Find Rest
A women’s devotional for lasting peace in a busy life
By: Shaunti Feldhahn
1/20/22
Review by: Ashley Davis
The Find Rest devotional by Shaunti Feldhahn is the next devotional you’ve been looking for (after our own Ladies on Track, right!?). This author’s name may ring a bell for you; she’s also the author of the very popular For Women Only. Rather than focusing on a specific book of the Bible, this devotional focuses on a specific theme: REST. It’s no surprise to find devotionals and books aplenty on this topic in our culture. We don’t tend to be awesome at the rest thing, but in this devotional Shaunti Feldhahn aims to steer us off the hamster wheel and into the arms of Christ. On a personal note, “rest” was my word for 2021, and while I certainly have not perfected the trait, this devotional was instrumental in daily reminding me of my goal to focus my attention on intentionally resting.
Feldhahn categorizes each entry of this devotional into the one of the following categories that she describes as “Elements of Finding Rest”: build only on the rock; live according to your design; set aside superwoman; connect with God; shift your perspective; create life-giving relationships; walk in obedience; have no fear. Should you choose to buy a hard copy of this book, what you’ll notice right away is that it is beautiful. It has a colorful, soothing, floral theme throughout the whole book. The sturdy hardcover is accentuated by the rose gold gilt edge that lines each page. I also appreciate that this book has a ribbon page marker since it’s something that I picked up daily and progressed through slowly.
There are 60 daily entries. Each begins with a key verse and is followed by a two-page spread devotional (accented by different floral designs on each day!). On the bottom left of each day’s entry, you can see which category of the “Elements of Finding Rest” the day’s devotion falls into. On the two-page spread immediately following the day’s devotion, you find a reflection section that helps with critically applying the devotion to your life, a notes section, and a thought-provoking quote. You’ll read quotes from A.W. Tozer to Lysa TerKeurst. To give you an impression of what to expect from the content of the devotions, here are a handful of titles: His Yoke Is Custom-Fit for You; Let Someone Hold Up Your Arms; One Day a Week; Don’t Listen to the Rooster (you’ll just have to buy it to know what’s behind that one!); Help My Unbelief.
Here are a few things I highlighted in my copy of the Find Rest devotional:
“… people who understand the art of putting their attention where it really matters” (10).
“Sometimes our problems are a direct result of us failing to exercise self-control” (26).
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” (Winston Churchill, 92).
One of my favorite things about this devotional, which you could probably guess as I’ve raved about its aesthetics, is that you can leave it out to display and be encouraged continually. It’s not that we can’t be encouraged by things that aren’t pretty, but how much more often does something catch your eye when it’s beautiful? Though I finished this devotional some time ago, I continue to keep it displayed on a bookstand in my home where I’ll see it often. I usually choose a page with a quote that is inspiring to me.
Audience:
Women, young adults and older; Feldhahn is a wife and mother, but for the most part, those roles don’t dramatically impact the content of this devotional.
Usefulness Rating:
This devotional had a great balance of practical and spiritual principles and applications.
Entertainment Value:
This book is not intended for mere entertainment, but it is pretty!
Good for Groups:
I would not recommend this devotional for a large group. It may be something fun to do with a couple friends to help spur each other on with valuable conversation and encouragement, but it’s not designed to accommodate groups.
For more information about this book or other reading suggestions, feel free to contact me directly.
