For almost 10 years now I have chosen a word to propel my year. Over the years I’ve explored “authenticity,” “transparency,” “simplicity,” “privacy,” occasionally a word took me more than one year and this past year I chose “present.” I have yet to decide on a word for this year, but in the process I’ve been using a few tools that I wanted to share with you all.
As 2016 comes to a close these are the tools I am utilizing and I will have as my companions into 2017. The first one is a trusty companion as I used it at the start of 2016 and have gone back to it many times in this past year. A Dream Guide by Jennie Allen is a guide to examining your life, asking some challenging questions and will help you dream for this next year. Allen is the author of Anything and her new book (I can’t wait to read and review in 2017) Nothing to Prove I am sure will not disappoint. She has such a heart for people and the Lord and this tool truly is invaluable. It helped me think through all aspects of my life and to really focus and narrow my goals. Another tool I’m using this year was put together and shared by Jo Saxon on Lead Stories Media, called “Hello, Goodbye” and it’s all about saying “hello” to the new year and “goodbye” to the old one. You too can get a free copy if you visit the site.
I also had the pleasure of reviewing the book called 365 Devotions for Rest by Christina Vinson and it did not disappoint. I received it near the end of 2016 and have enjoyed each and every entry I’ve read. So much so that I’ve decided to make it a companion of mine in 2017. Each year I choose a word to focus on and this year was no exception. My attention went to the word “present” and along with it so many other themes emerged. The need for rest, calm, and peace were common ones I explored. That being said, I loved the simplicity of this book and that it served as a daily reminder to find rest.
It is a really beautiful, and sturdy, book with bronze lettering. It is bound nicely and even at 400 pages is quite compact. The formatting is clear and makes it an easy and quick read. I love that the Scripture for each day is emphasized in italics at the top and directly supports the simple title of each day. (truthfully you could also skim titles for subjects that you need on a daily basis) and that the prayers are short and simple. By design they are really prayer that could be meditated on throughout the day. This would make a wonderful devotion for the busy moms in my life!
I received a copy of this book from Zondervan Publishers through the Booklook Bloggers program in exchange for my honest review.
