A Habit Called Faith: 40 Days in the Bible to Find and Follow Jesus Paperback – February 16, 2021

I use devotionals sparingly, preferring to wrestle through the text on my own. That being said, I do use them on occasion. And this was a real joy.A Habit Called Faith walks you through Deuteronomy and the gospel of John in forty days while helping form a habit of reading the Bible with intention. It’s engaging, thought provoking, and approachable. A great tool to start a reading habit of Scripture, to ease into/warm up to the Old Testament, or survey its connection to the New Testament. Jen's writing is beautiful and insightful.The stories interwoven with the study are inspiring and helpful. Each chapter is succinct, and the questions are a great resource to unearth what the depth from Scripture means for us right now.A wonderful resource to do with your small group, or by yourself. I read it with a church friend, and we both agreed it also makes a great tool to read alongside a friend who is new to faith, or considering Christianity.I first got it on Kindle and soon after bought a printed copy because I wanted to have it in our personal library for future reference, and to lend. I recommend Jen Michel's writing in general. A real gift to any reader. A great resource to both the believer and the curious.

In A Habit Called Faith, each devotional reading is paired with Scripture, taking the reader through most of Deuteronomy and the entire Gospel of John. The book includes discussion questions and a chapter from the above Scriptures to read each day. I typically do not use devotionals; however, I actually purchased this one by accident after a friend sent me the link (a tap and scroll mishap!) So I decided I should definitely read this one!A Habit Called Faith became a daily enjoyment and encouragement in my walk with the Lord as I read along. The author’s insights highlighted elements in the Scripture that are easily glossed over, helping the reader connect the Old and New Testament readings with God’s purpose in sending Christ. This devotional is a worthy tool to add to your arsenal. Each day’s reading will help you cultivate a habit of trusting God and faithful living. In A Habit Called Faith, you will dive deep into the redemptive purposes Jesus fulfilled through Deuteronomy and John’s Gospel.Author Jen Pollock Michel communicates the importance of viewing faith habits not as religious ritual that leave us empty but authentic ways to pursue growth in relationship with God. It is full of purpose as we seek to know, love and obey God, intentionally seeking to practice our faith in a way that demonstrates love for God and others.A few of my favorite quotes from the book:“…the Bible is God’s book—and God’s story. As we turn its pages, we look to grow in understanding of God’s character: how he loves, why he forgives, what he promises.”“To love God with all of our heart, with all of our soul, and with all of our might, we will need more of his help to keep at the habit of remembering.”“Christian faith . . . is not a grappling with ideas about God. Instead, it’s an encounter with—and surrender to—the living, speaking God of Jesus Christ: the God to be seen and touched and heard. As the Evangelist tells us at the end of his Gospel, John hasn’t written simply to convey information about this Jesus. Rather, he wants us to believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Sent One, the Son of God—and to have life in his name.”The devotional ends in a way that touched me deeply, because the truths quoted were those I once sung verbatim even before God opened my eyes in salvation: “Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again”. Those words in the book are followed with the question, “How will you respond?” And I am so grateful that God moved upon my heart to respond to Him, enabling me to come to Him and believe these truths in my own heart. In this another great habit of faith was brought to mind: remembering what God has done, remembering when He brought us to Himself in salvation.I highly recommend A Habit Called Faith and consider it one of my favorite books so far this year.

I loved this book. Jen writes beautifully and goes deep. Going through both Deuteronomy and John was a great way to review the Gospel on a daily basis. My favorite part was the inspiring testimonials of people who came to faith but all in different ways. Jen shows the wideness of God's grace and reach of his love. I will buy for friends. Highly recommend.

This book is such a great devotional tool and an easy gift to give to someone wanting to grow their muscle and habit of faith. Faith is work and that’s both ok and a good thing.

It’s a long read if you don’t get to it daily but oh, so powerful. Jens writing is deep and thought provoking.

Beautiful bible study. This book was really good. The "red thread" running throughout the OT and NT is clearly seen. I've recommended it to my friends

I have enjoyed all of Michel's books, and found myself both challenged by her teaching and comforted by the gospel in reading each one. A Habit Called Faith uses a different format, written as a daily devotional, and I read it during Lent 2021.During the pandemic, when the power of habit gave structure to our long and shapeless days, reading Scripture daily became a struggle and a chore for me. I am still trying to figure out why that happened, but this book provided a way back in to that habit for me. Michel's love for God's word is contagious, and reading the book was like having a daily conversation with a friend who sparked that same love in my own heart again. I am grateful for this book and recommend it highly!

I liked this book so much I bought one for my sister for Christmas.

To implement a habit into our business of life is not easy, but when I opened up my schedule in the morning for an extra 15min. of reading, things started to change for the better. I could’ve never imagined that such a small change could open my door to Faith. Whether you are a believer or not, a woman or a man, or a teenager, this is a book that will resonate with your life at one point or another. Beautifully written, and so manageable as a daily read!

The author's keenness to detail is amazing. I highlighted numerous pieces from each day's reading and caught myself thinking, "I never thought about it in that way." Jen's book deepened my understanding and appreciation for the link between the book of Deuteronomy and the Gospel of John. I highly recommend this book. If you have a willingness to learn, you will not be disappointed.