John Brown University plans to release a devotional in the fall of 2014 consisting of contributions from various alumni, students, staff and faculty.
This devotional will compile reflections, life lessons, scriptural analysis and scriptural application from people in all stages of life.
“The purpose of this book is to encourage alumni, staff, students–whoever would like to have encouragement through devotional thoughts,” said Steve Onnen, director of the John Brown University Scholarship Fund.
The idea to create a devotional book first originated from a similar concept that both Wheaton College and Taylor University executed a number of years ago.
“We have a couple of copies from other Christian colleges that have done this in the past,” Onnen said. “JBU has never done anything like that, so we thought, ‘Let’s look at putting something like that together.’”
Each submission must be approximately 200 words long and must undergo review from an editorial committee, led by Jim Walters, an emeritus professor at the University.
Most people do not struggle to write a 200-word devotional piece, said Rachel Fiet, assistant director of University Communications and project manager of this devotional book. Rather, many people find it difficult to limit their devotionals to only 200 words.
The response received by the University has been positive and enthusiastic with over 65 contributions thus far.
“There’s just a wide variety of people who have submitted stuff, and it’s going to be really good,” Fiet said. “There’s a lot of variety in what people are choosing to write about, which is interesting.”
Although the devotional book is expected to be published by fall of 2014, entries must be submitted by March 31, 2014.
“We’re just collecting at this point,” Fiet said. “Once we’ve finished the collection period, we’ll start laying out the book, and we hope to have it printed by this fall. There’s still more weeks to go until the end of March so people can still submit things. Then we will start laying it out, and we’ll go from there.”
To submit a contribution or request more information, email news@jbu.edu.