The Lives We Actually Have {A Book a Day 14}

  • Is your day going perfectly as planned?
  • Is today all blue skies and rainbows?
  • Is today your happiest day ever?

I can answer for you. No, no, and no. (But if I’m wrong, good for you!)

No day is ever perfect. It’s not how the world works.

Because of that, it’s in these regularly imperfect days of our lives that we most need to receive blessings.

So we ask for blessings and say blessings over each other.

If you need words for these blessings, you’ll find 100 beautiful blessings in this new book by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie, The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days. Each blessing is short, heartfelt, and sometimes funny, too.

The Lives We Actually Have  

The blessings are divided into 10 categories.

Which category applies where you are today?

  • Bless this ordinary life
  • Bless this tired life
  • Bless this lovely life
  • Bless this grief-stricken life
  • Bless this overwhelming life
  • Bless this painful life
  • Bless this garbage life
  • Bless the lives of others
  • Bless this beautiful, limited life

And then a special category of readings for Lent and Advent:

  • Bless this holy life

There’s something here for everyone, for every kind of day.

Quotes from The Lives We Actually Have

“Blessed are we who see that this present darkness is not all there is. Blessed are we who say: I am known. I am loved. I can love again. Even . . . especially . . . in this. God, have mercy.”

~ * ~

“Draw me closer to a different vision, one that sees that I don’t need perfection—I need love. Free me from the expectation that life should always be better.”

~ * ~

“God, erase my humiliation about being stubbornly finite. Remind me again how all these limitations can still be called blessed.”

~ * ~

“Love can break your heart. It’s probably in the fine print. Didn’t you click the box at the bottom of the terms and conditions?”

~ * ~

“Turn down the volume of my expectations, and let me hear the birds sing another lovely truth: I am deeply and wholly loved. I am beautiful and somehow delightful even as I am unfinished.”


Have you read a Kate Bowler book (Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved; No Cure for Being Human; Good Enough) or listened to her podcast, Everything Happens?

What kind of day are you having today? Is it ordinary or otherwise?

Share your thoughts here.

My thanks to NetGalley + Convergent
Books for the review copy of this book

You are on Day #14 of the series, A Book a Day {Nonfiction Favorites}.

Each day of February 2023 I’m recommending one book a day from favorite nonfiction books I’ve recently read.

The Table of Contents for all 28 books is here, updated daily.

A Book a Day: Nonfiction Favorites

Previous:
How to Keep House While Drowning” {Book 13}

Next:
No Time Like the Present” {Book 15}

7 thoughts on “The Lives We Actually Have {A Book a Day 14}

  1. Donna

    I so love this reminder, Lisa. I get weary hearing people complain about what they don’t have, while rarely offering thanks for what they DO have! Sadly, one of those people is ME sometimes!!
    Can’t wait to add this book to my reading queue!!

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