Award-winning novelist Heidi Chiavaroli brings Lent to vivid life with stories of those who encounter our savior in the pages of Scripture. Today, at the beginning of Lent, we put ourselves in the shoes of those among the very first to meet Jesus – the shepherds.

A Shepherd’s Story

The lamb squirms in his arms and he remembers the first time he’d helped birth a lamb. The first time he’d wrapped a precious, pure animal in swaddling cloths. That day, his eight-­year-­old brother, Benesh, had begged to join him. Although Rani had agreed, he resented Benesh’s company.

But all that was forgotten when the ewe had brought forth a spotless lamb.

Though Benesh despised being alone in the fields, Rani handed him his rod and staff, instructing his brother to stay with the sheep. He had not waited for Benesh’s agreement before rushing toward the city to find his father.

At the city gates, Rani heard Benesh calling after him. He silently cursed his brother for leaving the sheep. As always, though, his brother followed him. When Rani ducked around the chariot of the imperial family to escape Benesh, he had not expected his small brother to follow.

It was half an hour past my bedtime; I should have been cozy in bed, fast asleep. But here I was, pacing around my kitchen—­again—­my attention fixated on the box of granola bars in the pantry.

I know I shouldn’t eat one.

More pacing.

It’s not on my plan.

I paced some more.

But it has chocolate chips!

By the time I entered my staring contest with that granola bar, I’d already spent hours ruminating on everything the enemy wanted me to believe.

I’ve already blown it.

It’s too late to make a different choice.

I might as well eat the granola bar and try to do better tomorrow.

I was stuck, and I couldn’t see a way out. Maybe you feel that way too.

How We Get Stuck

The truth is, I wasn’t able to keep following all the diet rules for long. I broke those laws every single day. 

Do it “right” or don’t do it at all, my Diet Dictator demanded.

Explore 7 meaningful reads for Lent to deepen your faith, renew your focus, and draw closer to Jesus during the 40-day journey to Easter.

As we step into another season of Lent, it’s the perfect time to step back from the noise of the world and reflect on Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice. This sacred season invites us to renew our commitment to faith and deepen our understanding of God’s forgiveness. What better way to do that than by opening a few meaningful reads for Lent?  

This season isn’t about striving harder or doing more. It’s about drawing closer. It’s about setting aside the things that compete for our attention so we can listen more closely to the voice of the One who calls us by name. It’s a time to lay down our burdens, our fears, and even our expectations, and sit again at the feet of Jesus.

One of the most meaningful ways to walk through Lent is by filling our minds and hearts with words that point us back to Him. Thoughtful, Christ-centered reading can become a daily meeting place with God—an anchor in the middle of busy days and full schedules.

Half-eaten chicken nuggets were scattered across the floor of my minivan, and the faint whiff of a diaper lost under a seat somewhere permeated the air. I didn’t notice any of it that day. I stared absently past the dust on the dashboard.

I looked down at my journal. It read: There’s a very real chance that my marriage will end in divorce.

You see, two months prior and almost ten years into what I thought was the perfect marriage, I found out that my husband had betrayed me. It shattered me.

Everything I thought I knew about him and our relationship suddenly felt like a lie. I didn’t even recognize myself. I was confused, sad, and so angry. It felt like I was free-falling through a black hole, and I didn’t even know if it was possible to get to the other side. Or if this—in all my pain and anger—was who I had become.

In the following months and years, I leaned into healing and processing the pain. I joined a support group. My husband and I went to counseling. I honored my anger and put it into words.

“Only if you pay me”: What a Five-Year-Old Can Teach Us About Kids, Work, and Money

“Only if you pay me.”

Manuela met her mother, Evelyn’s eyes as she spoke. Evelyn gaped back at her five-year-old daughter, astonished.

“You were so excited to do your summer play book last week, Manuela!” Evelyn pleaded. 

“Why don’t you want to do it anymore? You can get the sticker at the end if you finish.”

“It’s not a playbook. It’s work,” insisted the rising kindergartener. “You paid me to do the letters and numbers before! I should get paid for this workbook. It’s work.”

On this point, Manuela was correct. The book was meant to keep kids academically engaged over the summer, but she wasn’t fooled by the “play” label. Now her parents were stuck. Last week, they had paid her a quarter when she didn’t want to do the workbook. This week, she wanted the same treatment. Manuela had learned the value of her work—just not in the way her parents hoped.

If you have young children, this scenario probably feels familiar. Many parents deeply want to teach their kids financial basics, but don’t know where to start.

Prayer for the man you love that moves you from fixing to surrender. Lay the burden down, trust God with his heart, and watch Him work.

Six years ago, I decided I would stop trying to change my husband. Not because I was giving up on him or us, but because I realized I was trying to bear a weight I was never meant to carry. I knew God wanted more for him and for us, but I was exhausted trying to make it happen on my own.

Whatever you are praying for—Girl, I have been there, and my heart is with you.

I Wanted More for Him

Although my intentions were good, my longing for more for my husband, Marcus, came out entirely sideways. I nagged. I incessantly suggested ways he could improve certain behaviors. I took on a sort of Messiah complex where I tried to fix him. Maybe you can relate to this “fix it” mentality. 

The problem is that when we adopt this mentality over someone else’s problems, our boundaries can sometimes get blurred. What we really need to do is shift our focus from fix and control to surrender and prayer.

New Year’s Eve often means people asking what your resolution is — but maybe you don’t have one yet. Or maybe you do, and you’ve struggled in the past to stick with it long enough to make real progress. We’ve been there. Around March, it’s easy to realize what slipped by the wayside in between morning drop-offs, traffic-filled commutes, grocery lists, and endless cups of coffee.

Let this year be different. Instead of white-knuckling your way through change, what if you invited truth, encouragement, and steady guidance into the journey? Books have a way of slowing us down, helping us reflect, and gently calling us toward the life we truly desire — one shaped by wisdom, faith, and intentional choices.

We’ve gathered six books below that make follow-through feel possible again. They speak to real struggles, offer practical next steps, and ignite a renewed desire for growth that lasts beyond January. Whether you want to reset your rhythms, deepen your faith, strengthen your prayer life, or find clarity in a season of transition, there’s something here that will meet you right where you are.

Check them out — and choose the one that will help you step into the new year with hope and purpose.

Righteous and barren. Honorable and heartbroken. It’s hard to put such words together.

Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
Luke 1:6–7

Zechariah and Elizabeth loved God and honored Him with their lives, even though their quiet home reminded them daily that God hadn’t come through for them in the way they had hoped.

People of Depth and Conviction

What happens in your heart when God doesn’t give you what you want? Do you loosen your grip on what you know to be true? Do you wander from the very things that keep your soul free and whole? Especially at Christmastime, we tend to gravitate toward indulgence because we prefer to feel a surface level of happiness rather than to acknowledge the pain buried beneath the surface.

Elizabeth and Zechariah were people of depth and conviction. They honored God with their lives even though (it seemed) He hadn’t heard their prayer.

But then one day their story took a turn. 

God ordained it one day for Zechariah to enter the Temple to offer sacrifices.

Do you ever find yourself in church jotting your sermon notes into your phone, or your
Bible study notes into a random journal you’ll misplace later? We’ve discovered three
beautiful Christian journals to take your time spent in prayer, study, and at church from
mundane into something to be treasured and remembered.

God is constantly speaking to us, but it’s hard to remember each answered prayer or
each Bible verse He’s laid upon our hearts if we aren’t making the effort to write them
down so we can watch Him work. That’s why we love these journals!

Whether you’re listening to a Sunday sermon, sitting quietly with your Bible in the early morning, or pouring out your heart in prayer at the end of a long day, these journals are designed to meet you right where you are. They invite you to slow down, reflect deeply, and create space to hear from God in the midst of everyday life.

Over time, the pages become a tangible testimony of answered prayers, lessons learned, and the steady faithfulness of the Lord through every season. This is more than just writing.

Is there anything more special than gifting someone a book for Christmas? It’s an opportunity to gift them a moment of quiet, a chance to encourage their relationship with the Lord, and perhaps to give them the inspiration they’ll need to tackle 2026.

Sometimes a book becomes the very thing God uses to speak into a weary season, spark a fresh beginning, or remind someone that they’re not walking alone. There’s a tenderness to it—choosing a title with someone’s heart in mind, wrapping it up, and imagining the moment they turn that first page.

Books have a way of slowing us down in a season that can feel rushed and noisy. They meet us where we are while gently nudging us forward. And when you give one, you’re not just offering words on paper—you’re giving encouragement, wisdom, and a quiet companion for the year ahead.

We’ve collected our favorite books for men, women, and teens below to inspire your gift-giving lists! These are titles that point toward hope, strengthen faith, and offer guidance for the everyday moments we all walk through. Whether you’re shopping for someone you love or adding a few to your own nightstand, we hope these suggestions bless you this Christmas.