40 Days of Decrease by Alicia Britt Chole

I used this book as my Lenten devotional this year and really liked it. Each day has a short reading and reflection, some quotes, some information about the history of Lent, a suggested Bible reading and also a suggested “fast.” Most of the time we relate fasting to food, and when we “give something up” for Lent, we choose a food item –coffee, desserts, maybe even meat. However, author Chole has some thought-provoking ideas on the subject. What about fasting from something like:

1. Regrets–put the mistakes of the past behind, and resolve not to dwell upon them
2. Fixing it–don’t try to fix the problems or pain of others–give them the gift of your supportive presence
3. Comparison–stop comparing your situation to others
4. Discontent–redirect the tendency to picture something more to thanking God for the blessing you have

This is just a sampling, but enough for you to get the idea. Some of the fasts are more challenging than others, and you can decide to try them for just one day, or for longer, as a spiritual discipline. At the end of each day there is some space for journaling about the Bible reading, if you’re so inclined.

VERDICT: 5 STARS. I think this is a book I could use over and over during the Lenten season.

For more about Lent see:

Lenten Discipline

Henri Nouwen on Lent

A Lenten Quote

Good Enough by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie–Book Review

Are you something of a perfectionist? Do you have difficulty waiting patiently? Do you feel a need to “fix” every problem for everybody? Do you have an inner voice constantly telling you that you aren’t good enough? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you will enjoy this little devotional book.

Each devotion (there are 40) includes a meditation by one of the authors, a blessing or a prayer, a suggestion for taking a “good enough” step in deepening our spiritual life, and a quote. The message is that we don’t have to be perfect, we just need to keep going in the right direction. We need to focus on what we can do today rather than on an ideal that we may never attain.

VERDICT: 5 STARS. I’ve been using this as part of my morning Lenten devotions, and I like it so much that I’m planning to check out other books by Kate Bowler. She has written two memoirs, Everything Happens for a Reason and No Cure for Being Human.

For more posts about devotionals see:

90 Days with The God Who speaks –Book Review

Women of Courage: a Forty-Day Devotional — Book Review

On-The-Go Devotional by Leslie Hudson — Book Review