Sometimes I pick up a book because it looks really good and then it sits on my bookshelf for a long time. Such was the case with this book. The Grace-Filled Life: 52 Devotions to Warm Your Heart and Guide Your Path was something I picked up several years ago, intending to maybe use it for a small group or something. This year, however, I tried to commit to reading only books already on my shelf, and this was one I wanted to get to.
After finishing the Present Over Perfect Guided Journal, I decided to go through The Grace-Filled Life as my (mostly) daily devotional. Maxie D. Dunnam wrote the book as a weekly guide as people read through the Bible in a year. There is a great reading plan included in the book. Then, once a week, a group of people who are reading through the Bible together would gather to discuss the readings and the main points and questions.
Not me. I simply read the Scripture listed with the devotional thoughts each day and journaled the questions. It worked for me and I think it would work well for others too. What I liked about using The Grace-Filled Life as a daily devotional reading was getting a broad stroke of the story of God and God’s people in about a 2 month period. Dunnam does a great job of weaving together biblical history and theology (definitely Wesleyan for those who want to know!). And he does it in a way that is engaging and personally reflective.
There were many days when the reading and questions grabbed my heart in a needed way. There were some days that the stories seemed far from my life and the reflection questions not something that connected with me. Overall, however, if someone is looking for a devotional with solid Wesleyan theology and a good survey of the Bible, or if you want to read through the Bible and need a good plan, The Grace-Filled Life may be just right for you! It is actually one I’ve decided to keep (for now) on my bookshelf and refer back to for sermon preparation.
Rev. Kris Mares 
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