Pastor, writer and former soccer player Michel Simplicio presents the launch of Priorize Deus 2025, a deluxe edition that goes beyond a traditional devotional. Published by Editora Vida, the book brings together 365 reflections, prayers, a Bible reading plan, practical activities and exclusive audio and video content to help Christians strengthen their faith, reduce anxiety and build a solid relationship with God over the course of a year.
In Prioritize Deus 2025, you highlight the importance of intimacy with the Creator in a world full of distractions. How do you see the impact of this reconnection on people’s emotional and spiritual lives?
As I have seen countless people in my pastoral office, I have noticed that most problems actually have their origin in a distance from God. In other words, the further away people are from God, the more their problems become more pronounced and the more difficult things become.
And the idea of ‘Prioritize God 2025’ – the purpose of this book – is to reconnect this person to the Creator, to allow this person to have time with God. Because, when we have time with God, we receive guidance, wisdom and strength from God so that we can overcome not only spiritual challenges, but also emotional ones, in all areas of our lives.
You mention that devotionals help reduce anxiety and slow down the pace of daily life. When was the moment in your life when you felt the most need for this pause, and how did that inspire you to create this book?
We have received countless testimonies from people who are overcoming anxiety through a moment alone with God, meditating on the pages of Prioritize Deus 2025. This book has been a milestone in the lives of many people who previously were unable to slow down in the face of the demands we face in our daily lives.
And so we understand that the more time a person spends in the presence of God, the less anxiety they will develop. Time alone with God makes this anxiety give way to faith and thus we can overcome the challenges of our daily lives.
Among the extra content, you propose teaching how to set up a prayer room. Why do you believe that a dedicated physical space can transform someone’s spiritual life?
“The combination of written reflections, audio and video sermons was a strategy that God gave us for this generation. The media generation that really enjoys listening to sermons and watching the videos that are there in the Prioritize Deus 2025 course.
One of the most beautiful stories I received was from a visually impaired young man. He bought the book and his mother plays the audio every day so he can listen to it. This made us understand that this strategy was worth it. And many people have been blessed by listening to the audios and receiving from God those very special reflections on the word of the Lord.
The devotional combines written reflections, audio presentations and interactive videos. How did the idea of combining these formats come about and which one has generated the greatest connection with the audience?
Personally, I believe that what transforms a person’s life is what they do consistently. I always give the example that no one becomes strong because they only went to the gym one day. No one becomes overweight because they once went to a pizza or meat buffet, for example. It is our habits that build our future.
And the idea of the book is to guide readers so that they can acquire this new habit of taking time to talk to God, a solid routine of spirituality, a routine of success, where the reader will have support every day and receive guidance so that he can walk with Christ every day.

You encourage memorizing verses to strengthen the mind during challenges. Is there a verse that has had a profound impact on your personal journey?
My career as an athlete has helped me overcome many challenges in my ministry, especially when it comes to discipline. I developed a very well-structured discipline so that I could achieve my goals, and this discipline is now part of my ministry life.
I know that I need to give up many things in order to reach even better places, and I bring this to my ministerial career. I can say that by helping people and often giving up social media and activities that do not have a purpose aligned with my life, I can achieve not a corruptible crown, but an incorruptible crown, as the apostle Paul says. Thus, I live with discipline to fulfill my purpose. This helps me to focus and go in the direction that God has laid out for me.
The book guides readers through a full year. How do you think this daily guidance can help people establish a solid spiritual routine amid modern challenges?
Jesus Christ taught us in His Word, saying: ‘Enter into your room and close the door. Pray in secret.’ There is a spiritual principle there, where a person will have a moment of solitude. Solitude is when I decide to be alone in a room with someone. Solitude is when I no longer have a choice, and even surrounded by so many people, I feel alone.
This time of solitude is a time when we stop to listen to what God has to say about us. This prayer room is where I have had my greatest experiences with God. I have spent days where I was very worried about the future, until I entered that place, the prayer room, and was able to hear God’s voice, feel His presence, have wonderful experiences and rest my soul. It is a place in God where we receive strength, grace and mercy to move forward and overcome our challenges.
Your career path spans many different areas – from sports to ministry to writing. How have these different experiences shaped your view of the role of faith in emotional and spiritual balance?
Memorizing verses to strengthen faith is very important in our day and age. There is a verse that has had a profound impact on me: Psalm 34:8, which says: ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.’
It was in this verse that my own Father came to know the Lord our God. He was going through a difficult time and I asked him a question: ‘My Father, with all love, affection and respect, I ask you: have you ever tried alcohol? Have you even tried drugs? Have you tried so many things in this life? But have you never tasted the love of God?’ And the Bible says: ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good.’ He felt challenged to taste the love of God. My Father, who did not believe in God, today serves God with me in the church where I am a pastor. For me, this is one of the greatest testimonies of my life.
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