3 Cherished Little Guidebooks

Devotions.

That sacred little quiet time with God has gotten a bad rap along the way.  Instead of a winsome invitation from the Lover of our souls that woos us deeper into His arms of grace and mercy, it's too often morphed into a heavy, cumbersome discipline that we run from.

For many of us, it's become a guilt-induced labor filled with shoulds and oughts instead of a sweet respite, a nest of solitude and silence that overflows with delight and strength-giving power.

Truth be told, we've all struggled with creating those sacred minutes that impact us at the soul level.  I don't know a single person who's arrived and is fully satisfied with how they connect with the One that loves them best.  

Sometimes a new little guidebook or a fresh translation of the Bible, a crisp-paged journal or figuring out a better time / location can make a world of difference.

A few weeks back, I scooped up a few of the devotional books I've collected over the years and snapped this photo.

I love these little guidebooks that have been gathered along the way.

But my all time favorites?  Probably these three.

Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith ~ Henri Nouwen
Just a few paragraphs speak so deeply into your soul that you're kind of left in awe.  That's who Nouwen was, that's what this book offers.  Spending a quiet minute at his site has become a bit of a sacred breath in my morning online routine ...

'The table is one of the most intimate places in our lives. It is there that we give ourselves to one another.  When we say, 'Take some more, let me serve you another plate, let me pour you another glass, don't be shy, enjoy it,' we say a lot more than our words express.  We invite our friends to become part of our lives.  We want them to be nurtured by the same food and drink that nurture us.  We desire communion . . . Every breakfast, lunch, or dinner can become a time of growing communion with one another.'

Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence ~ Sarah Young
I often read one of Sarah's offerings to a client at the end of a difficult counseling session when we've gone deep and unearthed pain.  She often can't believe that the words weren't written just for her, for they speak peace and hope to her weary heart.

And now the book is not only at my office, but also on my desk at home in the form of one of those perpetual calendars which keeps me company when my computer's dragging its feet getting where I want it to go.

'Talk with Me about every aspect of your day, including your feelings.  Remember that your ultimate goal is not to control or fix everything around you; it is to keep communing with me.  A successful day is one in which you have stayed in touch with Me, even if many things remain undone at the end of the day.  Do not let your to-do list {written or mental} become an idol directing your life.  Instead, ask My Spirit to guide you moment by moment.  He will keep you close to Me.'

One Thousand Gifts Devotional: Reflections on Finding Everyday Graces ~ Ann Voskamp
Ann's original 1000 Gifts book changed my life upside down, propelling me into a gratitude focused mindset that slowly but surely impacted the dailyness of my life.

If you loved the book, the devotional will take you back to that place where gratitude abounds, even in the midst of the ugliest or saddest of circumstances.  I just finished it last week and I've already started paging through once more.  It's that good.

'It is the astonishing truth that while I serve Christ, it is He who serves me.  Jesus Christ still lives with a towel around His waist, bent in service to His people ... in service to me as I serve, that I need never serve in my own strength ... He calls us to serve, and it is Him who we serve, but He, very God, kneels down to serve as we serve.  Spend the whole of your wild and beautiful life investing in many lives, and God simply will not be outdone.  God extravagantly pays back everything we give away and exactly in the currency that is not of this world but of the one we yearn for - joy in Him.'

Let's talk about the devotional books you cherish

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your struggles with a quiet time

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and rewards of those nestling-with-God experiences

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