I liked the last half of it, it started very slow for me I kept getting distracted but soo soo many great notes I got. I will be rereading in the future!

I like how personal this book feels, it's easy for the reader to connect and relate to the struggle.
I like the formatting too, how the pages are often broken with a powerful sentence and pretty graphics. One can also learn a lot about the Bible from this book in an easy and not intimidating way.
With this book, we get many opportunities for reflection and prayer, and it comes with some useful hints on how to practically slow down. Thanks to the short chapters, this book can be used as a part of daily time alone with God.

I was really encouraged by reading this book,. I saw things that I was already doing to slow down and connect with Jesus, as well as things I needed to implement in my life. Challenging and encouraging all at once.

I was excited to read *The Urgency of Slowing down *, gifted by NetGalley, as the premise sounded refreshing and deeply meaningful. Unfortunately, while the book had moments of brilliance, it didn’t fully meet my expectations.

The author has a gift for weaving scripture into her writing—these parts were beautifully written and truly resonated with me. When the focus shifted to Jesus and how His teachings can be applied to our lives, the book was insightful and inspiring. However, much of the content felt overly personal, centering on the author’s family and life anecdotes without enough connection to a broader, Christ-centered message.

While personal stories can enrich a faith-based book, in this case, I found they often overshadowed the spiritual depth I was hoping for. It felt more like a memoir with scattered verses rather than a guide to slowing down in a way rooted in faith.

That said, the sections focused on scripture were powerful and made the book worth finishing. I appreciated those moments of reflection, but overall, I wished the balance had been tilted more toward Jesus and less toward the author’s personal narrative.

A solid 3 stars for its potential and the beautifully written spiritual insights

A huge shout out to Laura L Smith and Netgalley for this ARC. Cannot recommend this book enough, this is everything my mind, body and soul needed.

I enjoyed this title very much. Laura Smith is a new author for me, but I found her writing fresh, insightful, and relatable. Her thoughts were practical and realistic. Although it was a “self-help” book, it pointed us to the greatest Help available—God. Deep without being boring or theoretical, this book is a keeper and one I will share.

Such a good read! Very Christian. What I needed right now ... so thankful to have the opportunity to read The Urgency of Slowing Down ... especially at this Christmas season. So much to do and rushing around. So important to take some moments and just thank God for the day and to look for the beauty in it and to appreciate the good and great things that have happened in the day.

There is a chapter on fasting. It is why Catholics fast at Lent. :)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Our Daily Bread Publishing for the opportunity to read the advance read copy of The Urgency of Slowing Down in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended! Approx 248 pages.

This book started out a bit slow, which perhaps was on purpose, but that picked up as the book went on. The author adds a personal touch (though at times it felt a bit too much) to the story, which makes it more relatable. The reader is given lots of opportunities to pray and reflect, and there are numerous tips on how to slow down. This is a book that will likely resonate with many readers. The chapters are short, so that makes it easy to fit into a busy schedule.

The Urgency of Slowing Down was a great book to read in December and prepare for the new year. I feel that I am doing better by not overscheduling my life, but this book offered me more advice on how to prioritize my time.
Our Daily Bread published this book, but it is not a daily devotion as many of their publications. It is an easy read of 24 chapters that all women will find help in slowing down their lives. For me, it was the reminders that decluttering results in less for us to need to care for and that God gave asks us to take a Sabbath because we were made to rest.
This is a great book for all women as the new year starts. I hope to use the given advice at home and work.
I received a complimentary copy of this book thanks to Net Galley, but all opinions are my own.

I read a lot of books about this topic, so I worried the repetitive theme would start to get old. I enjoyed this book's short chapters, practical applications, and ongoing encouragement. It's one to highlight and read again!

The Urgency of Slowing Down by Laura L. Smith was a real blessing to me and a book I will go back to multiple times. The truths expressed in this book are so timely and needed right now. I give this book 5 stars. This book will be a needed addition to anyone’s bookshelf.

Solid primer on living life slow, savoring the God moments and trusting Him for the messes. Readers of John Mark Comer's The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry will love this one!

It was definitely an emotional journey with this book. I was very curious because I don't have much experience with this type of book, and I can honestly say it was both motivational and educational.

The biggest advantage? The author shows us how we can integrate the Bible into our everyday lives, which can sometimes be difficult. Moreover, each chapter includes questions that might be helpful.
The book also emphasizes how important it is to slow down, to take a step back from the chaos of life, and truly connect with God. It also reminds us that in our fast-paced world, we often forget the inner need for reflection and what's the most important time with Jesus.

I can imagine this book may not be for everyone, but if you need some light in your life or are struggling to find time for Jesus, you should read it!

This book is practical and full of biblical wisdom.
Smith invites the reader to slow down from the chaos of the world and to be intentional in how we are filling our time. There are things this world says will bring us life and that we should do more and more but that isn’t what the Bible says brings life. We are encouraged to ask what are we making too big a deal of and what are we valuing above Jesus? She notes that many of these things in themselves are not bad but the issue is when they become more important than our relationship with God.
Two quotes that stuck with me are;
“If we never pause, when do we reflect?”

“We work worship into our muscle memory. Using our life to worship Jesus becomes our very best habit.”

Slowing down is a continual and intentional process that builds over time. If worship is a foundation of our lives, on the days it is hard, it is easier to turn to Jesus versus if we never have that focus or are constantly distracted by other things.

Wow, this was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. I really am trying my best to slow down in this season and focus on my self care in a different way,

This was the perfect read to start the new year off with. I requested it towards the end of the year, but am so glad that I saved and savored it for January. It was so refreshing and peaceful, and practical. Highly recommend if you are in need of a reminder to slow down.