and see how God worked in and through men and women like you. Read their stories. Hear their own words. Feel their heartbeat. Experience their struggles. Get closer to their God. Discover the source of their strength in the promises of God’s Word.

This devotional book is a gateway to spiritual growth through the truths of God’s Word and the examples of those who lived God’s promises. A. W. Tozer wrote, “Next to the Holy Scriptures the greatest aid to the life of faith may be Christian biography.” Daring Devotion taps into the power of truth and testimony. This book will enrich both your personal time with God and your family’s devotional time.

“Here is a book I would love to put into the hands of young adults in my church so that they see that men and women who have left their mark on the mission field were like us in every way, except in their devotion to the God who called them. We need to get rid of our lackluster Christianity in order to fulfill our individual callings, too. This book might be a brief 31-day journey, but M. R. Conrad has packed it with spiritual dynamite. Read it prayerfully. It might change your life—forever!” (Conrad Mbewe, pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church and Founding Chancellor of the African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia)

“This book should come with a ‘Danger, you will forever be hooked on missionary biographies.’ This 31-day venture into the lives of missionaries will inspire, convict, and motivate you to greater heights of devotion and commitment to the Great Commission.” (Paul Seger, General Director of Biblical Ministries Worldwide)

“In a simple yet rich way, M. R. Conrad has done a fabulous job of sharing the past in order to stir us about the future. I have no doubt that juniors all the way to senior adults will benefit from this book. Be ready to be uplifted, and be ready to wipe tears as you read of God’s faithfulness.” (Matt Herbster, former director of The Wilds Camp and current missionary in Asia)

Genres: Christian Living, Biography

214 pages, Paperback

Published December 8, 2020

About the author

Dr. Conrad has served in pastoral ministry since 2003 and in urban Asia since 2011 in church planting and leadership training. He, his wife, and their four children squeeze into a 700 square-foot apartment where he seizes rare moments of quiet to write amidst homeschooling, a cacophony of musical instruments, and the steady stream of visitors they so enjoy having in their home.

Reviews

[Brian Pate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 31-day devotional written by a missionary based on missionary biographies. Simple and encouraging, this book is probably geared for high schoolers. It highlights missionaries from St. Patrick to Jim Elliot and includes helpful maps and charts.

[Wesley Rinehart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic and challenging devotional supplement.

[Raquel Comden · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy missionary biographies, would recommend this devotional for sure! The devotions themselves are a little brief, but still worth reading for its wide variety of missionary biographies.

[Mrs. Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a refreshing collection of short readings on missionaries throughout history, from ancient times to more recent figures. I appreciated that it didn’t just focus on the well-known names I’ve heard since childhood but introduced me to people I’d never encountered before.

Since these were designed as daily readings, they didn’t serve as full biographies but instead highlighted specific moments—an event, a conversation, or a journal entry—followed by the author’s reflections and applications. While the content felt somewhat surface-level, I did find the self-reflection questions at the end of each day particularly valuable. They provided excellent material for my own journaling and deeper self-examination.

Overall, this was a thought-provoking read that offered a different approach to learning about missionaries, even if it wasn’t highly in-depth.

[Robert Luff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was just excellent! Conrad says he writes with the goal of getting the reader to pick up full biographies of the missionaries mentioned here. Goal achieved! I definitely intend to do that.

What makes this book so good is that Conrad applies lessons from the lives of these men and women, asking with Scripture, into calls to action so that we might live our lives sold out for Christ. I pray its impact on me will last.

[Ben Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great nuggets of trust in each chapter that focuses on a missionary. Some are well-known, while others are less familiar. But a good devotional that showcases on the sharing the gospel sometimes with the ultimate sacrifice.

[Jim Crosley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible journey. Though, I've read about many of the missionaries before, I learned many new insights. There are a couple of devotionals that have really stuck with me. I have already passed this book on to 2 people in my life.

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crisply written devotional reflections on missionary heroes—many of whom I had never heard of before. A soul-stirring read.

[Jonathan Pait · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great addition to daily devotional meditation. Compelling stories that motivate and encourage with convicting questions to ponder at the conclusion of each day’s reading.

[Ashton Harat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great read. Many missionaries I did know about, some I didn’t. Inspiring and incredibly enjoyable. Highly recommended!

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Convicting.