A beautiful collection a daily readings that immensely benefited this recovering perfectionist. In a culture focused so much on self-help, it helps to be reminded that growth and progress are great, but so is coming home to ourselves and knowing we are loved as is.

Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie is a witty and insightful book that explores the paradoxes of modern life through 40ish short spiritual reflections. The book is a companion for when you want to stop feeling guilty that you’re not living your best life now.

Bowler, a historian and memoirist, reflects on her own experiences of living with stage IV cancer, parenting a young child, and navigating the pressures of work and faith. She challenges the myths of self-improvement, productivity, and happiness that pervade our culture and offers a more realistic and compassionate way of being in the world. She writes with humor, honesty, and grace, inviting readers to embrace the messiness and beauty of their own lives.

The authors offer fresh imagination for how truth, beauty, and meaning can be discovered amidst the chaos of life. Their words celebrate kindness, honesty, and interdependence in a culture that rewards ruthless individualism and blind optimism. Ultimately, in these pages, we can rest in the encouragement to strive for what is possible today—while recognizing that though we are finite, the life in front of us can be beautiful.

“Blessed are you who realize there is simply not enough—time, money, resources. Blessed are you who are tired of pretending that raw effort is the secret to perfection. It’s not. And you know that now. Blessed are you who need a gentle reminder that even now, even today, God is here, and somehow, that is good enough,”—Kate Bowler and Jessica Richier, Good Enough.

In their illuminating book Good Enough, authors Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie present a series of insightful spiritual reflections designed to guide readers through the intricate maze of modern life. A New York Times bestseller, it shatters the persistent myth of relentless self-improvement, instead framing life as a condition to be endured and cherished, rather than an unending quest for perfection.

Bowler and Richie, known for their empathetic and intelligent perspectives in their popular podcast, “Everything Happens,” offer what can be best described as a spiritual companion to those of us who often feel overwhelmed by the pressure to live our best lives. Ultimately, in these pages we can rest in the encouragement to strive for what is possible today—while recognizing that though we are finite, the life in front of us can be beautiful.

Good Enough is a radiant beacon of hope, brimming with humor and kindness. Bowler and Richie present biblical concepts in such relatable ways. Each reflection instills a fresh vision of how truth, beauty, and meaning can be found amid the chaos of our daily lives, especially when those lives are disappointing and heartbreaking.

The book invites readers to explore topics such as purpose in life, prayer, and the pitfalls of perfectionism. It is an exceptionally powerful read, demanding time and contemplation to absorb the wisdom it offers. The authors provide practical advice on navigating periods of sadness and disarray, often suggesting humor and absurdity as therapeutic tools.

What makes this book relatable is the everyday language used to articulate complex spiritual concepts. The authors’ use of illustrations and anecdotes to clarify these principles provides readers with real-world contexts and applications. It is a compassionate, intelligent, and wry series of 40 Christian daily devotions on learning to live with imperfection. I cried as I read it, but I also smiled and laughed out loud.

Written gently and with humor, Good Enough is permission for all of us who need to hear that there are some things we can fix—and some things we can’t. It’s a firm reminder that life, in all its messiness and complication, is indeed ‘good enough.’

This book is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience, a celebration of our shared imperfections, and an invitation to embrace life as it is, not as we imagine it should be. In short, Good Enough is more than good enough; it’s an essential read for those seeking a new perspective on dealing with life’s challenges. It’s hard to find a devotional that has such powerful life lessons and a sense of humor. A well-deserved five stars.

It's been a long while since I sat down with a devotional but Kate Bowler drew me in. This joint venture of her and Jessica Richie was a delight. Anyone familiar with Kate Bowler will be comforted by her wisdom and approach to life which is frank but also fun. This book is perfect for those who need a space to meet God just as they are. That's the hope of this book. It gives steady reminders and places to see God in our life now instead of waiting until we're ready or in a better spot. The 40 days of entries are a perfect length to help implement a new routine in your life.

Kate Bowler is one a handful of others and Christian speakers/preachers that keep me exploring and wanting to stay in my faith. Not an easy task but I love her writing. She’s realistic but also not constantly down in the dumps about life. This newest one was perfect for me and went along great with the other book while also being sensical enough to stand alone.

I absolutely loved this book. Each entry is a short reading accompanied by a blessing for that day. It was a beautiful way for me to journey through the Lent season. Both authors are honest about the sometimes difficult realities of life, but they use their words to infuse hope into even the most hopeless situations. I will be referencing this book for years to come. The writing is beautiful and the message is inspiring.

This is a good decent book, encouraging read. I just would have loved some more scripture in a devotional book. But there were laugh out moments and the content is extremely relatable.

“Devotional” could be a stretch, in my opinion. When I think of a devotional, I think of a short, bite-size Bible teaching. These were just stories, anecdotes. Most didn’t even have a s riptide or Bible story that even went along with them. Just some feel good point. Usually I see devotional that have a prayer at the end. But this one has a “blessing” after each day. Not a prayer, per se, but a self-affirming blessing to the person that the story of the day might speak to.
Interestingly enough, the authors put down self-help books throughout their writing, considering them self-affirming feel-good, etc. but that’s exactly what I felt about this book. except it didn’t “help” my self. It kinda just bored me. A few moments were beautiful. A few of the blessings touched me. But again, they were more like pats on the back, not so much help me get through life.
I thought the authors could be veering toward progressive side of Christianity. I don’t know if it’s that or their denominational background. I don’t know. It just wasn’t a fit for me.

An absolutely lovely collection of devotionals. I cannot wait to dig into these more.

In Kate Bowler’s bestselling memoir Everything Happens for a Reason, readers witnessed the ways she, as a divinity-school professor and young mother, reckoned with a Stage IV cancer diagnosis; in her follow-up memoir, No Cure for Being Human, she unflinchingly and winsomely unpacked the ways that life becomes both hard and beautiful when we abandon certainty and the illusion of control in our lives. Now, in their first-ever devotional book, Kate Bowler and co-author Jessica Richie offer 40ish short spiritual reflections on how we can make sense of life not as a pursuit of endless progress but as a chronic condition. This book is a companion for when you want to stop feeling guilty that you’re not living your best life now.

Written gently and with humor, Good Enough is permission for all those who need to hear that there are some things you can fix—and some things you can’t. And it’s okay that life isn’t always better. In these gorgeously written reflections, Bowler and Richie offer fresh imagination for how truth, beauty, and meaning can be discovered amid the chaos of life. Their words celebrate kindness, honesty, and interdependence in a culture that rewards ruthless individualism and blind optimism. Ultimately, in these pages we can rest in the encouragement to strive for what is possible today—while recognizing that though we are finite, the life in front of us can be beautiful.

Read about 1/4 of the way through this and liked it so much I ordered my own copy so I could go through it slower and have the physical copy. I love Kate Bowler so much. She is so relatable and funny. All the stars!

Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie is a collection of essays and prayers grappling with what it means to live an imperfect life. If you are looking for stories of how imperfect life can be, this book is for you. With no references to scripture and just references to developing new spiritual practices, I would not call this a devotional. I think this is an attempt to make the book appeal to a largely secular audience. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This book is very practical, and I can't wait to use it with women that I disciple. It meets the reader at any stage they are at spiritually.

I am a huge fan of Kate Bowler and basically anything she does so I was thrilled to be given this ARC. I thought this was such a beautiful book. Their personal stories attached to the chapters made it like chatting with a friend- but one with amazing advice! I bookmarked and highlighted this book and I will keep in my reach whenever I need some clarity, understanding and inspiration. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am loving this book so much that I ordered a copy from Amazon this morning, as there are things that I want to underline, star and reread. As someone who often struggles with not being "good enough," these devotions have been really encouraging and freeing. Kate Bowler's other two books were great, and this one with Jessica Richie is fantastic!

Good Enough by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie includes "40ish short spiritual reflections on how we can make sense of life not as a pursuit of endless progress but as a chronic condition." Each chapter includes a reflection, a blessing, and a "good enough step" to help encourage the reader that they don't have to achieve perfection. I enjoyed this encouraging read and would recommend it to others than need an encouraging devotional. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own,

This is the devotional book I've been waiting for! Since getting sick with POTS I've found that most devotionals don't apply to my life. Being told to slow down and spend more time with God isn't helpful when you're stuck in bed or on the couch all day. Kate Bowler understands what it's like to be sick and she has taken the wisdom gained through her trials and used it to help all of us deepen our relationship with God. I'm so grateful for a devotional book that doesn't gloss over the hard parts of life or ask people in difficult situations to ignore what they're going through and just be happy.

Wonderful book! The words women need to read right now. Breezed through this book and took lots of notes. Very good and will recommend to all my friends and family. Loved this author so much, I purchased No Cure For Being Human and am thoroughly enjoying it.

This is a wonderful, down to earth, relatable devotional that spoke to my heart. Kate Bowler is not afraid to be real, and it is refreshing. I’d recommend this to any woman looking for their next devotional. Thanks to the author and publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy.

Bowler and Richie's "Good Enough" is a fantastic way to work through the season of Lent, or any season of life, really. Rather than sharing hot tips for living your best life now, these two embrace the messy, unpredictable, and painful aspects of our everyday lives.

These "40-ish" devotionals simultaneously acknowledge grief while pointing to light and hope without being patronizing. They are grounded, humble, funny, and fresh reminders for all of us: reminders that sometimes wanting to try is as honorable as trying.

On a practical note, I appreciate that each chapter is brief– long enough to convey a message, but short enough to read at the beginning of a day that will be filled with getting kids to school, doctor's appointments, or working a 10-hour day. I never felt dread when picking up the book (the familiar "geez this is going to take a while, and I should be doing laundry"). Instead, I found myself surprised at how quickly the meditations went, often re-reading the blessings at the end of each chapter.

I'm already planning to give "Good Enough" to several people I love, who I know will appreciate these honest devotionals that embrace the beautiful & difficult parts of life and our need for community in it all.

This is a beautiful devotional that doesn't buy into the idea that perfection is something that we can achieve, but that trying to be good enough is the goal. I loved the blessings and next steps at the end of each devotional.