Refresh Your Faith by Lori Hatcher {Book Review}

 

Refresh Your Faith is a book that I received in the mail from my blogging friend, Lori Hatcher, whom I’ve known for nine years.

Are you no longer drawn to read your Bible?

Do you struggle to find time because your kids are up at the crack of dawn needing your endless care and interaction?

It is not uncommon for a Christian mom to go through seasons of dryness even when she desires a closer walk with Jesus with all her heart.

 

 

That is what Lori Hatcher experienced and it’s why she wrote an amazing devotional that would Refresh Your Faith

There is a little secret many Christians are keeping because it would be embarrassing to be more authentic and admit they are finding their Bible boring.

Although some find reading their Bible to be a joy, others are struggling. Even those who read their Bible just about everyday skip over the genealogies and other dry places.

Did you trade in your Bible reading for a devotional book that turned out to be dull?

Your answer is in a devotional book that will excite your faith and stir your heart as you hunt for obscure verses just as Lori has done!

Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible is a collection of the treasure I unearthed during my year of searching. Each story-driven devotion contains an unusual verse, a real-life application, and an uncommon faith step.

I hope my book will energize your faith, inspire your devotional time, and make you say, “Wow, I’ve never seen that before!” Lori Hatcher

 

Energize Your Faith

Each devotional that Lori shares with you will come alive with her storytelling style.

She bases each devotional on one of the 66 books in the Old and New Testament using adjectives that embellish the story with color.

As I read the devotional, ‘Two of the Most Important Questions,’ about Genesis, Lori asks her reader questions to help you apply it to your life.

You are challenged with an Uncommon Thought and asked a question to unlock an Unusual Faith that will encourage a closer walk with Jesus.

Inspire Your Devotional Time

 

 

Has your devotional time dried up and lost its inspiration?

If your biggest desire in life is to walk in Jesus’ steps, it is discouraging to go day after day trudging through your Quiet Time just to check it off on your To Do List!

Lori’s devotional isn’t to take the place of reading your Bible but instead to bring your Bible reading time alive!

The purpose is to stir a desire to dig deeper into the book the devotion you read is about. To make you get excited about opening that book of the Bible to have a look for yourself.

 

Wow, I’ve Never Seen that Before!

 

Have you ever skipped over the genealogies after reading about six chapters and being bored out of your mind? Shhhh! You don’t want anyone to know that any part of the Bible found you sleeping!

But did you know that hidden deep inside some of the lists in the Bible are treasures that you could miss?

After going through a dry time just like you might be in today, Lori found some nuggets of gold hidden in obscure places you’d never expect to find them.

She wants to culture the WOW in you and get you turning each page as if you are searching for treasure.

 

A Devotion for Each Book of the Bible

 

After finding many devotionals dull and lifeless, Lori decided to write one herself that would create a hunger for God in her reader. In you!

I am finding her devotionals relevant to what I am facing in my daily life. She makes the Bible come alive as she helps you to see God’s handprints on your life.

Have you ever read Habakkuk and after finishing, wondered what it was really about? That is the uniqueness of Refresh Your Faith.

If you would like a summary of one of the books of the Bible, she has written a devotional on each book so that you will have an idea of what each book is about.

 

Growing Cold when Times are Hard

 

What is your response to God during hard times?

Do you grow cold to God or do you grow closer?

Your heart can become bitter or you can be distracted by a million other things that take your attention away from God during hard times.

Why not use Refresh Your Faith to encourage your heart and direct it back to God? Keeping your eyes on Jesus is the way to get through any crisis you might be facing.

 

Unusual Faith in God

 

When I was a young girl, I wanted faith like my parents.

I didn’t realize at the time that it often takes a lifetime to build and grow that kind of faith.

Faith often grows because of the circumstances we go through so long as we continually surrender to God.

I wanted an unusual faith. This is what Lori, the author of Refresh Your Faith also wanted. That is what she started searching for when she didn’t like that she was finding her Bible to have grown dry and uninteresting.

That is why she wrote this book of short, doable devotionals that are easy to find time to read in a short sitting. Even for a busy mom!

 

A Sample Devotional

 

Telling you about my friend, Lori Hatcher’s book, Refresh Your Faith, is not enough!

I love her book, so you know that I’ll only give you glowing reviews!

I want you to read one of the devotionals and decide for yourself what you think of her book.

Then, I would appreciate if you would leave a comment below as to what you think.

Better yet, why not order your own copy to read each morning along with your Bible?

 

 

Too Busy to Rest (Exodus)

“Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD, the
God of Israel. I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and
no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the LORD your God.” Exodus 34:23–24

Most of us are driven people. Every day we feel the press to do and be more. We must check off
one more box on our to-do lists. We awaken overwhelmed, and stumble into bed exhausted,
mentally scrolling the next day’s list. Our work overflows into our nights and weekends, and
even when we’re not working, we’re not resting. There’s always one more thing calling us.

Sadly, this relentless press even threatens our time with the Lord. Sunday—a sacred day
set aside to worship God, rest, and spend time with family—isn’t sacred any longer.

The Lord knows our propensity to overwork. To protect against this, He included the call
to rest in the Ten Commandments and tucked a special clause into His instructions to the
Israelites in Exodus 34:23–24.

“Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD, the God of
Israel. I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your
land when you go up three times each year to appear before the LORD your God” (emphasis
mine).

Do you see it? “No one will covet your land.” God is saying, Don’t worry that your
livelihood is going to suffer because you take time off to worship me. I’ll protect and care for it.
I’ll watch over it while you do the right thing.

This promise comforts me because sometimes the press of deadlines and the pile of work
deceive me into thinking I don’t have time for worship. That I don’t have the luxury of a day off.
That time digging in the dirt with my grandchildren or having dinner with friends is frivolous
and presumptuous.

The truth is that God established a priority list we would do well to heed. It reads
something like this:

1. Spend time with God first. Read your Bible every day. Pray. Worship together with other
believers.
2. Work hard. Six days if necessary, but save the seventh one for the Lord.
3. Don’t neglect time with your family.

Several Christian businesses in my town have demonstrated that we can have well-
ordered biblical priorities and still succeed. They get it.

They work hard six days a week, then they take the day off—to worship God, rest, and spend time with family.

They believe God’s
promise that He’ll watch over their businesses as they honor Him.

I’m glad God’s promise doesn’t just apply to large corporations or wealthy people. It also
applies to you and me.

 

Uncommon Thought

 

When the press of deadlines and the pile of work deceive you into thinking you don’t have time
for rest and worship, God’s Word says otherwise. He promises to watch over your livelihood as
you honor Him.

 

Unusual Faith

 

Do you feel like you’re too busy? Are you afraid to take a day off to honor the Lord, rest, and
spend time with God and family? Has the promise of Exodus 34:23–24 helped change your
thinking? Because God’s Word is always true, you can claim it.

Make a plan for next Sunday (and the Sunday after that, and the Sunday after that), and act upon it. Then watch God work. If Sunday work is mandatory in your job, brainstorm ways to worship, rest, and connect with family on another day.

Read Exodus 34:21–24.

 

Video from Lori Hatcher/ Author of Refresh Your Faith