I've been so moved by the story of Kate Bowler, an associate professor at Duke Divinity School and just 35 when diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. In GOOD ENOUGH, she shares hard lessons learned in her first devotional book, co-written with Jessica Richie.

There are 40 spiritual reflections penned with good humor and a light touch, that suggest life is to be lived as a chronic condition, not a quest for perfection. All of us are broken in some way, and Kate's wise words bring comfort and peace.

Thanks to Kate, Convergent Books, and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.

#GoodEnough #katebowler #convergentbooks #NetGalley
#40daydevotions #alifeofimperfection #christiandevotions
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Non-fiction

Sometimes a book finds you at just the right time. This was one of those books for me. It was a book I didn't know I needed until I read it and now I'm buying several copies.

I have never read devotionals before, so I didn't know what to expect. I was very intrigued by the title, though. Bowler and Richie serve up 40ish devotionals just in time for Lent. Perfect for a once a day reading, served up into manageable bites. Good enough tackles a way to bring yourself closer to God without trying to take on too much or making it a burden.

What Kind of Faith is "Good Enough"?
--A good enough faith will establish a sort of rhythm of life to sustain momentum. These are not an effort to ensure 7 Steps to Guaranteed Sainthood, but rather to remind us that closeness with God is not just a question of belief. It is also in the small actions we can take.
--A good enough faith is not reaching for the impossible. We can't be everything to everyone, or even enough for ourselves. We're human.
--A good enough faith looks for beauty and truth in what's possible. No, not everything is possible. But we will hunt for the places where we can find an opportunity for a little more.

The "chapters" have titles like Building a Good Day, Asleep on the Job, and When You are Exhausted. You get a page or two of examples or descriptions of what the chapter is about, you then get a blessing and finally a Good Enough Step to bring God into your life during these times.

Told with a tongue in cheek sense of humor and great insight, this was the perfect book for me. If you are searching for a way to bring more God into your life, this may also be the book for you.

A Blessing for a Joyfully Mediocre Journey

Blessed are you
who realize there is simply not enough
--time, money, resources.

Blessed are you
who are tired of pretending
that raw effort is the secret to perfection.
It's not. And you know that now.

Blessed are you
who need a gentle reminder that
even now, even today,
God is here,
and someow,
that is good enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book..

I already know I like Kate Bowler’s writings from reading her previous books. This one is no exception. Kate makes us all feel better. This book is a joyful accounting of short anecdotes reminding us it's okay to not be okay all the time.

I like the format of this book for the 40ish chapters:

* a devotional,
* followed by a blessing,
* ending with “A Good Enough Step” to put into practice, such as,
“Plan a funeral for something you are grieving—an imagined future or the death of what could have been. Set aside a time and a place for your grief to be named and expressed.”

The only thing I don’t like about the book is it has a co-author. It doesn’t affect the quality of the book’s content—Jessica Richie is an excellent writer too—but it makes it harder to follow who is talking. It also feels clunky switching back and forth: “I (Jessica)…” or “I (Kate)…”.

With only that caveat, a few favorite lines from the book are:

“Your illness or grief or despair or addiction is not too much. It’s just your humanity showing. And blessed are we who get to see it up close.”

“Pain should unite us, as fellow sufferers, as fellow humans. Regardless of who feels worse, we need each other.”

“The structure of a good day is simply this: your biggest loves find their way in. God. Friends. Meaning. Family.”

“We are not the bad thing. We are simply living our beautiful, terrible days.”

As with the other Kate Bowler books, this one is also encouraging, authentic, and meaningful.

My thanks to NetGalley + Convergent Books for the review copy of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this devotional! Full review posted on my Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ_oo1xOMri/?utm_medium=copy_link
I felt that not all devotionals applied to me but best served the general population as a whole.

As indicated, the book is divided into 40ish spiritual reflections each a few pages long.  The book is intended to be read as one of these reflections daily which will take 5-10 minutes for most.  I found it best to read one of these days and to think about it the rest of the day.

Each reflection includes a narrative, a blessing and “A Good Enough Step”.  The narrative includes personal anecdotes and is gently infused with humour. The book feels both honest and intimate.  As expected, some of the topics spoke to me more than others did.  One of my favourites was “Building a Good Day”.

As someone who did not grow up attending church, I have always felt spiritual.  I am looking at this book through this lens. The Good Enough steps provided ideas and suggestions for me to ponder, but maybe more beneficial to those with a faith grounded in the church.  I’d suggest a church book club would find this book to be one that would generate a lot of discussion and meaning.

This devotional met me right where I was. I’ve been doubting my faith after losing my grandma and dad both in the same year. I was angry and didn’t feel very loved by God. How could he let all that happen? This devotional helped me to realize it’s okay not to be okay. We aren’t meant to be perfect and God is still there through it all and always loves us! I really enjoyed this devotional. I did think some more of the scriptures the authors referenced needed to be added and maybe the finished copy will have those. I really felt encouraged while reading this! Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

This book touched my soul. It understood me at my core. I was drawn to this book by the author Kate Bowler. I have struggled with the need for perfection my whole life. These devotionals are a balm for my soul. A routine and a life of formation contains moderation and balance. A life of new beginnings, of failing and starting again, is freeing. Perfection is an unattainable trap. My decision this year was to try new things and do more of what I love, and this devotional is full of reminders to do that. Let yourself off the hook, give yourself grace, keep beginning again.

Kate Bowler makes a lot of sense with Lent. She educates, takes things with just the right amount of seriousness, and fills in the gaps with humor and divine love.

This book is a treasure.

I have always believed that there’s no one right way to be the perfect Christian because being perfect is impossible, yet there are still people in positions of leadership who expect this from believers. I enjoyed the book Good Enough because it gives timely advice for Christians in today’s world. I especially enjoyed these 40 devotionals that share concepts for having realistic expectations, hopes, and dreams. Not all of us have all the answers, and this book doesn’t have all the answers, but I think it is a good source for the believer who is looking for solutions rooted in faith. I expect this book will be a great success. Thank you to Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie for these spiritual reflections. #netgalley Thank you Netgalley and Convergent Books for the opportunity to read this amazing book.

I love Kate Bowler (and now her co-author Jessica Richie) for their grounded in real life reflections about life and faith. This down to earth devotional isn't meant to be read all at once but rather as a daily read (or you could go weekly---choose your pace). I love how she encourages us to see God in the messiness of our lives, and to be open to all that is possible in and for us. With Lent coming this could be a great daily read but it's not season specific. Likely I will gift some copies to friends who aren't pious but instead are people of faith immersed in real life. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Good Enough is a heart hugging devotional. I appreciate devotionals that have substance and are relatable, and Good Enough delivers. With each day’s entry, I felt like I was sitting down with a kind, compassionate, humorous friend who was always extending love and grace in her message. I felt a kindred spirit in Kate and Jessica having grown up in an Evangelical religion, in the context of many rules and expectations, the result of which sometimes brought about shame and the fear of disappointing others. Given the pressures and challenges faced by women, regardless of our extensive, differing roles, this devotional can offer comfort, light, peace, empathy, and grace. I found each day’s blessing to be a special way to connect with God in addition to personal validation, and the action item relevant, doable, and gentle in its scope. I will definitely return to this devotional again and again.

My sincere thanks to both Convergent Books and Net Galley for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

For anyone who has read Kate Bowler's previous works, they'll already know to expect an honest, vulnerable approach in her writing. In this 40(ish) day devotional Kate pairs with Jessica Richie which at times makes it like listening to two friends chat about the important things of life, and the rest of the time it feels like you are able to sit down at the table with them as friends and join in the conversation. Either way, we all come away better - better for the honesty, better for the insight shared from their life experiences growing up and facing terminal illness, and better just for the time spent pondering life and what matters. Unique to this book is the blessing prayed over the reader after each day's entry, and then the practical activity provided that by doing, will help us all understand we are truly good enough in who we are, just as God created us. We don't need to perform or try be perfect for God (and hopefully others) to accept us. The authors encourage us toward believing that we are good enough when we realize that He makes up the difference in His deep sacrificial love poured out for us on the cross to bring resurrection and eternal life.

A simply stunning book. Grateful to Netgalley of the e-ARC and the chance to read this theologically rich, beautifully written and hope filled book. Kate and Jessica weave their reality and hope together in a way which can speak to us all. I'll be buying my own copy ASAP!

I loved this book so much. The insights and the writing were both healing and thought-provoking. This book is already a favorite! Sometimes devotional books are a dime a dozen, but this one is well-written and gives me things to think about and pray about! Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Forty devotionals that speak to the challenges and struggles of real life. Each devotion ends in a prayer or blessing and a small action step. I found the book relatable, encouraging, and like a breath of fresh air. In a world pushing us to go further, faster, forever, this book invites us into a more relaxed and restful rhythm.

I loved it. It was just what I needed to read to be reminded that I'm okay and God loves me.

This is a stunningly beautiful collection of devotionals to inspire, uplift, and encourage. Kate Bowler offers fresh perspective and insight in these beautifully written daily reflections. This is one I'll return to often. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for this eARC of Good Enough in exchange for an honest review. If you grew up in the evangelical church, you know the pressure of being "that Christian Proverbs 31 girl". And it's just not possible to be that girl 100% of the time. If you've ever felt alone in that space or shame for not being perfect, but the God of your understanding is one of utmost grace and love, this is the devotional book for you. Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie bring grace and humor to the table to remind us all that we are not alone and we are seen in our pursuits, overtly spiritual or not. They provide beautiful prayers of blessing and practical "good enough" steps to be conducted for each day you read this devotional. I loved this devotional from cover to cover. I hope that many young Christian girls find this book and can begin to dismantle the messages of responsibility and perfectionism that are constantly shoved down our throats in the evangelical church and have so negatively impacted our mental health. There is grace for you, it is here, it is palpable, it is in this book.

I love Kate Bowler's writing. She approaches difficult conversations and the work of living with a fresh perspective, humor, genuineness, and honesty. Her writing is deeply engaging and thought provoking without being dry, heavy, or dull.

this is a fantastic devotional. Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie are just so down to earth and real. I really appreciate a spiritual book for people who can't pretend to be perfect b/c we're so far from it. This book has heartfelt prayers that feel just right in addition to reflection pieces. Highly recommended.

This book of devotions is so down-to-earth and heartfelt that I found it very easy to relate to. In a world where we're often pushed to have more, do more and be more, this book refreshingly tells readers that we are enough just as we are. What's more, God loves us just as we are and meets us where we are.

The devotions cover both the ups and downs of life and the variety of feelings that accompany them. The author speaks frankly and beautifully about those times when God feels far away, life is too hard, and/or our faith, hope, and courage have flagged.

I have so many highlights and bookmarked pages throughout the book! I'm sure it's a devotional that I'll turn to often. I highly recommended this book.

My thanks to Convergent Books for granting me access to an advanced review copy via NetGalley. The book is scheduled to be published 2/15/22. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.