Why We Include Videos with Each Devotional

The devotional videos give you time to rest in God’s Word.

Last year I began including videos at the end of each devotional. I know that some of you have a slow internet speed and watching them each day is not possible, but many of you have shared what a blessing they are.

Why did I start adding the videos?

1. There are so many songs that express the emotions we are feeling. Music can have a tremendous affect on our mood. There are times when I can’t find the words to pray, but I can sing along “a prayer” at the top of my lungs and know God hears it as a praise and a plea.

2. They keep us in touch with the Christian music we may have not heard. For many people there are no Christian radio stations that come in clearly (including myself, despite living in San Diego). It is easy to become out of touch with the growing number of Christian artists who are providing some true worship music.

I have made a few playlists and even purchased a CD of a group I never would have discovered without watching their videos.

3. They let the purpose of the devotional have time to sink in, instead of clicking away to the next thing on our list. Our devotionals are written by our gifted writers and they don’t need something more, as they stand on their own just fine. If you are like me, however, there are times when I read the devotional and then click away before I really process what I just read.

By taking a moment to just sit and listen the written words and music can turn into a true retreat time with God. Many of the songs express how we need to slow down, sit, rest, and focus solely on God and His glory rather than speeding off to read another email.

Katrina Davis shares,

“Thanks to Rest Ministries I am creating playlists that truly minister to me. When I have a doctor’s appointment, I now have my iPod. I relax my spirit, take deep breathes, and listen to the music. Music is so soothing while I wait. If I am having a great, great day I will put on a dance song and praise God! Thank you to HopeKeepers for helping me create a musical library of healing songs. I am truly praying for the strength of all HopeKeepers as we help, hope, and pray for each other.”

If you receive the devotional in your email in box, the videos do not come through in the email. You may see nothing where it says there should be a video or a box with a red X in it like this.

But with just a simple click on the title it will take you to the exact link where the video is.

On a mobile device and having difficulty viewing the video?

If you are on an ipad or other mobile device and the videos will not play in Safari, we’ve discovered that they will play in the Bing app. We’ve tried it and about 90% of the time videos that didn’t work in Safari did play in Bing.