You don’t need me to tell you that these are anxious days we’re living in. Even if you limit your news intake as I do, the headlines are beyond belief, and it’s easy to let our hearts slide into unhealthy rhythms.
I’ve said it before here, and I’ll say it again: We fall back onto our habits when we’re weak. What we do becomes MORE of what we do. If your habits include scrolling through images of murdered protesters and political dumpster fires, that’s what you’ll do. I would like to make a tiny suggestion that we cultivate habits that point us toward lasting peace rooted in a hope that does not disappoint (Romans 5:5).
Right now, I’m reading three books to remind me that the road to hope just might pass through suffering, but God will use that time to build perseverance and character along the way (Romans 5:3). You’re accustomed to me sharing new books here on Wednesday, but today, it’s going to be just a glimpse of what’s sitting in the basket beside my chair in the living room.
Right now, I’m reading three books to remind me that the road to hope just might pass through suffering, but God will use that time to build perseverance and character along the way.
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The Bible Recap
It goes without saying (nonetheless, I will say it) that there’s no substitute for regular doses of biblical truth. If you have time to read only one thing, read the sacred text. I’ve read through the Bible a good many times, and at the one-year pace, it always feels like a LOT to get through in a day, leaving zero time for me to consult commentaries on all that content. The Bible Recap has solved that problem for me, because Tara-Leigh Cobble’s two-page summary is a highlight reel that often addresses questions that have occurred to me in my reading. In anxious times, we need to be looking for all the ways God shows up and reveals his character in Scripture, so we’ll recognize his hand at work in our daily lives.
The Cost of Discipleship
I received The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a Christmas gift from one of my sons, and I was thankful because I’ve been meaning to read it for years. This was a good year to make it happen because Bonhoeffer does a deep dive into the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’s kingdom manifesto. He details the costly way his followers must engage with our world, whether it’s 1930s-era Naziism or 2026 cancel culture. When he wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die,” I’m sure Bonhoeffer had no idea that his words would ring with chilling force through the decades following his execution. In the 21st century, we need to reconnect with the teachings of Jesus.
The Business of Heaven
I try to read something by C.S. Lewis every year. His thinking is timeless, and his writing pushes me to be a more precise communicator. This year, I’m getting my Lewis fix in daily increments. The Business of Heaven dips into many of Lewis’s books and essays, offering 365 small excerpts on everything from prayer to his particular taste in church music. His rapier wit and his crystalline thinking slow me down as a reader, and I am invited to remember that Lewis was a wounded veteran of World War I and lived through the violence and privations of World War II in England. He wrote, “When we carry out our ‘religious duties’ we are like people digging channels in a waterless land, in order that when at last the water comes, it may find them ready.”
It is my prayer that these resources will help you as you wait for the “water” to come.
Happy digging!
Holding You in the Light,
C.S. Lewis wrote, “When we carry out our ‘religious duties’ we are like people digging channels in a waterless land, in order that when at last the water comes, it may find them ready.” How are you “digging” today?
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A New YouVersion Plan for Lent and Easter!
As you know, I’m committed to the truth that women can become confident followers of God and students of his Word, and it’s my goal to help you along that path. At Living Our Days, I provide biblical content and resources to encourage biblical literacy and faithful living, and now I’m sharing devotional content on the YouVersion app. Visit my profile page to get free access to all the reading plans!
Have You Read the Latest Newsletter?
On the third Wednesday of every month, I send a newsletter with biblical encouragement straight to my subscribers’ email inboxes. Frequently, I share free resources, and the newsletter is where all the news lands first.
CLICK HERE to find me on Substack, where my goal is to help you on the path of becoming a confident follower of God and a student of His Word.
Disclosure: I am an Amazon Associate, which means that whenever you purchase a book I’ve shared here through the link I provide, I’ll receive a very small commission. It doesn’t cost you more, and I on
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