Favorite Devotional Books

I love devotional books. I do. I have more than I could ever need and still accrue more of them. I love old ones from Puritan writers and new ones from favorite contemporary authors. I love ones based on specific books of the Bible and others based on books by current pastors, teachers, or theologians. I have devotionals for each day of the year, for particular seasons of life, and even holiday seasons.

As much as I love my devotionals, they are a supplement to and not a substitute for Bible reading. I use them in addition to reading God's word. They help increase my love for God and his word. They point me away from myself and to the One who gives me life.

Not everyone likes to use devotionals but if you do, here are a few of my favorites.

For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God's Word, Volume 1: I read through the Bible each year in my quiet time and last year discovered this devotional by DA Carson. It uses the M'Cheyne reading plan which has you read about four chapters a day in the Bible, from the Old and New Testament. The devotional picks one of those chapters to focus on each day.

Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms: As you know, I love the Psalms. I also love John Calvin's commentaries. (In fact, his commentaries are almost devotional in themselves). This book pulls from his commentaries on the Psalms.

Voices From The Past - Puritan Devotional Readings: If you love Puritan writers, you'll enjoy this devotional. It includes readings from a number of Puritan writers, covering a number of topics such as prayer, holiness, suffering, and trust in God.

Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith: My copy of this book is quite worn, I've used it so much! Scotty Smith writes prayers for his blog on TGC and this book contains many of those prayers. Each prayer is based on a passage of Scripture and always points to Christ and what he has done.

New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional: I love Paul Tripp's books and have many of his devotional books. This one is my favorite though. This gospel centered book is perfect to help orient your heart to what you need most each day.

Diamonds in the Dust: 366 Sparkling Devotions: I have several of Joni's devotionals. She has long used the suffering in her life to show readers the love and grace of God. This devotional does just that.

Morning and Evening: A New Edition of the Classic Devotional Based on The Holy Bible, English Standard Version: Spurgeon's writings have impacted my life in significant ways. This devotional is a classic and one I turn to time and time again. Each daily reading is inspired by a Scripture passage. You can access it free online as well at morningandevening.org.

Do you have a favorite devotional?

Note: I am a member of the Amazon Affiliates program and links to books in this post are connected to my affiliates account with Amazon.com. 

What the New Year Brings

The new year comes bearing gifts.

For some, it is the gift of relief—relief that the last year is over. For others, a new year brings hope—hope for the future and for a better year than the last. A new year can also bring anticipation for what's ahead. Perhaps there's a new adventure to look forward to. Or maybe we have goals for this year and look ahead to their completion. 

Often, when we consider our expectations for the new year, we tend to plan for and look forward to good things. We anticipate fun activities, new experiences, and increased blessings. We set goals and make plans to attain the things and experiences we've long desired. We resolve to make things better and improve ourselves and our lives.

Sometimes though, like the ugly sweater or new appliance we never wanted, the new year brings gifts that aren't desired. Fear. Uncertainty. Dread. Just the thought of the unknown future can bring worry or paralyzing fear. If that last year was especially hard, we may dread the thought of another difficult year. Or maybe we do know what to expect in 2018. Maybe we have a dreaded medical test or procedure scheduled. Or we are certain a relationship we've tried so hard to keep together will finally fall apart. Or that bill will finally come due and we know we have no way to pay it. 

When I consider my own thoughts about this new year, part of me accepts the gift of sweet anticipation and looks forward to the experiences that lie ahead. Yet another part of me trembles a bit with fear at the unknown. The truth is, I know that life is filled with hardship and challenges. I don't expect 2018 to be easy and carefree. And maybe that's why there's fear, because I know some challenge, obstacle, or hardship likely lie ahead.  

But what if this year you and I embrace all that the new year brings? What if we looked forward to everything God wants to do in and through us in 2018?

Even if it's hard?

And even if the story He's written for us this year involves more challenges, obstacles, and trials?

James tells us to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." (1:2) As we look ahead into 2018, anticipating what God has planned for us, we need to face that future with joy. Not because trials are fun. Not because we want additional heartache in our life. Rather, we rejoice in what those trials produce in us, "the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:3,4). 

We find joy in knowing what trials produce in us. God uses challenges and hardships to make us more and more like Christ. And what did our Savior's life look like? One of suffering. Paul wrote, "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 4:10-11, NIV). Paul was willing to do whatever it took, even enduring trials, to become like Christ. May that be our goal as well for this year, to pursue Christ and become like him, no matter what it takes.

We face the new year with joy also because we know who rules and reigns over our trials. We can trust that each and every obstacle, whatever trial we endure, and any heartache we face, are all given to us by God for our good. He doesn't use challenges or trials in a willy-nilly way, with no purpose or meaning. He doesn't even do so out of anger and punishment. Rather, he uses trials for our discipline and training. They are used to strip away the remaining sin in us and shape us into the image of Christ. Such trials show us our need for God and his grace. They teach us humility and dependence. They are opportunities for us to grow in faith. They also show to a watching world the power of God in weakness, bringing him honor and glory. 

Challenges and trials come to us from a good and righteous Father who only does what is good and right. We can trust his purposes and plans for us because he is holy and just. He knows exactly what we need to teach and train us in the way of righteousness. He knows just what we need to be made holy.

After all, we are his children, adopted through the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. We are his beloved—loved by God as much as he loves the Son. He is gracious to us and no matter what the future holds, we are not left alone in it. He is with us, giving us peace in anxiety, strength in the face of suffering, and grace to endure. He also gives us brothers and sisters to walk with us: encouraging us when we stumble, helping us when we fall, and remaining with us to the finish line.  

As we open this gift of a new year, may we accept it with hope and joy, rather than fear and despair. Because we know the sender of all gifts. And since he gave us the greatest gift of all—life through his Son—how can we not trust him with the gift of a new year? 

How about you? What are your thoughts about the new year? 

Ten Prayers for the New Year

As I prepare to turn the page and begin a new chapter in my life, I wonder, what will this new year hold? What new joys await me this next year? What challenges? What trials and heartaches? What new lessons? What dreams will come true and what new ones will be birthed?

Perhaps your own heart is filled with similar thoughts and questions. Do you look ahead with anticipation? Or is it more like dread? Does the unknown future paralyze you with fear? Or are you expectant of the good things God will do? Instead of looking forward to the next year, would you rather turn around and go back the way you came? Or maybe you are feeling some of both?

The great news is that God is the author of 2018. He knows each and every twist and turn that lay ahead both for you and for me. He has planned 2018 down to the minutest detail, all with the goal of his glory and our good. So when it comes to facing the new and unexpected, when the future seems frightening and uncertain, and when we come to a new and unfamiliar junction in the road of life, the best and greatest thing we can do is pray. Through Christ, we can come to the throne of grace with confidence, casting our cares and anxieties upon the Lord, and know that we will find grace and help in our time of need. God hears our prayers, he uses our prayers, and he desires that we come before him in prayer.

While the list of things we could pray for this year is endless, I've created a list to get us started. Will you join me in praying these things for ourselves and others?

1. That we would know the love of Christ: This is one of Paul's prayers for the Ephesians. It is a prayer that opens our eyes to seeing Christ's love in new and fresh ways. "That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (3:17-19). We will spend an eternity plumbing the depths of Christ's love for us, but don't you want to get started now?

2. That we would love God's word: It was God's word that started this blue marble that we call Earth spinning and twirling in the dark void. It is his word that brings life and sustains life. It is his word that accomplished our redemption when Christ cried out at the cross, "It is finished!" And it is his written word which shows us the path of life. Scripture tells us all we need to know about who God is and what he has done for us in Christ. It also his word that changes us and sanctifies us. "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). Let us pray this year for hearts that love God's word.

3. That we would desire Christ above all else: We cannot love God on our own. Left to our own devices, we would only love ourselves. Only God can bring our dead hearts to life, giving us hearts that love him and desire to obey him. "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:36). Let us pray this year for hearts that love Christ above all else. Let us pray for hearts that are dissatisfied with the fast food offerings of this world and that we would develop the taste for the rich and deeply satisfying love of Christ.

4. That God would show us the idols of our heart: All the things we bow down to in our heart, the things that we love more than Christ are idols. Success, affection, affirmation, money, possessions, family, jobs—these are all idols of the heart. Pray that God would reveal to you what idols stand tall on the altar of your heart. Pray that he would help you to remove them and put greater love for Christ in their place.

5. That we would be quick to repent: Martin Luther described the Christian life as one of repentance. As long as we live in this sin-stained world, we will continue to sin. Let us pray for hearts that are quick to repent. May we readily turn to the cross and apply what Christ has done for us, washing ourselves anew in his forgiving grace.

6. That we would think less about ourselves: Tim Keller describes humility as "the essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less." This year, let us pray that we would spend less time consumed with ourselves and more time thinking about loving God and loving others.

7. That we would have gospel joy: Gospel joy is the joy that anchors us in the midst of the ferocious storms of life. It is the constant steady horizon in the swells of life. It stays with us no matter our circumstances. This is something I pray for quite often because I tend to notice the storm clouds and forget the sun shining above them. Gospel joy comes from knowing what Christ has done for us, what he accomplished for us, who we are because of him, and the eternal hope we have through him.

8. That we would love like Christ: Just as we can't love God on our own, we can't love others on our own either. We need to pray that we would have a love like Christ, the kind of love that seeks the best in others, that takes the last place, that serves and sacrifices. The Apostle John said that we love because God first loved us. This year, may we focus on the love Christ has for us and may it propel us to love others as he loves.

9. That we would number our days: In Psalm 39, David prayed, "O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!" (vs.4). Let this be our prayer as well. May we realize how fleeting our life is and how important it is that we not waste our brief time. May we use every moment for God's great glory and praise.

10. That God's will would be done: In the fictional Mitford book series, Father Tim would tell others that he was "praying the prayer that never fails." Praying that God's will would be done is the prayer that never fails. May we submit all our prayers and desires to God's will, trusting that his will is perfect, holy, righteous, and good.

That's my prayer list to start off this year. What's on your prayer list?

Merry Christmas!

"The Advent season is a season of waiting, but our whole life is an Advent season, that is, a season of waiting for the last Advent, for the time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth." —Dietrich Bonhoeffer in God is in the Manger

May you anticipate with joy the last and final Advent.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

In Christ,

Christina

Preparing the Heart for Christmas

It's that time of year again. What's often called "the most wonderful time of year." The time of year when we deck the halls, attend parties and plays, wrap presents, and bake cookies. It's the Christmas season.

For believers, the Christmas season is a time of remembrance and celebration. It's a time of rejoicing over God's goodness and faithfulness in fulfilling his promises to redeem us from sin. It's a time to dwell on what it means that our Savior was born to die.

Christians often refer to the weeks leading up to Christmas as "Advent." The word "advent" means waiting. It's a time of anticipation. Of expectation and preparation and looking forward to something hoped for.  

The Christmas season is often hectic and filled with events, to-do lists, and expectations. All too often, we fail to sit and wait. We fail to do as Mary did when she "treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Luke 2:19).

For those who want to use the season of Advent as a time to draw near to God, to dwell on what it means that a holy God would take on human flesh and live among us, to remember God's faithfulness to his promises, here are a few ideas..to read the rest of this post, visit For the Family.

Closer Than a Sister Giveaway

Did you know that you need your sisters in Christ? There are no lone rangers in the body of Christ. We need one another.

From my book, Closer Than a Sister: How Union with Christ helps Friendships to Flourish (Focus for Women):

"I’ve talked to people who shrug at the idea of commitment to a local body of believers. They think of church as a place you go to hear an inspiring message. They go for a pick-me-up to inspire them for the coming week at work or for a boost of self-help instruction to encourage them at the end of a difficult week. And if they don’t have time to attend church on Sunday morning, they can always listen to a podcast or read a blog post. This kind of half-hearted involvement with the church misses the purpose of the church altogether. They don’t realize their vital need for the Body of Christ.

Because we were created for community and designed to reflect the three-in-one community of our Triune God, we need to be in spiritual community with our church family and share our common life together. We need flesh and blood, face to face, interactions. Online relationships and interactions are no substitute. We simply cannot know others or be known in a virtual world. We also cannot know or be known when we slip into the last row of church ten minutes after it starts and leave right after the benediction. We cannot give or receive true Christian fellowship if we are not actively engaged in sharing a common life with our family in the Lord.

God uses our fellowship with one another to encourage us spiritually. He also uses us in one another’s sanctification as we point out the truth to each other. He uses us to carry one another’s burdens as we help each other in practical ways. He uses our prayers for one another to carry out His will. He uses us to disciple and to teach one another in the Word and the way of faith. We need that community and without it, we are weakened."

Do you know this kind of friendship? Perhaps as you read this, a specific sister in Christ came to mind. With Christmas around the corner, Closer Than a Sister would make a great gift to give to another sister-friend. Perhaps you and your friend could read it together and grow in what it means to be united to Christ and to one another in the church.

With that in mind, I have a giveaway! Two copies of Closer Than a Sister—one for you and one for your sister-friend and a bracelet with the phrase 'sisters in Christ' stamped on the inside. Simply leave a comment below and you will be entered for the drawing. US residents only, please. Giveaway ends December 8 at 7am. 

Note: I am a member of the Amazon Affiliates program and links to books in this post are connected to my affiliates account with Amazon.com.