Graceful Living (EWTN Publishing)

The year is winding down and people are on the lookout for good books to read this coming year. One book that I would recommend is Graceful Living by Johnnette Benkovic. Graceful Living is a hardcover daily devotional in the truest sense of the definition. It begins with an introduction on how to use the book, such as using it in your time of prayer, saying each prayer slowly, and taking the time to reflect on the questions. Each day is then a page long and contains a quote from Scripture, a prayer, or a saint. There are then some short reflection questions for you to ponder. Here is one day as a sample:

January 5th
"A man must always be ready, for death comes when and where God wills it."

If today should be the day the Lord would call me home, would I be ready? What are my outstanding sins? Whose forgiveness do I need to ask? Whom do I need to forgive? What would be the last words my loved ones would remember me saying to them?

This is a very simple, but thoughtful devotional. It only takes you a few minutes for each day to read the page, but you should definitely take your time each day, as the wisdom and moments for reflection are vital for soaking up the teaching. I also like that this book follows the Liturgical Calendar. It doesn't just say, January 1, it says "Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God," and then the reflections correspond with the particular Feast Day. There are also profiles on specific saints sprinkled throughout this book. Don't let the cover of this book fool you. The flowers put me off at first, because I thought this was a devotion for women, but it is good for women and men alike.

This book was provided to me for free by Sophia Institute Press in exchange for an honest review.