People of faith are struggling these days as they watch unbelievable events unfold. The United States, once a refuge for immigrants, has closed its borders to many of the world's most vulnerable citizens. Fear of people different from us has created an atmosphere of hatred, incivility, and violence. We are living in a time of wilderness and exile. Yet the wilderness is a familiar place for those who follow Jesus. Like Jesus, we spend 40 days in the wilderness. During Lent God calls us to examine ourselves, repent, and make room in our lives for the Holy One. Walking in the Wilderness is meant to be a companion for readers' journey through Lent. It may be studied by individuals or groups. The book includes daily reflections for Ash Wednesday through Easter. Sunday of each week introduces a spiritual practice for the wilderness. The practices for the six Sundays of Lent are Being Present, Lament, Lectio Divina, Trust, Compassion, and Hospitality. Each reading contains a quotation from an Upper Room resource, a short scripture passage, an insightful reflection and prayer written by Richardson, and a single word for readers to carry with them throughout the day. "We come hungry to this season of Lent," Richardson writes, "hungry for words of life, for rituals of preparation, for disciplines to help us on our way." Walking in the Wilderness provides a spiritual feast for readers during the longest season of the Christian year.

How important is it to have a daily spiritual routine? "When we engage in daily spiritual formation, we deepen our roots . . . and grow our capacity to handle any season of life," Junius Dotson wrote in the 2018 edition of The Upper Room Disciplines. Daily devotional reading helps keep our faith alive. Disciplines invites readers to spend unrushed time with God, reading a lectionary-based scripture passage, reflecting on the author's insights, and thinking about how to apply the truths from the readings to their daily life. This devotional book features 53 authors from diverse backgrounds, including some of the leading Christian thinkers of our time. Among the writers for 2021 are J. Dana Trent, James A. Harnish, Enuma Okoro, Jean-Claude Masuka, George Donigian, Beth A. Richardson, Kenneth H. Carter Jr., D. L. Mayfield, Stephane Brooks, Rachel Hackenberg, Rosalind Hughes, Memory Chikosi, Liz Magill, Charity Kiregyera, Joe Pennel, and Beth Taulman Miller.

Do you wonder where God is present in your day? Let Beth Richardson help you learn to bless the life you have and experience the sacredness of every moment. Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me guides you to be present in the moment and find God in your everyday circumstances through the use of blessings. Use the blessings in this book as touchstones throughout the day-a calm center to focus on despite whatever is happening around you. In typical Celtic style, the blessings encourage us to notice God's presence in each moment-especially through nature. A sense of joy and gratitude for ordinary moments pervades this book. Beth Richardson leads us to realize the richness of the gifts of life, express our feelings about special moments and times of struggle, and find ways to pray for the world and all its people.

In secular mainstream America, meditation has become as ubiquitous as yoga. But how does meditation fit into Christianity, and how does it differ from prayer? One Breath at a Time: A Skeptic's Guide to Christian Meditation reframes meditation for those who are skeptical because (1) they doubt their ability to be still and quiet and (2) they doubt the validity of meditation as a Christian spiritual practice. Using scripture, theology, and examples from the early church, this book challenges the prayer habits of Christians that leave little room for enough silence to experience and listen for God. Using five approaches—breath meditation, lectio divina, centering meditation, loving-kindness meditation, and devotional meditation—One Breath at a Time provides a practical, 40-day guide to beginning and sustaining a Christian meditation practice in an often chaotic world.

"This is a prayer book for revolution—a revolution of love and compassion and justice," Shane Claiborne writes in the foreword. The prayers in this collection are meant to be prayed in community. Rally is a prayer book for faith communities searching for words to respond to the injustices around them. It's a prayer book for Christian activists who believe in putting feet to their prayers. The book supplies words for concerned Christians who yearn to lift their voices to God about such issues as racism; the abuse of power and privilege; mistreatment of migrants and refugees; lives tragically lost; our violent society; white supremacy; and people being marginalized because of their gender, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, or economic status. Rally contains prayers for perpetrators, for loving our bodies, for listening to one another, for those who have been wounded by the church. In this resource, readers will find prayers that evoke hope and connection, guidance for sifting through the news and social media headlines, laments about destruction of the earth, and pleas for loving alike though we don't think alike. The beauty of this book lies in the rich variety of voices and experiences of its writers—leaders who work at the intersection of Christianity and social justice and who want to resource those who gather to lament the needs and celebrate the possibilities of a better world. "Lord, stir us up to holy action," cries this powerful book. Rally spurs people to compassionately continue the important work of loving God and neighbor until all of God's people feel safe and seen.