The 5 Best Devotionals for Women

If you are in a hurry and just want to find out the best devotionals for women, then I’d recommend God Hears Her by Our Daily Bread Ministries as the best one.

A Devotional is meant to change your heart. It is intended to provide spiritual growth and help you grow closer to the Lord through study and reflection.

With this article, I will show you the importance of devotion, what creates a good-sounding devotional, why it is essential for women of all ages, and what ranks as the best devotional for women.

Here are the Best Devotionals for Women we’ll be reviewing:

• God Hears Her by Our Daily Bread Ministries
• Embraced by Lysa TerKeurst
• Pressing Pause by Karen Ehman
• The Beautiful Word Devotional by Zondervan
• GraceLaced by Ruth Chou Simons

What are Devotionals for Women?

Devotionals often come with the general context meaning it serves both sexes, but some devotionals are made explicitly for women. 

Unlike Devotions for Men, Women’s Devotionals center deep within themselves because women are more sensitive and particular with things surrounding them. Even in the Bible, they have their separate rules or guidance from the Lord. These devotionals are thoughtfully constructed with their passages, scriptures, and reflections to resonate with their thoughts and feelings that could help them with their day-to-day tasks.

What Creates the Best Devotionals for Women?

What creates an excellent devotional? You might ask.

Have you ever heard of “The Rule of Three”? We are taught that if you want to remember something, you must put it in a sequence of three because three is the shortest possible number that our human mind can organize information or illustrations efficiently. 

To have an effective devotional, you must sequence it into three main categories. Let us discuss all three.

The Scripture 

The scripture is one of the most important of the three, and your devotional will link all of its reflections. The scripture contains the essential passages from the Bible.

To create an effective devotional, pick short passages that usually contain 20 words or less.

Because if you take any passages longer than that, it may be hard for the reader to understand. 

The Body 

The body itself contains the elements that the scripture poses. 

The body is where you can write down your understanding of the given passage.

Usually, it contains your thoughts and personal inputs that you can relate to the passage itself. The body is an anecdote of the sort, a lesson, or interesting facts that you want to write down to connect it to real life.

The Takeaway

Your takeaway will be the last part of the three critical structures of your devotional.

It contains your understanding through your devotion.

Here you can clarify the points and lessons that you must take note of and live it out.

A good takeaway will give you a sense of living in line with your acquired understanding of His scriptures. 

Why Devotionals are Important to Women

I believe that having a devotional is critical to anyone, especially for seeking the Lord’s wisdom and guidance. 

The devotional is your medium for developing a rich and meaningful relationship with the Lord.

Being in touch with the Lord will give you a sense of peace and the right mindset for your everyday tasks.

Suppose you are wondering how to prepare for your devotion. I want to share with you one of the methods I use in preparing my devotionals. 

Have you ever heard of the “soap method’? Soap is an acronym to help you remember the steps:

Scripture

Observation 

Application

Prayer

First, you need to take a passage from the scripture. Then, pick a verse from your chosen selection that you feel particular about.

Second, you take your observation of the given verse. Take in mind the usual questions to understand what the Lord is trying to teach you based on the given verse’s context.

The third is to take notes of what you have learned and how you can apply it and put it into practice.

Fourth, and the last part of the method. You will write a prayer on what you have learned and understand based on your devotional. 

With this method, you now have a clear understanding of preparing your own devotional to start your meaningful journey toward the Lord. 

For Working Women

What exactly are the benefits of this to women, specifically for working women with limited time to spare?

Being a woman in a world of industry where discriminations and plenty of challenges are second to none. Working non-stop can also take a toll on your well-being – it can be exhausting mentally and physically.

Having the Lord remind you of your worth is something you cannot find in anyone.

Daily devotional service can help you ease your worries and troubles and lift your spirit further.

Building the Spiritual Being of the Young Ones

As a young woman, it is essential to develop a life with a strong relationship with the Lord because growing older living can be challenging.

Growing up, you may suffer a lot of challenges going into adulthood. From insecurities, problems with your family, peer pressures, relationship, faith, etc.

That is why we need spiritual guidance from the Lord to conquer every challenge we may face.

For Students

Schools and universities are called second homes for most of the students.

You spend a lot of your time studying and investing in gaining vital knowledge to be used in the future. 

But, sometimes studying can also lead to depression and anxiety. Meeting school requirements plus studying for the upcoming exam can lead to exhaustion that I know many of the students are well aware of. A quick break from your tasks can be helpful.

Setting aside your time for a quick personal reflection with the Lord will give you:

An opportunity to rest and reset your mind.

To give you a sense of your priorities.

Your devotional reminds you of your calling to serve the Lord and cherish every blessing you have. Starting your day with the Lord’s guidance will help you stay positive and productive throughout your day.

How to Choose the Best Devotionals for Women

A devotional is a great tool to guide us in our journey towards faith and the Lord. It gives practical applications that are connected to biblical lessons or help you better understand specific topics.

There are thousands of devotional books for sale to choose from, and sometimes it can be overwhelming trying to find the right one for your liking.

How can you decide which devotional book to choose when there are many books to sift through?

I recommend using these criteria, which I use when trying to find a suitable devotional.

Choose the right topic

Choosing the right topic can help you narrow down your choices.

But how can you choose a topic? Do you just go for something that looks pleasing to read?

Let yourself think and take a few moments and ask the Lord for guidance. Ask Him to guide you, reveal any areas in your faith that need attention, and give you a willing heart and mind to listen to His teachings. 

Gather feedback

Have you ever experienced buying a book because you thought it is good, only to end in disappointment after you started reading halfway to it?

You don’t want that ending for your devotional, do you? 

Try searching it on the web and look for reviews on that particular topic to give you a deeper insight into the context and what you can expect from the book.

Know your author

Before deciding on buying a book, it is good to visit the author’s website or author page. 

You will have an insight into the author’s background as a person, their works, and if you and the author share the same thoughts and faith towards the Lord, which will give you a sense of connection.

Take a look inside

The best way to have a sense of what the book was about is to peek inside and quickly scan the context. With this, you’ll have insight into whether this book caught your taste.

Biblically sound

One of the essential parts when choosing a devotional is it should be backed up by the scripture.

Always make sure that it’s biblically sound. An excellent devotional will always point you to Jesus, encouraging you to seek His Holiness and Wisdom. Always remember that devotionals are just meant to guide us. They are not meant to replace the Bible.

Pray and ask for guidance

Now that you have decided on what topic you are into, you have already asked for recommendations, you now already know about your author, have a sense of the book, make sure that it is biblically sound, etc. 

Pray and ask God to guide you and give you wisdom to the best devotional intended for you. Like what is stated in James 1:5 “ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

God Hears Her by Our Daily Bread Ministries

God Hears Her: 365 Devotions for Women by Women is a beautiful piece of art thoughtfully written by various female authors from Our Daily Bread. It contains 365 daily devotions written by women for women.

This book gives you a brief story that applies to the scripture of the day. It is a combination of significant biblical passages and inspirational stories from other women that resonate with Bible scriptures. The personal stories, passages, and inspirational quotes found in this book are pulled from Our Daily Bread devotional. A perfect reminder that we have a bigger God than the trials we face.

With its simplistic and compact design, besides its well-thought-length structure, it is good when traveling, and you want a quick dip into your devotion.

It doesn’t feel like you are just doing your daily homework after work. It also has a friendly and creative layout that is visually appealing, so you won’t find yourself being bored while reading God’s message through this book. This book is suitable for anyone interested to start their daily devotional journey.

Pros:

• Compact book – you can bring it anywhere
• Perfect gift with its attractive hardcover binding
• It also has a friendly and creative layout that is visually appealing
• Combination of significant biblical passages and inspirational stories
• The length of each scripture and passage is comfortable enough to encourage you to do your daily devotionals

Cons:

• Basic scriptures 

Embraced by Lysa TerKeurst

Embraced is a beautiful work of art written by the New York Times Best-selling author Lysa Terkeurst. She has received a lot of praise and respect because of how she wrote Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God Is Holding You Close.

What I found interesting about this book is how Lysa conveys her message. It feels like she knew from the start what you are suffering from. Her words came with meaningful advice and guidance through your inner pain, self-doubt, and joy.

I love how open and honest Lysa is when sharing her experiences which caught my attention spot on. This book helps you find freedom away from your struggles and sorrows and guides you in learning new things to reconnect to the Lord.

The author shared her personal experiences, which have strengthened the book’s connection to the readers. The personal touch is remarkable and is undoubtedly worth trying if you want to be reassured that you are not alone in this journey.

Overall, this might be a great devotional book that can help you deepen your interpersonal connection with the Lord. 

Pros:

• Has profound personal examples from the author
• The book has a dedicated space for your notes
• Inspirational book cover
• Hardbound (suitable for gifts)

Cons:

• Despite its creative and colorful visuals, this may not be suitable for seniors because they can be too bright for their perspective 

Pressing Pause by Karen Ehman

Pressing Pause by Karen Ehman is a devotional book ideally suited for our beloved moms.

Each page of this book is enough to give you time to focus on the essential notes of the passages given your busy schedule. Inside her book were 100 encouraging devotions that I find helpful for moms to begin their day-to-day tasks with uplifting scriptures based on the Bible.  

Pressing pause is composed of short devotionals that are picked to suit every busy mom out there. It is simple to make you feel connected with the Lord without taking too much time from your chores. 

This book is admired for being one of the encouraging and engaging devotional books in the market. They may find this book easy to relate with for busy and working mothers because they can create their devotionals in just a short period without compromising the in-depth understanding of God’s words — brief, relevant, and inspiring.

Pros:

• Straight to the point and involves intriguing questions
• Recommended for working and busy moms
• Features a beautiful book cover that even young ones may find encouraging and uplifting
• Quick and easy to read and follow-through 

Cons:

• The only factor pulling back this book is it has two different authors; the tone change in writing is very noticeable and quite uncomfortable to follow through

The Beautiful Word Devotional by Zondervan

The Beautiful Word Devotional by Zondervan is created for those looking for a devotional that addresses real-life issues and teaches them ways to cope with them.

The first thing I notice is how big the book was. Its size is comparable to your Bible. Its excellent writing layout features short scriptures with extended commentary and a short prayer at every page’s end. This book gives you 365 days of devotion that will nurture your faith and spirit and encourages you to walk with the Lord.

Its readers love this devotional book made by Zondervan because of its excellent writing layout. The book itself is not overwhelming to read, and it is not like other devotionals that are dated. You can read it repeatedly because it is just a specific reading for each day of the year. Its engaging illustrations come with colorful pages and beautiful designs that complement every passage’s beauty in the book. 

Zondervan’s work refreshes your spirit daily with different meaningful scriptures to help you seek spiritual wisdom.

Pros:

• Convenient to carry
• Great writing layout
• Colorful pages
• Engaging illustrations

Cons:

• Some of these designs might not be visually pleasing for seniors, as most prefer a more straightforward layout

GraceLaced by Ruth Chou Simons

GraceLaced by Ruth Chou Simons is more than its beautiful and artistic design. GraceLaced is about flourishing your spiritual faith with a carefully crafted intention to lead you and help you apply it in your life towards a meaningful relationship with the Lord. 

I found Ruth’s work to be encouraging. She is trying to help you become deeply rooted in the Lord’s faithful promises and unconditional love. It is just a beautiful way of reminding ourselves about the truth and teachings that often seem to be buried and have been long forgotten.

I admire how beautiful her artworks are. Every hand-painted piece of art feels like it represents the scripture it was on. Artistic designs combined with beautiful passages from the Bible create a harmonious rhythm that resonates throughout time while you are reading.

As an artist on various social media platforms, Ruth Simons applied her artwork to her works. She also shares her own experience through commentary. She gives advice and guidance to her readers that they can use in any situation, plus her book is filled with stunning artworks and designs that are appealing to the eyes. 

Pros:

• Lovely Artwork
• Provides excellent tones in writing, which encourages and motivates her readers to do better
• Encouraging and challenging
• Applicable for any life situation
• Visually appealing

Cons:

• The only downside of it is, it might not be that pleasing to seniors who are used to reading traditional devotions

Conclusion 

To sum it up, the best devotional book that anyone can experience is God Hears Her: 365 Devotions for Women by Women, a beautiful piece of art thoughtfully written by various female authors of Our Daily Bread Ministries.

Its simplistic and compact design, besides its well-thought-length structure, gives a positive vibe and an experience more than just something to do with devotion. 

The book encourages readers to become engaged in the Lord’s Grace. Every scripture you will read is simple but full of meaningful thoughts backed up by the Bible. God Hears Her might be a great choice if you are looking for spiritual guidance that can help you grow your relationship with the Lord.