book review: "dwelling places" by lucinda secrest mcdowell

What if a thriving, active faith were as simple as reading one word a day?

Do you long for serenity and refuge, peace and hope? Are you seeking a deeper spiritual life through a closer relationship with God?

If you're tired of dwelling in busyness and noise, then perhaps one word a day can change your life. Award-winning author Lucinda Secrest McDowell knows that if you spend time each day turning on God's Word for wisdom and guidance, your faith can flourish and grow.

Through short and inspiring readings, McDowell unpacks a single word - such as mercy, beauty, gratitude, or grace - to reveal a biblical blessing or challenge relevant to where you are. Full of stories and illustrations to empower you to live the word you have just read, each devotional ends with a benediction, written as if God were speaking directly to you.

These "dwelling places" that offer the joy of God's promise and presence cover four seasons: fall, Advent, Lent, and summer. Whether in the midst of busy holiday schedules, holy days, ordinary moments, or changing seasons, a deeper faith can be as simple as a single word.

I really like how the focus for each reading is simply one word. Each devotion is only two pages but those two pages are so powerful! One of my favorite readings is on the word "sea." McDowell quotes Anne Morrow Lindbergh: "For it is not merely the trivial which clutters our lives but the important as well." That's so true! How often are we busy with truly important things? I feel like that's the goal of this book: to be intentional but also purposeful with each reading. Packing a lot of information in just two pages. This same reading uses one of my favorite verses: "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll receive your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest" (Matthew 11:28-30). I wrote in the margin the rest of that passage: "Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace." I love that phrase rhythms of grace. What caught my eye with this book is that it's broken up into seasons. The only disadvantage to the book is that there's only 130 different readings so there's not enough for each day of the year but it's still a great resource! Dwelling Places is a great way to start each day!

I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. You can read other reviews in the book tour by clicking here.

You can also enter a giveaway by clicking here!