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She Delights: Cultivate a Life of Joy for the One Who Reigns & Sustains
As Christian women, we have been given a beautiful charge to delight in God and His Word. But if we’re honest, this is easier said than done.
We find ourselves bombarded by busy schedules, overwhelmed with unexpected grief, carrying financial burdens, feeling an emptiness in our hearts and souls, and the list goes on. We genuinely want to find delight in the Lord and the life He has given us but some days have no idea where to start.
Elle Cardel, founder of the Daughter of Delight ministry, would be the first to tell you that a life of delight is possible and there is joy to be found in delighting in God’s ways over our own–even when things don’t make sense. The more you get to know God as revealed through the Bible, the more you will come to genuinely embrace and grow in your delight in the Lord.
In She Delights, through Elle’s personal story and unique teaching style, she will encourage you toLearn what God’s delight in you actually looks likeDiscover what it realistically looks like to have a heart of delight for GodExplore how God’s delight in you inspires, guides and transforms your delight in HimReflect on how a life focused on delighting in God looks different than a life centered on the world– and why that’s a good thing!Let Elle come alongside you as you are challenged, encouraged, and equipped to pursue God in every season. As you embrace the call to delight in the Lord, may you find great joy in the truth that God delights in you, always.
We find ourselves bombarded by busy schedules, overwhelmed with unexpected grief, carrying financial burdens, feeling an emptiness in our hearts and souls, and the list goes on. We genuinely want to find delight in the Lord and the life He has given us but some days have no idea where to start.
Elle Cardel, founder of the Daughter of Delight ministry, would be the first to tell you that a life of delight is possible and there is joy to be found in delighting in God’s ways over our own–even when things don’t make sense. The more you get to know God as revealed through the Bible, the more you will come to genuinely embrace and grow in your delight in the Lord.
In She Delights, through Elle’s personal story and unique teaching style, she will encourage you toLearn what God’s delight in you actually looks likeDiscover what it realistically looks like to have a heart of delight for GodExplore how God’s delight in you inspires, guides and transforms your delight in HimReflect on how a life focused on delighting in God looks different than a life centered on the world– and why that’s a good thing!Let Elle come alongside you as you are challenged, encouraged, and equipped to pursue God in every season. As you embrace the call to delight in the Lord, may you find great joy in the truth that God delights in you, always.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2025
8 people are currently reading
706 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 5, 2025
Highly recommend this book! Elle uses scripture throughout to point readers to living as Daughters of Delight. Her words were relatable and consistently pointing back to our need for our Savior Jesus Christ. She covers delighting throughout all life circumstances, walking in a manner that is worthy, and prioritizing holiness over happiness.
February 18, 2025
Elle Cardel’s devotional, “She Delights: Cultivate a Life of Joy for the One Who Reigns and Sustains” is a great embodiment of James 1:22 and 25 (NKJV)…
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves…. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Like many Christian books about Biblical literacy, “She Delights” encourages readers to engage in active spiritual reading of the Bible. Cardel offers tips, insights, and motivation to get her female readers to put down whatever they are doing and pick up their Bibles. Her insight is a succinct recap of church wisdom that should resonate and stay with readers long after the book is closed.
While I’m not criticizing Cardel for this message, her Biblical insight is fairly typical for this genre. Much of the information presented is commonly found in devotionals. What truly sets “She Delights” apart, however, is the way Cardel applies its message. She skillfully blends personal anecdotes with timeless church wisdom and practical guidance that goes beyond simply sitting with the Lord in Scripture. The Scripture that Cardel shares is vibrant and alive, not just words on a page that we should read because God told us to, or because they are significant. Cardel shows how the Bible is a love letter, a guide, a self-help manual, or paternal advice as long as we are willing to engage with an open heart.
Sometimes it feels like devotionals are all about getting into your head and heart so that you can understand the words of Scripture, but Cardel’s devotional is external. For example, one section of the devotional is about finding the right church community in the form of an actual physical church building. She emphasizes how everyone should be connected to a church because God made us social beings and we have been made to live and share our faith in a community.
She fully acknowledges that faith will have its highs and lows just like life itself, but there is never a good enough reason to abandon our faith or disbelieve Scripture. She shares the personal example of her daughter Selah’s heart complications at birth. Cardel’s ability to weave together personal experience and deep theological insight creates a rich, relatable reading experience. Her approach doesn’t just offer wisdom—it invites the reader to actively engage with their faith in a way that feels both profound and accessible.
Whether sharing a moment of vulnerability or drawing on centuries-old teachings, she encourages readers to see their own lives reflected in the Scriptures, making her insights feel not just relevant but inspirational. Elle Cardel’s “She Delights” isn’t just a devotional, it should be a companion journal to your Bible for cultivating a deeper, more intimate relationship with God.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves…. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Like many Christian books about Biblical literacy, “She Delights” encourages readers to engage in active spiritual reading of the Bible. Cardel offers tips, insights, and motivation to get her female readers to put down whatever they are doing and pick up their Bibles. Her insight is a succinct recap of church wisdom that should resonate and stay with readers long after the book is closed.
While I’m not criticizing Cardel for this message, her Biblical insight is fairly typical for this genre. Much of the information presented is commonly found in devotionals. What truly sets “She Delights” apart, however, is the way Cardel applies its message. She skillfully blends personal anecdotes with timeless church wisdom and practical guidance that goes beyond simply sitting with the Lord in Scripture. The Scripture that Cardel shares is vibrant and alive, not just words on a page that we should read because God told us to, or because they are significant. Cardel shows how the Bible is a love letter, a guide, a self-help manual, or paternal advice as long as we are willing to engage with an open heart.
Sometimes it feels like devotionals are all about getting into your head and heart so that you can understand the words of Scripture, but Cardel’s devotional is external. For example, one section of the devotional is about finding the right church community in the form of an actual physical church building. She emphasizes how everyone should be connected to a church because God made us social beings and we have been made to live and share our faith in a community.
She fully acknowledges that faith will have its highs and lows just like life itself, but there is never a good enough reason to abandon our faith or disbelieve Scripture. She shares the personal example of her daughter Selah’s heart complications at birth. Cardel’s ability to weave together personal experience and deep theological insight creates a rich, relatable reading experience. Her approach doesn’t just offer wisdom—it invites the reader to actively engage with their faith in a way that feels both profound and accessible.
Whether sharing a moment of vulnerability or drawing on centuries-old teachings, she encourages readers to see their own lives reflected in the Scriptures, making her insights feel not just relevant but inspirational. Elle Cardel’s “She Delights” isn’t just a devotional, it should be a companion journal to your Bible for cultivating a deeper, more intimate relationship with God.
November 23, 2025
Unsurprisingly well written, balancing well a relatable voice with truth from God's Word meant to stir us toward conviction and holiness. I loved the structure of chapters talking through different elements of the Christian walk with the overall theme being how we can live in that way (i.e., prayer, hardship, church) while delighting in the Lord. While none of these ideas are new or not talked about, it serves as a neat, large-encompassing look at the Christian life. What I mean by that is you can grab a whole book on prayer or a whole book on suffering, but this book covers many of those topics well under one aim (delight in God). Her own personal story going along with these topics adds to differentiate the book from others and invites you to see the reality of God in a relatable way.
December 10, 2024
Just the words that I needed.
I (re-)found so many delights in this book - joy, suffering, God's grace/will and identity. Reading this was thought-provoking and comforting.
I relished Cardel's words and thought this is an impactful book.
SHE DELIGHTS is such a meaningful read that I would recommend for anyone!
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Tyndale books . All opinions are my own ]
I (re-)found so many delights in this book - joy, suffering, God's grace/will and identity. Reading this was thought-provoking and comforting.
I relished Cardel's words and thought this is an impactful book.
SHE DELIGHTS is such a meaningful read that I would recommend for anyone!
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Tyndale books . All opinions are my own ]
August 25, 2025
4.25 stars. A good mix of encouragement, wisdom, and application, and no concerns theologically speaking. I just reserve 5 star reviews for the most life-changing of non-fiction. But I'll keeping this one to refer back to!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews