“Identity Crisis” by Michael Perkins

When it comes to devotionals, my preference is for simple and straightforward with a sharp point. With Identity Crisis: 21 Days of Discovering Who God Says You Are by Michael Perkins, I got all three.

Perkins, who’s pastor of Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Corpus Christi, Texas, has written a simple devotional guide with a thematic point. Based on what he experienced in his own life, he learned that his understanding of himself was not the same as God’s understanding of him. He echoes what may be almost universal thinking for all of us: “I’ve never felt like I was good enough. I never felt like I was smart enough. I never felt like I fit in.”

I’ve followed Michael’s blog for more than four years, and those words in his introduction took me aback? This is Michael Perkins, the guy who has pastored churches, is married to a wonderful wife and has a great kid?

Yes, this is Michael Perkins.

His devotional guide is simple. Identity Crisis includes 21 short devotionals to cover a three-week period. Each devotional deals with a specific characteristic of who God says you are. And then there are two prompts – a prayer and a challenge.

The entries include friend, child, forgiven, valuable, purchased, masterpiece, accepted, chosen, and more. One of my favorites was “letter” – did you know that you were a living letter, an epistle to be read by everyone?

Identity Crisis is a wonderful devotional guide, simple, written in easily understandable language, and speaking directly to hearts. Ours and God’s.

Photograph: Michael Perkins speaking at a church retreat.