''Guideposts'' is a spiritual non-profit organization that encourages wellness through inspirational content creation. Founded in 1945 by Dr.

Norman Vincent Peale Norman Vincent Peale (May 31, 1898 – December 24, 1993) was an American Protestant clergyman, and an author best known for popularizing the concept of positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book '' The Power of Positive ...

, Raymond Thornburg, and Peale's wife,

Ruth Stafford Peale Ruth Stafford Peale (September 10, 1906 – February 6, 2008) was an American writer, editor, and speaker. She was born in Fonda, Iowa, to Canadian parents Methodist clergyman Frank B. Stafford and Loretta A. Stafford. In 1913, the family mo ...

with just one inaugural magazine, Guideposts has since grown to publish annual devotionals, books about faith, Christian fiction novels, five spiritual magazines, prayer content, as well as a content-rich website for daily inspiration. Guideposts has outreach programs to encourage wellness and help lifts the spirits of those in need – including military personnel, military families, support groups, hospitalized children, etc. The Guideposts organization, which also maintains an outreach ministry service, is currently headquartered in

Danbury, Connecticut Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City ...

, with additional offices in New York City.

The ''Guideposts'' magazine

The March, 1945 issue of ''Guideposts'' magazine, was distributed to 10,000 households. There were four short articles, one for each week of the month. That inaugural issue contained a story by World War I Ace,

Eddie Rickenbacker Edward Vernon Rickenbacker or Eddie Rickenbacker (October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973) was an American fighter pilot in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient.Lowell Thomas Lowell Jackson Thomas (April 6, 1892 – August 29, 1981) was an American writer, actor, broadcaster, and traveler, best remembered for publicising T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). He was also involved in promoting the Cinerama widescreen ...

, and an article in ''

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...

''. By 1952, there were 500,000 subscribers to the magazine and in 2018 circulation was more than 2,000,000 subscribers and receivers of the outreach gifting programs in the United States. The magazine is non-denominational, avoids politics and controversy, and for many years did not accept advertising. Each issue of ''Guideposts'' magazine contains articles by people of all ages, races, and backgrounds, recounting how their faith in God, or the wisdom of an older relative or mentor, helped them through personal challenges. These can include grief, poverty, relocation, serious personal or family illness, unemployment, health issues, caregiver stress and strained personal relationships. Surviving natural disasters, accidents, and becoming stranded on wilderness adventures are also frequent topics. Most articles contain a photograph of the author, along with an illustration showing the situation. Lead cover articles often feature the story of a noted entertainer, professional athlete, or other celebrity who rose from poverty. The magazine also judges and awards monetary awards for stories by teenage authors. ''Guideposts'' is nonsectarian and welcomes

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, Jewish writers, and more. A separate youth edition, published for several years, has been discontinued.

Frequency of magazine issues

For much of its history ''Guideposts'' published twelve issues a year. Starting in 2019 the periodical was published ten times a year, with the June/July and December/January issues being two-month editions. Starting with the June/July 2021 issue ''Guideposts'' became a bimonthly magazine, with six issues being published each year. Each issue was expanded to 100 pages, an increase of 30 pages from earlier issues.Edward Grinnan, Big Changes Coming to Guideposts Magazine, April 9, 2021
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List of Guideposts Books

Guideposts curates and authors multiple genres of books, all of which are uplifting and spiritual. The books range from religious prayer, to daily devotionals, to one-off inspirational novels and full cozy mystery fiction series.

Devotionals

Guideposts provides free daily devotions on their website to help those seeking inspiration, comfort, and closeness to their faith. Guideposts also releases annual devotional books and magazines for purchase, or donation.

Bible Resources

Writing contests

Guideposts Magazine sponsors two writing contests. The annual Guideposts Young Writers Contest awards a total of $25,000 in scholarship funds to high school juniors and seniors whose personal true stories are chosen for publication in the magazine. The Guideposts Writers Workshop Contest, held every other year, offers winners a free writing clinic with established authors in

Rye, New York Rye is a coastal suburb of New York City in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is separate from the Town of Rye, which has more land area than the city. The City of Rye, formerly the Village of Rye, was part of the Town until it r ...

, for five days, all expenses paid.

References

External links

''Guideposts'' website
{{Authority control Christian magazines Magazines established in 1945 Magazines published in Connecticut Non-profit organizations based in Connecticut Christian organizations established in 1945 Companies based in Danbury, Connecticut