Blessings for the Evening

It can be challenging for me to wind down in the evenings. I try to use my time productively until the last shred of daylight,  squeezing as much as I can in before the sun goes down. This means I'm not starting dinner till after dark and dinner is regularly late. This always messes things up. I've also gotten in a really bad habit of watching a TV show right before bed followed by a quick (not really) check of my e-mail and social media as I'm brushing my teeth and getting my self under the covers. The "experts" say that electronics especially are not good for peaceful sleeping. You are supposed to keep the lights dim and read before bed if anything. Well I LOVE to read but before bed never works out like I want it to because I get through about 1 page and I'm out like a light. How about you, do you have any type of evening routine?

I've started to readjust my evening routine slightly and I'm really enjoying it so far. I've always put importance on starting my days on the right foot but I've never really put that same importance on the end of my days. I was encouraged to do this when I was given a book to review by Bethany House. The book is called Blessings for the Evening by Susie Larson. The premise of the book is to take quiet time at night to refresh your soul so that when it's time to rest you can do so peacefully.

The first thing I noticed about the book is how beautiful it is. Each page is filled with an incredible photo that emits peacefulness. Each evening I look forward to seeing what the photo will be, they are so captivating.

The book is set up so that you read two short pages each evening. The page on the left is scripture and the page on the right is encouragement or blessing. I usually read it right before I go to sleep and read it over a few times. I feel like I'm clearing my slate and am preparing myself for a new day.

Not only are there blessings to read each evening but there are also some very specific blessings to read during different times such as when dealing with grief or disappointment and one for Thanksgiving Day....
This is a well done book filled with powerful words and images. It's the kind of book you can leave out on your nightstand as a decoration. It would make a lovely gift.

I'll be sharing more books in the future and I've created a new tab "what's on my bookshelf?" where I'll be linking up a variety of books that I enjoy. If you're looking for a copy of the book I shared today you can find it on Amazon the link below will take you there.