Always There

Title: ALWAYS THERE
Editor: Susan Besze Wallace
Authors: multi, including Kathi Lipp, Kari Wyatt Kent, Renee Swope etal
Publisher: Revell
April 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8007-2116-9
Genre: Inspirational/women’s devotional

God is with you…
…in the excitement of first steps, first words, and the first day of school.
…when you are frustrated, overwhelmed, or alone.
…in the middle of the night and the middle of the unpleasant.
…in your most important relationships.

God is there in every busy, exhausting, and exhilarating moment of being a mom.

ALWAYS THERE is a devotional for busy moms of preschoolers. It has a short verse, a story to go along with it, and a reflection for you to ponder as you go about your day. Ideal for moms on the go, it doesn’t take much time, and will center your mind on God. This isn’t a devotional for a deep feeding of the word, but more of a stolen moment snack.

Some of the stories made me cry, remembering the terror and joy of that first pregnancy… the fear when you realize your preschooler has vanished into a crowd and you don’t know where to start looking… watching a baby morph into an adult… and other life events, including the acute pain of miscarriage.

I have five children (not counting three miscarriages) and while some of my children are now considered adults, I still can relate to the stories told in this book. Children are a blessing of the Lord, but some of the confusion, pain, disappointment that accompany them doesn’t always seem holy. ALWAYS THERE reminds us that even in moments when you feel alone, God is ALWAYS THERE. Recommended for new moms and mothers of preschoolers. $12.99. 196 pages.