New Warner Press Study Delivers Encouragement

When I couldn’t sleep last night, I formulated an opening paragraph for this post, hoping I would remember those words in the morning. I didn’t, because I failed to pull myself out of bed and jot down those ideas. How often do we fail to do something we should? Too often.

Yet, God provides. I opened my morning devotional to find James 1:2-3 focusing the topic, “Embrace Adversity.” Coincidence? I think not. For the past week, I’ve been reading Leah C. Adams’ latest Bible study, James: Recipe for a Living Faith, recently published by Warner Press. Designed as a six-week daily study, I had a much shorter time frame to complete the study and meet my writing deadline.

Inspired by my morning devotional, I finished the final pages of Leah’s guide on the Book of James, written by Jesus’ younger brother. James, she says, “offers commands and encouragement to live the Christian life.” And that includes these opening verses: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance (James 1:2-3 NIV®).

That Scripture certainly seems relatable right now as we all face, together, a global pandemic. Nearly every aspect of our lives has changed and that is undeniably testing us. In her study, Leah, an author, life coach, speaker for Compassion International, and Holy Spirit-led teacher, delves into the Word and offers hope. She emphasizes “joy” in suffering, with these words: “...he (James) wants us to allow the Holy Spirit to work out that fruit of joy in our hearts as we persevere.”

As James tells us, and Leah underscores, trials test our faith and that produces steadfastness, perseverance, and patience—all strengthening our faith as God carries us through life’s challenges.

Leah approaches her look at the Book of James in an engaging and personable writing style that makes you feel like you’re sitting down with a long-time cherished friend. She’s open about her mistakes, her challenges—including anxiety and panic attacks—and the tools she has used to, for example, speak grace-filled words. She’s held herself accountable, shifted her focus, and worked hard to grow her listening skills. Leah uses her experiences, and plenty of Scripture references and thoughtful questions, to open our hearts and minds to change, grow our faith, and “live lives that look like Jesus.”

That’s such a focal point of James’ writing—that we act and live like Christians. He writes in chapter 1, verse 22 (NIV®): Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. That’s a pretty strong order. I like how Leah frames that scripture in her assessment of two types of Christians—the Dead Sea Christians who don’t live their faith and the Sea of Galilee Christians who live their faith with “gospel in, gospel out.” This comparison makes a lot of sense when referring to the stagnant Dead Sea with no outlet and to the Sea of Galilee with water inlets and outlets.

Leah covers a sea of topics as she closely examines James’ writing. Topics like the value of God’s wisdom, and not our own. The value of self-control in listening and in speaking. The value of powerful, thoughtful prayer. The value of trusting God. And, above all, the value of God’s redeeming grace that rises above anything we can do to save ourselves. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8 NIV®).

To read and work through James: Recipe for a Living Faith, is to be blessed. Leah’s honest and caring writing, Biblical references, meditation moments, and more, including the bonus of six recipes (like her Coconut Layer Cake and Roy’s Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream), will uplift you, challenge you, comfort you. And, hopefully, encourage you to point others, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to Jesus.

Audrey Kletscher Helbling, a life-long Minnesotan, found Leah’s Southern charm especially, well, charming. She quickly warmed up to the unfamiliar “Y’all.” She appreciates Leah’s comfortable, conversational writing style that makes this study of James particularly engaging and personal.