Book Review: Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Each dawn, as early sunbeams paint the sky with brushstrokes of vibrant mercies, I find myself snuggled in the worn corner of my futon. A journal, my Bible, and a little book the color of the sunrise pile in my lap. I sip my mug of lemon tea, watch the heavens brighten, and open Sarah Young's little volume, Jesus Calling. The readings for each day take but a minute or two to breathe in, yet I often read the words a second or third time and look up the Scripture references jotted at the bottom of each page. I set my never-ending list aside. My mind quiets. I listen.

This morning, I read, "Entrust your loved ones to me; release them into my protective care . . . . My Presence will go with them wherever they go, and I will give them rest. This same Presence stays with you, as you relax and place your trust in Me. Watch to see what I will do" (August 23, page 246).

Today, our youngest has her first cross-country scrimmage. For her, this fall means a new school, a new sport, new friends, and new situations. As I drop her off to catch the bus, my morning meditation nudges its way past my concerns. Today, I remind myself, God will go with her to Elk Lake and back. He will help her navigate each day, each circumstance, one by one.

Her sisters, grown now and in different cities, face their own joys and challenges. One lovingly mothers an infant, a beautiful baby boy. No small feat in a kaleidoscope of too many choices and a world brimming with uncertainty. The other, newly married, adjusts to a new job, a new community, and a new church - her first time to live this far from her home town.

"My presence will go with them wherever they go." My mind ponders the promise. I release each one to God's protective care; I pray with specific needs in mind. A sense of peace settles over me as, once again, I make a conscience choice to entrust all three to our attentive, ever-present Father.

"Watch to see what I will do."