Jennifer Kennedy Dean

Jennifer Kennedy Dean is Executive director of The Praying Life Foundation and a respected author and speaker. She is the author of numerous books, studies, and magazine articles specializing in prayer and spiritual formation. Her book Heart’s Cry has been named National Day of Prayer’s signature book. You’ll find articles and daily quotes from Jennifer at the National Day of Prayer website. Her book, Live a Praying Life, has been called a flagship work on prayer.

Jennifer was widowed in 2005 after 26 years of marriage to Wayne Dean, her partner both in life and ministry. They are the parents of three grown sons. Jennifer makes her home in Marion, KY.

You are known for your extensive research and your fresh insights. Do you have a method for gleaning new concepts?

Of course, the truths are not new, but I think I sometimes am able to frame old truths in new ways. I always find that when I put the words of Jesus into their original Hebraic setting and experience the scene through the viewpoint of His real-time audience, some new little fragment of truth finds its way into my thinking. I like to let the Scripture breathe. To let it sit in my heart until its full aroma has time to emerge. There’s the hard-core research, and then there’s the marinating. Turn your imagination loose and unfurl your curiosity, and listen to the living Word.

You have a series of Bible studies in the format of Set Apart, designed to be interactive. This series of studies has video series and leader’s kits available. What is the advantage to this kind of format?

I try to produce a new Bible study with Set Apart every year. I like the interactive format because I like to pull the reader into the Scripture to experience the Word. I like to challenge the reader to interact with the thoughts and ideas and to take the time to absorb them and apply them, rather than just to read. The other thing I like about this format is that it can be done by an individual, or as a group. In the video series, I like to be able to teach the main points of the material and set the learners’ up for a productive week of personal study. I love feeling like I get to be part of your Bible study group! The kits have lots of other resources for  leading a small group in the study.

Several of your studies have theme songs that go with them, as Set Apart does. How do these songs come about?

I have developed a song-writing relationship with a talented musician named Roxanne Lingle. I write poems, we turn them into lyrics, Roxanne composes and arranges the music, and Roxanne records the songs. For Set Apart, we have the theme song in the form of a music video, which is a new addition. In the leader’s kit you have the audio track, accompaniment track, lead sheet, and the music video. The theme song becomes an important and worshipful part of the study experience.

About the Book:

(Marion, Kentucky) – In a world of self-love and materialism it’s reassuring to know that God’s Word has a better plan for living. Renowned author and speaker, Jennifer Kennedy Dean, provides insight to the life of Christ, specifically the Sermon on
the Mount, in her new book, Set Apart: A 6 Week Study of the Beatitudes.

Through careful study of the Hebrew traditions of biblical times, Dean leads participants into a deeper awareness of this early ministry sermon series by Christ.

Jennifer guides readers to a heightened understanding of each beatitude, correlating the Ten Commandments with the Sermon on the Mount to tie these Old and New Testament principles together. Dean shares how living the Set Apart Life is an exciting and life-changing spiritual journey. Participants surrendered to Christ will see a total transformation: outward actions of holiness as well as inward attitudes of joy. Believers following along in this workbook will experience the life God intends. This blessedness comes from seeking and knowing God.  Anything outside the realm of Jesus Christ results in emptiness–the ultimate opposite of blessing.

Each chapter includes interactive questions for readers to answer, emphasizing God’s desire to reproduce the character and attitudes of Jesus in each Christian’s life. Along with the Bible study book, there is a Leader Kit that includes six DVD sessions and a CD with bonus material for small-group leaders. Jennifer’s website, www.prayinglife.org, provides opportunities for previewing the Set Apart materials and extra resources for pastors and leaders.

I’ve heard there are 365 verses about fear in the Bible, one for each day of the year. Max Lucado only tackles twelve fears in his new book, Fearless, Imagine Your Life Without Fear.

Lucado is known for his easy reading, but poetic style of writing. He doesn’t write poetry, although a poem is inserted in this volume, Lucado does have a unique way of putting words together. His style is enough to sooth the fears.

Tackling fears such as violence or not protecting our children is rather common. This book even covers the fear of being grabbed by a gorilla or falling from the sky with a broken parachute. No fear is unreasonable, and Lucado doesn’t dismiss whatever may well up in the reader.

Fearless isn’t a trust-God-all-will-be-well book either. Lucado admits bad things happen to good people. But, it isn’t necessary to live our life in fear of those bad things. He points out there is so much more good in this broken world.

Bible verses are sprinkled through the text. They are not used a cure-all, but as a reality check that we are not alone in our fears. At the same time, he points out that fear can be overcome by faith in a God who has defeated the master of fear,Satan.

The soothing words along with the reality of common, and not so common, fears makes Fearless a book to keep for later reference. It will remain in my library for future reference and future study.

This is a book to purchase in pairs, one for yourself, and one for a friend.

Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear
Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear
Max Lucado
Thomas Nelson Publishers
ISBN: 978-0849921391

Inspired by the anonymous writings of God Calling, Ms. Young began recording her dialogues with God in her journal.  She took seriously, “Be still and know that I am God (Ps. 46:10). Those journaled dialogues became the 365 daily devotions in this book.

Written in first person, with I being God, each short devotion is like God whispering in the reader’s ear. Ms. Young does not claim that these are inspired words of God, but rather what God has impressed on her.

Although each day’s entry is short, they are not meant to be read quickly. The first person writing leads the reader to ponder, wait for what else God has to say. By using the three or four Bible verses to meditate, and waiting quietly, a person can “hear” what God is saying as well.

Jesus Calling may well become a classic devotion. Not because of the words written in the book, but because of the words and thoughts it inspires in the reader.

Jesus Calling
Sarah Young
Thomas Nelson
ISBN 978-1-5914-5188-4