Words have the ability to change our lives. It’s no accident, then, that Jesus is referred to as “the Word,” and I have to believe that if God had wanted to communicate with us through video, he’d have found a way to do it. Instead, he has chosen to speak to us in written words.
As an avid reader, that suits me just fine. Even before I came to The Word, it was always words that caught my attention, stopped me in my tracks, and inspired me to long for a better me. First as a teen and then as a young woman, I absorbed fictional conversations and read and re-read the inner dialogue of characters I admired. As a tired mother of four energetic males, I spent evenings in quiet reading and let words breathe fresh oxygen into my weary brain. During one of our church’s extended pastoral searches, I turned to Father Tim* and the Reverend John Ames** for steady inspiration while our pulpit stood empty.
Author Rebecca Hastings is clearly a kindred spirit, for she, too, has been changed by story and inspired by the fictional lives of people on the page. With Scripture as her plumb line, she meditates on God’s Word for peace of soul, and finds clarity and encouragement in other reading as well. In Daily Meditations for Christians: A Year of Quotes, Reflections, and Scriptures, she brings together the inspired Truth, a short quote from a work of fiction, and then reinforces the day’s thought with a prayer or reflection.
It is my meditation all day long,” he was speaking from the richness of a contemplative life. Fast forward to 2020, and we are much too practical to read simply for the good of our souls. Instead, we pile up self-help books and follow Facebook links to explore promises of a thinner body or a fatter bank account.
When we spend time immersed in Scripture, we reshape our thinking. Drawing close to the heart of God, we find our only sure hope is based on his character and in his deep and abiding love for us. As we meditate on God’s Word, we grow, and those moments of stillness focused on the truth impact all the other moments in our busy and full lives. Daily Meditations for Christians is an invitation to ponder inspiring words and to be changed by the Living Word.
Many thanks to Rockridge Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.
Grace and peace to you,
![michele signature[1]](https://michelemorin.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/michele-signature1-e1518630301609.jpg?w=150)
*Father Tim is the fictional Episcopal priest from Jan Karon’s Mitford
**The Reverend John Ames is the elderly pastor from Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead.
Subscribe to Living Our Days to get regular content delivered to your inbox. Just enter your e-mail address in the field at the top of this page.
Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash
Sounds like a definite winner, Michele, and I’ll certainly keep it in mind. Blessings!
LikeLike
And also to you, friend!
LikeLike
I have always enjoyed Rebecca’s blog posts and will add this one to my list to look at more closely.
LikeLike
It’s fun when we can share a friend’s work with other friends.
LikeLike
I enjoy reading Rebecca’s thoughts on life and faith. Thank you for this good review. I think it was aimed at people who love to read, a wisw choice! 🙂
LikeLike
Yes! Very wise!
LikeLike
Thank you for your kind words, sweet friend. I am truly honored.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wishing you all the best as these words land out there in the world!
LikeLike
I enjoy Rebecca’s writing too, Michele … I just looked her book up on Amazon and it looks wonderful. Thank you for this introduction …
LikeLike
So happy to share good books with friends!
LikeLike
Somehow I missed that Rebecca had written a book! Sounds like a great one.
LikeLike
This is her second. (I missed the first one…)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve read a few of Rebecca’s meditations so far, and can’t wait to dig in! Sounds like it would be so encouraging for our present days of stress. ❤ I appreciate your faithful witness on this page, friend. Blessings.
LikeLike
Each entry is focused and purposeful. And I so enjoyed finding some old friends among the quoted authors.
LikeLike
Sounds good – thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
…how I wish that the right words were coming out of Washington.
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing this and I will check out Rebecca’s work. Stay well and thanks for linking up.
LikeLike
This sounds like such a unique and wonderful devotional! And I agree…stories change us!
LikeLike
Hello Michele, I loved your words about when reading scripture it’s “Drawing close to the heart of God, we find our only sure hope is based on his character and in his deep and abiding love for us” so true, and more so now with so many uncertainty. But in midst of that same uncertainty is Jesus and his open arms to comfort us. I’m visiting from Welcome Heart linkup(I’m on pg 2). Praying you,your family and readers continue to be well and safe. ❤
LikeLike
Hello Michele, I loved your words about when reading scripture it’s “Drawing close to the heart of God, we find our only sure hope is based on his character and in his deep and abiding love for us” so true, and more so now with so many uncertainty. But in midst of that same uncertainty is Jesus and his open arms to comfort us. I’m visiting from Welcome Heart linkup(I’m on pg 2). Praying you,your family and readers continue to be well and safe. ❤
LikeLike
Hi, Kathleen, thanks for letting me know you’ve been visiting. These are uncertain days, but we are held by a sovereign God and sustained by grace.
LikeLike
I knew the name “Father Tim” sounded familiar! Jan Karon is one author very adept at weaving wisdom into her stories. (Father Tim and his wife Cynthia can even quote the likes of Longfellow, Goethe, and Pascal!) I’ve also read Robinson’s books, taking special note (as a retired pastor’s wife) of her understanding of parsonage life. You do have me curious, Michele, what other authors Rebecca has included in her book, and what wisdom she highlights.
LikeLike
Ordered and looking forward to meditating!
LikeLike