My phone beeped, and I looked down to read the text: #7 — #7 is so good.

I smiled and thanked God for His sweet messages of mercy bound together in the pages of a beautiful book. Weeks ago, I’d started reading Lysa TerKeurst’s devotional Embraced. I’d lost my job just days before, and each entry has washed over me like a healing stream.

On the morning I read day 15, I felt a strong nudge from the Holy Spirit to buy this book for a close friend. She also lost her job — and her husband is battling for his life.

She received the book from Amazon with a little note explaining how #15 was on God’s heart for her. And, she called to thank me for sending her timely words on a day she really needed encouragement. We talked about how we were both working hard to keeping trusting God during our troubles. He is near — the Light of His love is guiding us step by step through the darkness.

For the last few weeks, she’s texted me a few times, and we share our favorite entires. You will smile when I tell you that #7 is titled “Preparing for Adventure.” I read it again this morning, and noted I’d underlined this sweet encouragement:

Satan would love nothing more than to keep us separated from the power God gives us during our time with Him. It’s time to stop feeling guilty and ill-equipped and start embracing the incredible privilege of meeting with Jesus every day.

Y’all, that will preach. Can I get an Amen?

Devotionals have helped me walk down gloomy pathways with cheer. I am a fan of slowing down and just sitting with a verse and an inspiring story — especially when my perspective is clouded by doubt and fear. Reading a shorter devotional helps roll back the fog and see the Light.

I am not sure if you are a fan of devotionals. For a season, I stayed away from them and told myself I wanted to dig into “more meat” from the Word. And, that is a good thing. But when life knocks. you to your knees, it’s comforting to pick up a devotional to guide you on your journey back to solid ground.

Today, I am sharing 5 books that have helped me heal. These well-worn books are like friends to me, and I’d like to introduce you.

5 Devotional Books to Cheer Up the Weary:

Diamonds in the Dust

Waking up each morning for 365 days reading this devotional from Joni Eareckson Tada helped me gain a grander perspective on how God’s glory and power are displayed as we steward our suffering with wisdom and grace. The foreword explains the premise of its title with a quote Joni overheard when she was visiting with a mom caring for her disabled daughter who was battling cancer. Joni asked her how she managed to persevere, and her response was memorable: “God has taken us down a rough and rocky road, but we always make time to stop and reach down, and find a few diamonds in the dust.” Life offers us “precious jewels we might pass over,” and this devotional illuminated “diamond chips” to help me walk forward with a renewed purpose.

Streams in the Desert

God watered my weary soul during a wilderness season with the wisdom and poetry in this classic devotional treasure. L.B. Cowman, a missionary to China in the early 1900’s, penned each entry during the later years of her life when she left the fields of harvest to care for her beloved husband as he battled cancer. My copy of the updated edition in “today’s language” is underlined and covered with tears. I’ve copied entire entries into my journal, and some of its poetry is inked into the flyleaf of my my old Bible. Picking this beautiful devotional up again this week to put together this post reminded me what a wise counselor its author was to me during a dark period of my life, and I am so thankful for her companionship. The thematic premise is explained in Cowman’s entry from July 5th: “We never know where God has hidden His streams. We see a large stone and have no idea that it covers the source of a springboard. We see a rocky area and never imagine that it is hiding a fountain. God leads me into hard and difficult places, and it is there I realize I am where eternal streams abide.” If you’ve never read this book, I promise these 366 entries will provide fresh water to your parched soul.

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days

I’ve purchased this lovely book by Holley Gerth for so many friends who are in crisis. The was a ray of sunshine to light may path during a season of grief in 2014. Just look at the cover! These 52 devotions taken from the Psalms help you see color when your world feels gray. Holley writes with the voice of a good friend sharing her hard-earned wisdom with gentle grace. Take entry 45 for example: It’s titled “God Can Fill in the Gaps for You,” and Holley reminds you it’s okay to take a nap when you feel “like you can’t keep up.”  She further explains: “When we think about pulling back or slowing down, instantly we feel the fear. What will happen? The answer: whatever needs to happen. Because God will fill in the gaps for what you lack right now. Jesus tuned a few fish and loaves of bread into a meal for thousands. He can turn whatever you offer into enough too. Sometimes we need to step back and realize, in the best possible way, that the world doesn’t rely on us as much as we think.” (p. 208)

He Holds My Hand

I started reading Carol Kent’s latest book on January 1st, and a few weeks later, my stable job went up in smoke, so each morning it comforts me to reach over on my nightstand and open up this devotional to remind myself God will never let me go. If you’ve read Jesus Calling, you will really love this book. Kent wrote the 365 entries as a first person love letter from God to you. Each day begins with a quote from an author and ends with a Scripture verse. The morning I lost my job, I read these words from Corrie Ten Boom at the top of the March 14th entry: “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.” I circled the words of Proverbs 3:5 & 6 at the bottom and underlined this message from God: “Trust me with your life, your loved ones your pain, your problems, and your future. I will not let you down. You can count on me.” (I am holding on to that sweet promise!)

Embraced

This wonderful read from Lysa TerKeurst is like a daily coffee date with a good friend who loves Jesus with authenticity. I am currently on day 68 of 100 and cherishing every word. I read an entire devotional to my friend Michelle the other day on the phone because its words were exactly what we both  needed to hear. So, in case you need this message, here is what I underlined today: “I don’t understand why we have to go through cruddy stuff. And I certainly know there are many worse things to go through than what I’ve mentioned here. We live in a broken world full of broken people. But isn’t it comforting to know God isn’t ever broken? He isn’t ever caught off guard, taken by surprise, or shocked by what happens next. He can take our worst and add His best. We just have to make the choice to stay with Him and Keep following Him through it all.” (pp. 212-213)  God will use this book to remind you He’s “holding you close” each and every day — no matter how hard it gets. He’s present, and He will protect you.

Isn’t that awesome? Friend, God loves you, and He is fighting for you. If you are going through a chaotic season, keeping a devotional book close by will help you stop and remember He will never leave you nor forsake you.

To help remind you how much God loves you, I’ve created a beautiful list of 7 Scriptural promises for you to meditate on this week. Sign up today as a member of the Wildfire Faith Community and  grab a copy in our Faith Fuel Library. Print out your copy and start each morning letting God’s love wash over you as you worship the One who loves you most. (Bonus points if you share the verse on Facebook and tag a friend to encourage her.)  

When we are struggling through a stormy season, sometimes it’s hard to sit down and read a longer passage of Scripture and really focus — because our weary hearts are just plain tired. Give yourself permission to slow down for a bit and read something shorter for a few days. I am starting each morning with 2 devotionals this year, and then I jump into more Scripture later in the day. I am thankful for these bite-sized pieces of truth to remind me God is in control, and I am going to be okay.

Friend, God’s got you. You can take a nap today and then maybe grab a good devotional and sit in a comfy chair and spend a few minutes with the Savior who gave all because He loves you most.

Let’s Chat: Are you a fan of devotional books? Share your favorite in the comments.

⇓

Want to dig deeper into the Word together?

Join me Live on Facebook on Mondays at 2:00 EST for Fired Up and Hopeful:

A verse by verse study of I Peter.  Catch the replay on YouTube.

⇓

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR RESOURCES TO FIRE UP YOUR FAITH?

Friends: As a social media influencer, I have a sweet list of my favorite resources to fuel a wildfire faith in my very own shop on Amazon.  (Note: I will get a little something back if you follow any of the links in this post and buy anything on this page. Thanks in advance if you do.).