The President's Devotional: The Daily Readings That Inspired President Obama
In 2008, DuBois was working as the religious outreach director for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. He prayed for the senator regularly but one day felt called upon to send him a piece of uplifting scripture. Nervously, he waited to see if he had overstepped. Instead, the soon-to-be-president asked for more. Five thousand or so messages later, DuBois received the president’s permission to select the best and compile them. The resulting book provides 365 daily lessons containing spiritual and moral guidance appropriate for both gifted world leaders and ordinary people. In it, DuBois, a Newsweek columnist and former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, combines Bible passages, personal stories, and quotations from artists and a wide array of thinkers, from Anaïs Nin and John Wayne to Maya Angelou and Martin Luther King Jr. DuBois’ writings convey such universal wisdom as choosing words carefully, appreciating the moment, generating peace and love regardless of personal circumstance, and avoiding temptation. This special collection is best savored one day at a time. --Susan DeGrane