Review: Jesus Lives by Sarah Young

This book of devotions is designed as a gift book, with glossy pages, a padded cover, ribbon book mark, and a presentation page following the flyleaf.  Each of the 180 devotions corresponds to an emotion, virtue or concern.  For example, there are meditations on "Joy", "Fear", "Emptiness", and "Right Living" among many others.  There is no discernible order for the devotions, but there is an alphabetical index at the front that directs you to all devotions on a particular topic.  Each devotion covers a two-page spread, with the left page containing the meditation, which is written as if in the voice of Jesus, with scripture passages presented on the right page.

The tone of the meditations is very soothing and pleasant, although I found it difficult to engage with the voice of Jesus in this book.  This is Ms Young's style, and it may be very helpful to some, but I found it distracting.  Catholics will find some of the theology off, but other passages will have alternative uses to those that the author intended.  The meditations on being in the Presence of Jesus could work very well at Eucharistic Adoration, not at all what the author intended, but beautiful nonetheless.  For example, one of the meditations on the topic "His Presence" begins:  "I want you to spend time with Me for the pure pleasure of being in My company. When you take delight in My Presence, you experience a foretaste of the eternal pleasures I have prepared for you...".

A lovely little book, although probably not suitable for an orthodox Catholic.

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This book was provided for review free-of-charge through the Thomas Nelson Book Sneeze program.