Usually I choose a word for the year. Or, rather, I wait for a word to choose me. In a surprising twist, it’s a picture that has grabbed me. My word of the year is a picture. This is my picture of the year.
“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” Psalm 91:4
This Bible verse always makes me want to sneeze. The idea of being covered with feathers is not appealing to me. But this is different. I’m drawn to this visual representation of safety and security. I see protection and care and warmth there. I don’t feel sneeze-y when I look at it.
I don’t know what 2025 will bring, but I know where I need to be. Right there, huddled close to my Father’s heart.
I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Psalm 61:4
“I do not want to just read books; I want to climb inside them and live there.” ~Unknown
I’ve climbed inside some great books this year–47 to be exact. Picking my top ten won’t be easy, but here goes.
10. The Dean’s Watch, Elizabeth Goudge I read one Goudge book every year for the sheer enjoyment of it. The English countryside in her captivating stories is a perfect escape for me in February. There’s always transformation, redemption, and beauty, but never in a formulaic way. This is a good one to climb into.
9. Water From a Deep Well, Gerald L. Sittser I’m a church-girl, but I didn’t know much about the sweep of church history. It may sound boring, but Sittser made it come alive starting with the early Christian martyrs and moving through the desert saints, the monastic movement, the mystics, the medieval laity, the reformers, and evangelicalism. We stand on the shoulders of centuries of faithful believers.
8. David’s Crown, Malcolm Guite Guite wrote a sonnet for every one of the 150 psalms with a creative twist. The last line of each psalm is the first line of the following psalm and this pattern is woven throughout the book. Then the last line of Psalm 150 is the first line of Psalm 1. So cool. He’s a true wordsmith.
7. The Bartender’s Tale, Ivan Doig This is a rollicking-good story set in Montana in 1960. Doig’s characters are so well developed and the settings so masterfully described that reading his books only feeds my fantasy of living in Montana. Talking about this novel with my neighborhood bookclub made it even better. Plus, snacks were served.
6. The Re-Set, Jeremy Riddle I listened to the audio version of this book. Riddle read his own words with such passion and conviction, I was brought to tears more than once. He had some hard things to say about the state of worship in the modern church, but always with a heart of love. I’ve given this book to every worship leader I know.
5. The Storied Life, Jared C. Wilson Jared Wilson is “Author-in -Residence” at Midwestern Seminary which means his job is to write stuff. After publishing 26 books, he wrote a book on how to write books. I don’t know if I have a book in me, but I’ll definitely use his wise words to propel me into 2025 with fresh inspiration.
3. Kristin Lavransdatter, Sigrid Unset I wanted to read a book set in another country, so I picked a 1,124 page novel about a Norwegian woman in the 1300’s. I’ve never read medieval literature, or Scandinavian history or a book that’s more than 2″ thick. I new experience for me—and I liked it.
2. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens PB and I immersed ourselves in Dickens this Christmas. We watched the 2009 animated film with Jim Carrey as Scrooge. We read “A Christmas Carol” together. We took the free course from Hillsdale College, which consisted of six delightful lectures by a literature professor. Then we watched “The Man Who Invented Christmas”—the story of the journey that led Dickens to write his Christmas masterpiece. God bless us everyone.
1. Trusting God in the Darkness, Christopher Ash This was the book that impacted me the most this year, which I read while studying the book of Job. Themes of suffering, loneliness and despair were gently dealt with in Ash’s book. Every single page has sentences underlined or notes written in the margin. It’s too good to say any more about it. When you’re ready to wade into deep waters, get a copy and read it slow.
This week between Christmas and the new year is my favorite week of the year. I like to look back over the notes I’ve made, read some old journal entries, and peruse the list of books I read. It’s a satisfying and somewhat solemn review of things I’ve learned and tried to process. It’s also a time to anticipate new growth in the coming year.
The schoolgirl in me loves a syllabus, a list of assignments, a program to carry out. Without a plan, I tend to wander and waver, making excuses and sliding through the weeks. So here is my 2025 plan. You are welcome to follow along!
I’m going to start 2025 with a read-through of Proverbs. Who doesn’t need wisdom when facing a new year? I will read one chapter a day for 31 days and pick one verse out of each day’s chapter to copy in my notebook, followed by a reflective sentence or two.
In February and March I will take a slow stroll through Ephesians, taking about 20 verses each week. I plan to read Eugene Peterson’s “Practice Resurrection” and “A Week in the Life of Ephesus” by David A. DeSilva during these two months.
Old Testament prophet Jeremiah will be my focus in April and May, reading 5-7 chapters per week. I have “Run with the Horses” on my book pile, which is another Eugene Peterson book, this one on Jeremiah.
In June, I will do a word study on Patience, the fourth fruit of the spirit as listed in Galatians 5. One verse for each day, Monday through Friday.
July and August will take me to Psalms. First, Book IV, which consists of Psalm 90-106. (Did you know the book of Psalms is divided into 5 books?) After that, I’ll soak in the special group of psalms called “The Songs of Ascent” (Psalms 120-134).
I’ll kick off the fall with Paul’s letter to the Romans, taking two chapters in each week (M-F) of September and October.
In November, I’m going to do a character study on Peter by reading four different accounts in the gospels along with his own words from his letters, 1 and 2 Peter.
The year will close with an Advent devotional of some kind.
Too much? Maybe. Will I stick to it and complete it? Maybe. Will this give me the nudge I need to keep plugging away and give me a framework to pick back up if I fall off the plan? Absolutely.
a small drop of ink 