Devotional continues to grow year-over-year, more than 15 years post-release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 26, 2019) – Today, Thomas Nelson announced that the Jesus Calling brand by Sarah Young has surpassed 30 million units sold since it was first published in October 2004. It remains one of the most successful devotionals of all time.
Since it was first published, this 365 devotional has expanded to include children’s devotionals, Bible storybooks, journals, seasonal books, as well as other devotionals including ECPA book of the year Jesus Always. Its strong sales history, product diversity, and customer loyalty are unlike any other devotional on the market. It has been 15 years since publication and sales continue to grow year-over-year. In fact, from 2018-2019, sales increased five percent. But, this milestone represents a great deal more than sales alone.
“I’ve never seen a book connect with so many people in such a deeply personal way,” said Laura Minchew, senior vice president and publisher of Gift books and Tommy Nelson Children’s Books at Thomas Nelson. “Aside from the sales numbers—which are, of course, remarkable—what we value are the tens of millions of lives that have been impacted by Sarah’s work. Through her writing, study of the Bible, and prayers, people from all walks of life, all over the world, experience a closer, more intimate relationship with Jesus. Helping people develop a stronger faith is a benefit that is impossible to measure.”
The deep connection that readers feel to the content in Jesus Calling is evident across its various social media accounts, which total more than 1.5 million followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Readers regularly share their experiences with Jesus Calling on social media, and those experiences led to the creation of the Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith Podcast, which recently surpassed 3 million downloads.
The podcast, available on iTunes, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and other podcasting platforms, features stories from readers of Jesus Calling and illustrates how spending time with the devotional has made a difference in their lives. Guests on the podcast range from everyday readers to celebrities like Kathie Lee Gifford, T.D. Jakes, Reba McEntire, Rita Wilson, Randy Travis, Charlie Daniels and Melinda Gates. And, there were so many stories that the podcast expanded to include video episodes as well, which have been viewed more than 8 million times.
To author Sarah Young, there is one word that comes to mind when she thinks of the success of the book.
“I consider this 30 million milestone miraculous!” Young said. “I can remember sitting at my desk in Perth, Australia—daydreaming about reaching the 100,000 milestone. It seemed like just a pipe dream at the time… The Lord has done great things for us.”
But, regardless of the various milestones, one factor that remains the same is that Young will continue to pray for her readers on a daily basis.
“I pray daily for readers of all my books, and I long for them to really grasp that there’s no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus,” she shared. “Also, I want readers to remember that Jesus is with us always and nothing can separate us from His Love!”
More information is available at www.jesuscalling.com.
About Thomas Nelson: Thomas Nelson is a world leading publisher and provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. As part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson, is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information visit www.thomasnelson.com.
Contact: Stefanie Schroeder, Publicity Manager, 615.902.1722, Stefanie.schroeder@harpercollins.com
