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In the Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons
We spend time in the Low because we are human, not because we're broken.
In the Low is a collection of contemplative words and images for seasons of depression. It is a book designed to meet you where you are and sit with you there the way God intentionally and without judgment.
***
For many of us, the question isn't whether or not we will enter into depression but how to be there when we do. In those low places, we experience disconnection from others, from a meaningful life, and from God, and it can be difficult to know what to think or pray. This is where art and the honest prayers of others can help us name what we're experiencing so we know we're not alone.
In the Low is designed to meet you in the dark and linger there with you as you sit under the weight of depression or despair. Instead of shaming you for how you feel, minimizing your pain, or suggesting quick fixes, Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson offer you prayers in language and imagery that can help you be honest and vulnerable with yourself and with God.
Featuring poetic prayers for deeper relationships, healing from trauma, a hopeful future, and more, In the Low meets you where you are in your journey and calls you deeper into the heart of God--who is not afraid of the dark.
"In the Low has a permanent spot on my bookshelf. I'm grateful for the unhurried connection Scott and Justin offer to us through their words, images, and humanity. This one is a must-read for anyone in any kind of low."--Emily P. Freeman, New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk into a Room
"This book is not a cure, nor a map to a brighter shore, but a quiet companion for the journey. It shines a subtle light--not to banish the dark but to illuminate it, revealing the fragile beauty in being."--David Gungor, The Brilliance
"We humans distract ourselves from ourselves in innumerable ways, not least with our incessant verbosity. With In the Low, Scott Erickson and Justin McRoberts have offered the world an artifact of beauty and brevity, ushering us into that chamber of our interior lives that God has occupied from before the foundation of the world."--Curt Thompson, MD, author of The Deepest Place and The Soul of Desire
In the Low is a collection of contemplative words and images for seasons of depression. It is a book designed to meet you where you are and sit with you there the way God intentionally and without judgment.
***
For many of us, the question isn't whether or not we will enter into depression but how to be there when we do. In those low places, we experience disconnection from others, from a meaningful life, and from God, and it can be difficult to know what to think or pray. This is where art and the honest prayers of others can help us name what we're experiencing so we know we're not alone.
In the Low is designed to meet you in the dark and linger there with you as you sit under the weight of depression or despair. Instead of shaming you for how you feel, minimizing your pain, or suggesting quick fixes, Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson offer you prayers in language and imagery that can help you be honest and vulnerable with yourself and with God.
Featuring poetic prayers for deeper relationships, healing from trauma, a hopeful future, and more, In the Low meets you where you are in your journey and calls you deeper into the heart of God--who is not afraid of the dark.
"In the Low has a permanent spot on my bookshelf. I'm grateful for the unhurried connection Scott and Justin offer to us through their words, images, and humanity. This one is a must-read for anyone in any kind of low."--Emily P. Freeman, New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk into a Room
"This book is not a cure, nor a map to a brighter shore, but a quiet companion for the journey. It shines a subtle light--not to banish the dark but to illuminate it, revealing the fragile beauty in being."--David Gungor, The Brilliance
"We humans distract ourselves from ourselves in innumerable ways, not least with our incessant verbosity. With In the Low, Scott Erickson and Justin McRoberts have offered the world an artifact of beauty and brevity, ushering us into that chamber of our interior lives that God has occupied from before the foundation of the world."--Curt Thompson, MD, author of The Deepest Place and The Soul of Desire
296 pages, Hardcover
Published October 7, 2025
64 people are currently reading
2230 people want to read
About the author
Justin McRoberts
13 books104 followersJustin McRoberts is an author, coach, speaker, and songwriter. He is the author of six books, including the upcoming, Sacred Strides (May 2023).
For over 20 years, Justin has helped artists, ministers and entrepreneurs find their way. From the stage, though his stories in books or during coaching sessions, he leans on his years of work and expertise as a minister and artist to help individuals and teams solve problems in their creative processes.
When he’s not writing, speaking or coaching, you can find him as the host of the At Sea Podcast.
He lives in the East San Francisco Bay Area.
For over 20 years, Justin has helped artists, ministers and entrepreneurs find their way. From the stage, though his stories in books or during coaching sessions, he leans on his years of work and expertise as a minister and artist to help individuals and teams solve problems in their creative processes.
When he’s not writing, speaking or coaching, you can find him as the host of the At Sea Podcast.
He lives in the East San Francisco Bay Area.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
October 13, 2025
This book was a balm for the soul. As someone who has consistently struggled with severe depression, In The Low spoke to me exactly where I am. It contains pages of solidarity with anyone who has spent time in the Low and refreshing perspectives on what the Low has to offer us and how to navigate it. It’s definitely one that I’ll return to over and over again. It’s easy to flip open to a page and take wisdom for the day from just that one meditation.
“May I lovingly recognize the aspects of me that live and grow here in the Low.”
“May I lovingly recognize the aspects of me that live and grow here in the Low.”
October 29, 2025
I wouldn’t say I finished this book. I flipped it right back to the beginning after devouring the images and prayers. My heart needed this, and I look forward to keep walking slowly through its pages.
December 6, 2025
“For many of us, the question isn't whether or not we will enter into depression but how to be there when we do.”
Mental health is a sensitive and sometimes controversial topic in Christian circles. It also runs in my family and affects me personally, as I know it does many others as well. This is why I jump at the opportunity to share books related to Christian mental health with other believers.
“In the Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons” is a collection of courageously vulnerable prayers, poetry, and reflections for those facing seasons of depression.
This book avoids useless fast fixes and expressions that cause the reader to fault themselves for their struggle. Instead it aims to sit with those in such times, drawing them toward God—who sees us clearly and still reaches for us in our brokenness.
“I am lost.
But not to You. . .
May I see my lost-ness
not as a sign of being forgotten,
but a necessary preamble
to the celebration of my belonging.”
The above quote brought to mind the thought that if we had not realized we were lost, we would not have realized that we were create to be a child loved, held, and beloved of the Father.
In this collection of honest poetry, I found myself making connections such as this. This book will help the reader grapple honestly and reflect deeply in a way that moves them to experience God’s heart. I recommend this one! It will make a great gift for those struggling with mental health and depression, for those needing hope, and those in ministry.
“What if resurrection means a newness that redeems what happened to me instead of ignoring it?”
Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Mental health is a sensitive and sometimes controversial topic in Christian circles. It also runs in my family and affects me personally, as I know it does many others as well. This is why I jump at the opportunity to share books related to Christian mental health with other believers.
“In the Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons” is a collection of courageously vulnerable prayers, poetry, and reflections for those facing seasons of depression.
This book avoids useless fast fixes and expressions that cause the reader to fault themselves for their struggle. Instead it aims to sit with those in such times, drawing them toward God—who sees us clearly and still reaches for us in our brokenness.
“I am lost.
But not to You. . .
May I see my lost-ness
not as a sign of being forgotten,
but a necessary preamble
to the celebration of my belonging.”
The above quote brought to mind the thought that if we had not realized we were lost, we would not have realized that we were create to be a child loved, held, and beloved of the Father.
In this collection of honest poetry, I found myself making connections such as this. This book will help the reader grapple honestly and reflect deeply in a way that moves them to experience God’s heart. I recommend this one! It will make a great gift for those struggling with mental health and depression, for those needing hope, and those in ministry.
“What if resurrection means a newness that redeems what happened to me instead of ignoring it?”
Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.
November 30, 2025
Beautiful.
September 26, 2025
What a beautiful book for blue days, days of self-reflection, or times when I’m feeling “meh.” Scott Peterson & Justin McRoberts have once again collaborated to bring us something that reminds us there is beauty in mundanity and pain, and divinity in our humanity. They don’t sugarcoat feelings of depression. There’s no smiley face sticker plastered on the painful places. Rather they’ve created an invitation to welcome the complexity of everything we feel and experience as part of something beautiful and whole.
In the final section, “Considering the Disconnection from a Hopeful Future,” I was confronted with my own feelings of fear and uncertainty (granted, it was in a work setting and not actually scary). As I processed what I was feeling and why, I took a break to read this section of “In The Low,” and was buoyed by these words: “Hope sees everything Fear sees, recognized those same threats and takes them just as seriously, but does so with the sobriety of history and with peace in her heart.”
“In The Low” is a meaningful and timely book of encouragement, prayers, and images that give space for honest reflection, acknowledge life is challenging, and hope for wholeness and healing.
In the final section, “Considering the Disconnection from a Hopeful Future,” I was confronted with my own feelings of fear and uncertainty (granted, it was in a work setting and not actually scary). As I processed what I was feeling and why, I took a break to read this section of “In The Low,” and was buoyed by these words: “Hope sees everything Fear sees, recognized those same threats and takes them just as seriously, but does so with the sobriety of history and with peace in her heart.”
“In The Low” is a meaningful and timely book of encouragement, prayers, and images that give space for honest reflection, acknowledge life is challenging, and hope for wholeness and healing.
Read
October 9, 2025I haven't actually completed this, really I just got it. I'm sure it will be helpful for me and many others. But why is there no table of contents? The authors tell me to find the prayer that resonates with me most rather than go through it cover to cover, but I have to flip through the book to find which section comes next. Make it make sense!🫠
December 6, 2025
Absolutely excellent! Many of the poem prayers and art made me cry. It spoke to my soul in deep ways. I’ll keep a lot of these with me during my times in the Low.
Truly a must-have 👏🙏
Truly a must-have 👏🙏
November 30, 2025
Even if you’ve never struggled with suicidal ideation, this is a beautiful companion for living in an imperfect world in which we experience pain of any kind.
August 30, 2025
This book is a unique prayer guide for anyone navigating depression and anxiety—a struggle I know all too well. I think the title alone spoke to me: In the Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons. Authors Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson team up to bring readers solace through words and images that reminded me of a guided meditation. During my own low season, I needed this book. The authors became companions on my journey. Justin is a songwriter and speaker, while Scott is "a painter, performance artist and creative curate." When promoting this as well as their previous books, they said something that gave me much food for thought:
“We pray because we are human, not because we are religious. Something in our nature points beyond itself; something in us searches for and desires personal connection with God. Although communicating with our Creator through prayer is innate, the effective practice of it often feels just beyond our reach.”
Johann Hari’s book Lost Connections helped Justin and Scott organize their prayer companion. Hari gave nine of the causes of depression. You can read a review I found on this book by Fiona Sturges for The Guardian here. Johann said the nine causes are a disconnection from:
Meaningful Work
Other People
Meaningful Values
Childhood Trauma
Status and Respect
The Natural World
A Hopeful or Secure Future
Two other causes are disconnection due to genetics and due to brain changes. Justin and Scott tackle seven disconnections and leave eight and nine - the role of genetics and brain changes - to the professionals.
“Ultimately depression is a sign post of some disconnection in a human life, and the process through the depression is a reconnection to that which makes us whole,” they said. In the Low is offered as a spiritual companion for the difficult journey of reconnection in a human life.”
Justin and Scott invite readers to recognize what isn’t working for them right now. Anyone struggling can select a prayer that resonates most with their situation—there’s no need to follow the book in order. Their chapters lead readers to reconnect to -
Where Am Today,
What Happened to Me,
What I Am a Part Of,
What I Value, and
What Is Ahead of Me.
They begin each prayer time with a version of the late Mary Mrozowski’s Welcoming Prayer, designed to prepare one's heart before talking with God. Mary saw this as “a method of how to let go of the activities of your daily life, to let go of emotions, feelings, commentaries, and thoughts that control us.” When we let go, she said, “God, by the (Holy Spirit) that dwells within us, changes them.” More importantly, we ourselves undergo transformation over time, freeing up energy that we could have used for God’s work instead of holding onto our own agendas and safeguarding our illusionary identities." (Soulstream.org, The Welcoming Prayer)
Summary & Analysis
What sets this book apart is its approach to how Justin and Scott view depression and the practice of prayer. In the Low isn’t a Bible study, so much as a prayer companion. Justin and Scott present prayer as a way of tuning in to the presence and activity of God already at work in our lives. They want to flip the script on how we talk about this mental illness. They think much differently than most Christians. To them, I’m not broken when I’m in the Low. I’m experiencing something that is shared by humanity. That reminded me of a verse about temptation in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”
Like temptation, times of depression are common to humans. We're "wild and complex," they said. We live in a fallen world in our earthly human tents. It’s “an inhumane world,” they said. Jesus said in John 16:33, “…Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Trials and sorrows will come and God will use it for our good and His glory. (Romans 8:28-29)
Justin and Scott said we don’t need an explanation for why we feel the way we do. We also don’t have to “do something about what we’ve experienced” in life. They talked about one of my favorite Bible stories: Saul’s road to Damascus in Acts 9:1-31. Saul (Paul in the Greek form) had a divine encounter with Jesus. Christ stopped him in his tracks and asked Saul why he had been persecuting His church. Left blind, Saul had to rely on his men to take him the rest of the way. Those men who walked with Saul through the valley were witnesses to his restoration. In similar fashion, Justin and Scott want to walk with each person in the dark valley.
I like that they ended their prayer companion with a short story about Rev. Dr. Chad Varah who started the first suicide hotline in the UK. You can read about him in this article from The Guardian. They shared the number 988 Lifeline to call if someone is contemplating suicide. Someone is always on the other end to talk, and they want their prayer companion to act in a similar fashion.
My Thoughts
What struck me about In the Low is that this may be the first prayer book I’ve encountered that speaks to a wide audience. Justin and Scott wrote this and two other prayer companions for everyone—not just those who identify as Christians. Looking at their previous works, such as Prayer: 40 Days of Practice and May It Be So: Forty Days with the Lord’s Prayer, they address "people in every facet of life, including those with no real religious background at all." The authors suggest that “we pray because we are human, not because we are religious.” That left me asking so many questions: Does everyone pray? If so, to whom are they praying if they don't believe in God? The authors' claim prayer is part of what makes us human. "We’re human; therefore, we pray." I'm skeptical. Out of curiosity, I asked Alexa for statistics on prayer among those who aren’t religious. She responded that about one in five adults identifying as “not religious” still pray. Digging a little deeper, I read a 2012 Pew Research survey that reported about one-fifth of religiously unaffiliated adults say they pray daily. A more recent the Pew Research Center from February 2025 said 21 percent of Americans consider themselves ‘spiritual but not religious.’
Still, I do wish the Gospel message made it in here, as well as an explanation about the benefits package that comes with salvation through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit becomes a constant Resident in the believer's heart. And the Trinity then is activated in the believer's prayer life. Plus, Jesus Christ is the best prayer companion "in the Low." The Holy Spirit is available to all, yes, but He indwells the heart of the believer. He’s also how and why I’ve survived the Lows. Knowing I am not alone in this makes a difference. Jesus oversees my care. Two things can be true at the same time. I don't know that I agree everyone prays, while I do agree with Justin and Scott's assessment that as humans, we all “spend time in the Low.”
I see Justin and Scott then as contemporary psalmists, and I will reach for this book like I do the Psalms. Their valleys recalled to my mind ones I’ve walked through. I think they provided a life jacket in book form to a broad audience of people who suffer from depression, and for that I am grateful for this book. This book had me feeling so conflicted, but at the same time I also agreed with the authors while reading their prayers. It's "In the Low" that the soil of my heart is best prepared for talking about spiritual matters. When I've walked in the valley, I reach out to God, I'm receptive, and I'm desperate to hear from Him. I am like the woman with her issue of blood. She touched Jesus’ cloak and believed He would heal her with just that touch. Yes.
“I’m not enough.
Just one touch from You
Is more than enough
For a miracle….”
Justin and Scott's messages were a balm to my heart. I wish this book was available when I was growing up. I heard vastly different messages the first few times battling depression. In my teens and 20s, Christians said I must have sin in my life. That’s why I’m in the Low. How can I call myself a Christian if I am in the Low? Justin and Scott say that being human means I’m going to visit the Low at some point in my life. We spend time in the Low because we're human, not because we're broken, they said.
I don't blame those who thought they were speaking true things to me. They hadn't been in the Low. They didn't know that they were repeating the enemy’s taunts. The interesting thing about that time is this: I never believed them. I hurt more because people thought poorly of me and of my faith in Jesus. But God put people of faith in my path to help me every time, and He also places me now on the same path of people who need to hear they will make it through the Low.
That's what Justin and Scott hope to accomplish with their prayer companion, In the Low. They want people to have a different view of what's happening now and also have a hopeful vision of tomorrow just on the horizon. This book, these authors, will walk alongside their "beloved" in the meantime. We can hold onto the fact that someday we will walk on the other side of this dark place.
This short book will help people who need to hear from those who have been in the Low. Like TobyMac sang in Speak Life, the authors want to "speak life to the deadest, darkest night" of the soul. They "look into the eyes of the brokenhearted" and say to them: you will get through this. May their words and images speak to something deeper for their readers, especially the promise of a hopeful future.
“We pray because we are human, not because we are religious. Something in our nature points beyond itself; something in us searches for and desires personal connection with God. Although communicating with our Creator through prayer is innate, the effective practice of it often feels just beyond our reach.”
Johann Hari’s book Lost Connections helped Justin and Scott organize their prayer companion. Hari gave nine of the causes of depression. You can read a review I found on this book by Fiona Sturges for The Guardian here. Johann said the nine causes are a disconnection from:
Meaningful Work
Other People
Meaningful Values
Childhood Trauma
Status and Respect
The Natural World
A Hopeful or Secure Future
Two other causes are disconnection due to genetics and due to brain changes. Justin and Scott tackle seven disconnections and leave eight and nine - the role of genetics and brain changes - to the professionals.
“Ultimately depression is a sign post of some disconnection in a human life, and the process through the depression is a reconnection to that which makes us whole,” they said. In the Low is offered as a spiritual companion for the difficult journey of reconnection in a human life.”
Justin and Scott invite readers to recognize what isn’t working for them right now. Anyone struggling can select a prayer that resonates most with their situation—there’s no need to follow the book in order. Their chapters lead readers to reconnect to -
Where Am Today,
What Happened to Me,
What I Am a Part Of,
What I Value, and
What Is Ahead of Me.
They begin each prayer time with a version of the late Mary Mrozowski’s Welcoming Prayer, designed to prepare one's heart before talking with God. Mary saw this as “a method of how to let go of the activities of your daily life, to let go of emotions, feelings, commentaries, and thoughts that control us.” When we let go, she said, “God, by the (Holy Spirit) that dwells within us, changes them.” More importantly, we ourselves undergo transformation over time, freeing up energy that we could have used for God’s work instead of holding onto our own agendas and safeguarding our illusionary identities." (Soulstream.org, The Welcoming Prayer)
Summary & Analysis
What sets this book apart is its approach to how Justin and Scott view depression and the practice of prayer. In the Low isn’t a Bible study, so much as a prayer companion. Justin and Scott present prayer as a way of tuning in to the presence and activity of God already at work in our lives. They want to flip the script on how we talk about this mental illness. They think much differently than most Christians. To them, I’m not broken when I’m in the Low. I’m experiencing something that is shared by humanity. That reminded me of a verse about temptation in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”
Like temptation, times of depression are common to humans. We're "wild and complex," they said. We live in a fallen world in our earthly human tents. It’s “an inhumane world,” they said. Jesus said in John 16:33, “…Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Trials and sorrows will come and God will use it for our good and His glory. (Romans 8:28-29)
Justin and Scott said we don’t need an explanation for why we feel the way we do. We also don’t have to “do something about what we’ve experienced” in life. They talked about one of my favorite Bible stories: Saul’s road to Damascus in Acts 9:1-31. Saul (Paul in the Greek form) had a divine encounter with Jesus. Christ stopped him in his tracks and asked Saul why he had been persecuting His church. Left blind, Saul had to rely on his men to take him the rest of the way. Those men who walked with Saul through the valley were witnesses to his restoration. In similar fashion, Justin and Scott want to walk with each person in the dark valley.
I like that they ended their prayer companion with a short story about Rev. Dr. Chad Varah who started the first suicide hotline in the UK. You can read about him in this article from The Guardian. They shared the number 988 Lifeline to call if someone is contemplating suicide. Someone is always on the other end to talk, and they want their prayer companion to act in a similar fashion.
My Thoughts
What struck me about In the Low is that this may be the first prayer book I’ve encountered that speaks to a wide audience. Justin and Scott wrote this and two other prayer companions for everyone—not just those who identify as Christians. Looking at their previous works, such as Prayer: 40 Days of Practice and May It Be So: Forty Days with the Lord’s Prayer, they address "people in every facet of life, including those with no real religious background at all." The authors suggest that “we pray because we are human, not because we are religious.” That left me asking so many questions: Does everyone pray? If so, to whom are they praying if they don't believe in God? The authors' claim prayer is part of what makes us human. "We’re human; therefore, we pray." I'm skeptical. Out of curiosity, I asked Alexa for statistics on prayer among those who aren’t religious. She responded that about one in five adults identifying as “not religious” still pray. Digging a little deeper, I read a 2012 Pew Research survey that reported about one-fifth of religiously unaffiliated adults say they pray daily. A more recent the Pew Research Center from February 2025 said 21 percent of Americans consider themselves ‘spiritual but not religious.’
Still, I do wish the Gospel message made it in here, as well as an explanation about the benefits package that comes with salvation through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit becomes a constant Resident in the believer's heart. And the Trinity then is activated in the believer's prayer life. Plus, Jesus Christ is the best prayer companion "in the Low." The Holy Spirit is available to all, yes, but He indwells the heart of the believer. He’s also how and why I’ve survived the Lows. Knowing I am not alone in this makes a difference. Jesus oversees my care. Two things can be true at the same time. I don't know that I agree everyone prays, while I do agree with Justin and Scott's assessment that as humans, we all “spend time in the Low.”
I see Justin and Scott then as contemporary psalmists, and I will reach for this book like I do the Psalms. Their valleys recalled to my mind ones I’ve walked through. I think they provided a life jacket in book form to a broad audience of people who suffer from depression, and for that I am grateful for this book. This book had me feeling so conflicted, but at the same time I also agreed with the authors while reading their prayers. It's "In the Low" that the soil of my heart is best prepared for talking about spiritual matters. When I've walked in the valley, I reach out to God, I'm receptive, and I'm desperate to hear from Him. I am like the woman with her issue of blood. She touched Jesus’ cloak and believed He would heal her with just that touch. Yes.
“I’m not enough.
Just one touch from You
Is more than enough
For a miracle….”
Justin and Scott's messages were a balm to my heart. I wish this book was available when I was growing up. I heard vastly different messages the first few times battling depression. In my teens and 20s, Christians said I must have sin in my life. That’s why I’m in the Low. How can I call myself a Christian if I am in the Low? Justin and Scott say that being human means I’m going to visit the Low at some point in my life. We spend time in the Low because we're human, not because we're broken, they said.
I don't blame those who thought they were speaking true things to me. They hadn't been in the Low. They didn't know that they were repeating the enemy’s taunts. The interesting thing about that time is this: I never believed them. I hurt more because people thought poorly of me and of my faith in Jesus. But God put people of faith in my path to help me every time, and He also places me now on the same path of people who need to hear they will make it through the Low.
That's what Justin and Scott hope to accomplish with their prayer companion, In the Low. They want people to have a different view of what's happening now and also have a hopeful vision of tomorrow just on the horizon. This book, these authors, will walk alongside their "beloved" in the meantime. We can hold onto the fact that someday we will walk on the other side of this dark place.
This short book will help people who need to hear from those who have been in the Low. Like TobyMac sang in Speak Life, the authors want to "speak life to the deadest, darkest night" of the soul. They "look into the eyes of the brokenhearted" and say to them: you will get through this. May their words and images speak to something deeper for their readers, especially the promise of a hopeful future.
September 16, 2025
Let's be honest most Christian books about depression just tell you some version of pray the sad away. While this is book of prayers for dark seasons, this is not that, it's actually good. In the Low is honest and beautiful and actually helpful. Through word and art there are tools to sit with the low and receive the gifts hidden in the darkness, good and bad, so that we can see we are not alone, defective or broken beyond repair. Both the book and the live show bring hope that's not so saccharine it's sickening, it is full of sincere sweetness that is just right.
October 12, 2025
One of the most helpful things we can offer someone going through a hard time is the offer, "Hey, I've been where you are. Let me sit with you a while. And when you're ready, I can show you a way out." That's exactly what Justin and Scott do through this work.
Is it weird to say I was really excited about a book about depression and rough times?
I've been a big fan of Justin's music and storytelling since I saw him perform at my college 22 years ago. I'm assuming I was introduced to Scott's work through their first collaboration, but he's become one of my favorite Instagram follows and I've purchased his art for myself and others. My mom and I both loved their collaborative text and visual prayer books, Prayer and May It Be So.
And I've struggled with depression and anxiety since I was a kid.
Following both of these guys on social media, I've been seeing them talk about this book for a while now. They got me excited, because neither one of them shies away from talking about the hard things in life. I knew the topic was in good hands. I signed up for the launch team and have been able to read an advance digital copy over the last few weeks, but I was anxiously awaiting my physical copy in the mail. The book is larger than I expected, with a gorgeous, embossed hardcover and so many pages full of empathy and hope.
For 20+ years I have stubbornly clung to the results of a study I read about in college. Basically, they asked people "what are the odds of X bad thing happening to a person?" The ones with depression didn't overestimate the bad things; they were more accurate than the non-depressed people, who wildly underestimated the odds of something bad happening. And I'd claim, "See, we are just more realistic about how bad things are. They're the delusional ones, even if they're happier about it."
Hope says,
"It is likely
things are
actually worse than we know them to be.
It is also likely
Goodness is far more enduring,
and far more available,
than we have imagined."
That quote provides the antidote without demanding I try to just "be positive" and pretend things are better than the evidence suggests. It starts by acknowledging that not only can things be bad, but they could also be even worse than we're assessing. BUT - if I accept the idea that things can be worse than I realize, I should logically also accept the idea that there can also be more goodness than I realize.
And that is what I love about this book. It holds out hope without relying on empty, illogical platitudes. It acknowledges that "being in The Low" is a normal part of the human experience - and it is often the "right" response to the brokenness around us. And while both men approach this topic from their experience of Christianity, you do not have to be a Christian to find encouragement here. Through these prayers, reflections, and images, Justin and Scott offer us not just hope that we can get out of The Low, but that there is actually goodness to be found while we're stuck in it.
Is it weird to say I was really excited about a book about depression and rough times?
I've been a big fan of Justin's music and storytelling since I saw him perform at my college 22 years ago. I'm assuming I was introduced to Scott's work through their first collaboration, but he's become one of my favorite Instagram follows and I've purchased his art for myself and others. My mom and I both loved their collaborative text and visual prayer books, Prayer and May It Be So.
And I've struggled with depression and anxiety since I was a kid.
Following both of these guys on social media, I've been seeing them talk about this book for a while now. They got me excited, because neither one of them shies away from talking about the hard things in life. I knew the topic was in good hands. I signed up for the launch team and have been able to read an advance digital copy over the last few weeks, but I was anxiously awaiting my physical copy in the mail. The book is larger than I expected, with a gorgeous, embossed hardcover and so many pages full of empathy and hope.
For 20+ years I have stubbornly clung to the results of a study I read about in college. Basically, they asked people "what are the odds of X bad thing happening to a person?" The ones with depression didn't overestimate the bad things; they were more accurate than the non-depressed people, who wildly underestimated the odds of something bad happening. And I'd claim, "See, we are just more realistic about how bad things are. They're the delusional ones, even if they're happier about it."
Hope says,
"It is likely
things are
actually worse than we know them to be.
It is also likely
Goodness is far more enduring,
and far more available,
than we have imagined."
That quote provides the antidote without demanding I try to just "be positive" and pretend things are better than the evidence suggests. It starts by acknowledging that not only can things be bad, but they could also be even worse than we're assessing. BUT - if I accept the idea that things can be worse than I realize, I should logically also accept the idea that there can also be more goodness than I realize.
And that is what I love about this book. It holds out hope without relying on empty, illogical platitudes. It acknowledges that "being in The Low" is a normal part of the human experience - and it is often the "right" response to the brokenness around us. And while both men approach this topic from their experience of Christianity, you do not have to be a Christian to find encouragement here. Through these prayers, reflections, and images, Justin and Scott offer us not just hope that we can get out of The Low, but that there is actually goodness to be found while we're stuck in it.
October 7, 2025
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with depression, if you or someone you know is currently in a tough season of life, or if you or someone you know is simply having a hard day, I’d like to recommend In the Low, the new book by Scott Erickson and Justin McRoberts.
You do not need to be religious to appreciate this book, though you can certainly use it as a tool to guide you in prayer. The only real qualification you need to appreciate this book is to be human. Are you human? Great! Then I invite you to take a moment to sit with the images and words of this book and let your humanness connect to the human mess we all experience from time to time. Being human is hard. We all have hard moments, days, seasons, and lives that sometimes feel impossible to endure.
This book is not a cure; it won’t prevent you from ever feeling low. And that is OK because feeling low is one of the many feelings we are called to experience as humans. However, this book is a wonderful resource to help you embrace, endure, and work through those low moments, dark days, and challenging seasons when life gets you down, and it can serve as a reminder that being “in the low,” as hard as it can feel, is not a forever feeling.
The artwork in this book is stunningly beautiful. There are so many images that will catch your eye, make you think, and touch your heart. And the accompanying words read like poetry—simple yet profound, concise yet rich with meaning. You can read cover to cover, or open to any section or page and be moved by the images and words. The artistry and intentionality of the images and words produced by Scott Erickson and Justin McRoberts make what can be a very lonely, isolating experience feel relatable, reasonable, and, perhaps most importantly, really human.
Part of being human is being sad, disconnected, lost, hopeless, and hurting. And that can be really hard. For some people those feelings are fleeting and momentary. For others they last longer. For some people there may be certain times of the year or triggering events that bring upon the feelings more regularly, and for others it may feel more haphazard and random when those feelings take hold. No matter how you experience being “in the low” in your own life, I sincerely believe this book In the Low can help you and be a book you return to again and again both as a companion to journey with you in the darkness and as a tool to help you see the light in your own personal spiritual journey.
You do not need to be religious to appreciate this book, though you can certainly use it as a tool to guide you in prayer. The only real qualification you need to appreciate this book is to be human. Are you human? Great! Then I invite you to take a moment to sit with the images and words of this book and let your humanness connect to the human mess we all experience from time to time. Being human is hard. We all have hard moments, days, seasons, and lives that sometimes feel impossible to endure.
This book is not a cure; it won’t prevent you from ever feeling low. And that is OK because feeling low is one of the many feelings we are called to experience as humans. However, this book is a wonderful resource to help you embrace, endure, and work through those low moments, dark days, and challenging seasons when life gets you down, and it can serve as a reminder that being “in the low,” as hard as it can feel, is not a forever feeling.
The artwork in this book is stunningly beautiful. There are so many images that will catch your eye, make you think, and touch your heart. And the accompanying words read like poetry—simple yet profound, concise yet rich with meaning. You can read cover to cover, or open to any section or page and be moved by the images and words. The artistry and intentionality of the images and words produced by Scott Erickson and Justin McRoberts make what can be a very lonely, isolating experience feel relatable, reasonable, and, perhaps most importantly, really human.
Part of being human is being sad, disconnected, lost, hopeless, and hurting. And that can be really hard. For some people those feelings are fleeting and momentary. For others they last longer. For some people there may be certain times of the year or triggering events that bring upon the feelings more regularly, and for others it may feel more haphazard and random when those feelings take hold. No matter how you experience being “in the low” in your own life, I sincerely believe this book In the Low can help you and be a book you return to again and again both as a companion to journey with you in the darkness and as a tool to help you see the light in your own personal spiritual journey.
September 3, 2025
The title and premise of this book caught my attention, and I just knew I had to read it! Co - authored by Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson, "In the Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons" is the perfect book for anyone struggling with depression. The authors assert that "prayer is not about getting God's attention but about awakening to the voice and work of God that is already in our lives . . . We pray because we're human, not because we're religious." The two were inspired by Johann Hari's belief that there are nine causes of depression and anxiety, which are disconnection from meaningful work, other people, meaningful values, childhood trauma, status and respect, the natural world, a hopeful or secure future, and disconnection due to genes or brain changes. McRoberts and Erickson had two questions at the heart of this book: "If being in the Low is part of how I exist, how do I do that?" and "How do I live and feel whole when I am also feeling pressed down, shaken, and run over?"
There were so many thoughtful statements and soul - searching questions in these prayers that I have highlighted and annotated so much of the book! I think my favorite quote is the following: "May I be reminded that my current situation is not my final destination. There's more to my life beyond the fog of today." I will be re-reading this book and recommending it to others. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
There were so many thoughtful statements and soul - searching questions in these prayers that I have highlighted and annotated so much of the book! I think my favorite quote is the following: "May I be reminded that my current situation is not my final destination. There's more to my life beyond the fog of today." I will be re-reading this book and recommending it to others. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
October 31, 2025
Every time Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson release a new book, sign me up. Their combination of modern, genuine words with rich, engaging images always moves me deeply. Their work helps me explore tender places within myself that I have trouble reaching on my own. In In the Low, I especially appreciate the compassionate, honest, and grace-filled ways they address the truth of depressive experiences.
This is the perfect book to open to a random page to be seen and to be encouraged. Yes, you can read this book in one sitting. But I suspect it will be even more helpful to read it a bit at a time, to return to it and sit with it as it sits with you.
When considering who this book is for, think broadly – from people with a clinical diagnosis or chronic condition to anyone walking through a season of grief or struggle. Many will find it as beautiful and helpful as I did.
While I’ve shifted much of my library to digital, this is a book I'm glad to own in print. It feels great in your hand, with simple color choices, thick paper, and artistic typefaces. As with their other books, the reflections and illustrations are intentionally designed to companion one another. They are best experienced in print as a two-page spread.
If you're a pastor, counselor, spiritual director, support group leader, or small group leader, consider buying several copies so you have them ready to give away as needs arise.
This is the perfect book to open to a random page to be seen and to be encouraged. Yes, you can read this book in one sitting. But I suspect it will be even more helpful to read it a bit at a time, to return to it and sit with it as it sits with you.
When considering who this book is for, think broadly – from people with a clinical diagnosis or chronic condition to anyone walking through a season of grief or struggle. Many will find it as beautiful and helpful as I did.
While I’ve shifted much of my library to digital, this is a book I'm glad to own in print. It feels great in your hand, with simple color choices, thick paper, and artistic typefaces. As with their other books, the reflections and illustrations are intentionally designed to companion one another. They are best experienced in print as a two-page spread.
If you're a pastor, counselor, spiritual director, support group leader, or small group leader, consider buying several copies so you have them ready to give away as needs arise.
October 24, 2025
I appreciate how Scott and Justin reframe seasons of being low as deeply human and a gateway to deeper knowing of self. They challenge that these seasons “in the low” invite us into a hope that often remains hidden but is deeply present. They present an invitation to see there may be something beyond worth sticking around for. As in all their books, I love the art scenes paired with word poems and prayers. They open my eyes to new ways of seeing and invitations to being that are wholly unique and impactful.
They capture the tiredness and the weight and sorrow that comes with the Low - they identify the pieces of the Low - and offer perspectives to think about another way. I was struck that it’s not about praying for or hoping for a fix to the Low, but much more about engaging the Low as an integral part of the whole human experience. It is about the courage we can ask for and say yes to while in the Low that may give it meaning, and a doorway to deeper understanding
This book met me with kindness and empathy I can offer to those around me and to teach myself how to respond with kindness when I do find myself in the inevitable valley.
They capture the tiredness and the weight and sorrow that comes with the Low - they identify the pieces of the Low - and offer perspectives to think about another way. I was struck that it’s not about praying for or hoping for a fix to the Low, but much more about engaging the Low as an integral part of the whole human experience. It is about the courage we can ask for and say yes to while in the Low that may give it meaning, and a doorway to deeper understanding
This book met me with kindness and empathy I can offer to those around me and to teach myself how to respond with kindness when I do find myself in the inevitable valley.
September 18, 2025
The morning I finished reading In the Low, I had chiseled out some early morning time, cuddled up with my dog and cup of coffee, only to be interrupted by my kid, asking for a grilled cheese. It was 4:45 am, and then before I made the grilled cheese, told me to cancel it- they needs to throw up… I think you know where this is going. I finished the book much later!
This book. You guys, this book is for every ordinary and extraordinary day. So many times for myself, I have kept hidden the pain, joy, traumas, exuberance I have experienced in my life, because for some reason, I thought it needed to be categorized, useful to The Divine if it only came through what made sense to me. Total lie, I know. This book, page by page, identified through Image and Word, prayers I have said, seen, felt, and have needed then, now, and ahead.
Wholeness is one of the most transformational things one can experience, and the cool thing is, it’s for all. This book confirms that over and over and over again…welcome, welcome, welcome..
One of the most necessary reads of our time. Get yours asap.
This book. You guys, this book is for every ordinary and extraordinary day. So many times for myself, I have kept hidden the pain, joy, traumas, exuberance I have experienced in my life, because for some reason, I thought it needed to be categorized, useful to The Divine if it only came through what made sense to me. Total lie, I know. This book, page by page, identified through Image and Word, prayers I have said, seen, felt, and have needed then, now, and ahead.
Wholeness is one of the most transformational things one can experience, and the cool thing is, it’s for all. This book confirms that over and over and over again…welcome, welcome, welcome..
One of the most necessary reads of our time. Get yours asap.
November 20, 2025
In The Low by Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson is a comforting message of hope at any time in our lives, but especially when we are downtrodden and low. In the writings, "Hope says, "It is likely things are actually worse than we know them to be. It is also likely Goodness is far more enduring, and far more available, than we have imagined." The beauty in the writings and artwork within this book are such an encouragement to the reader. We all experiences times of feeling sad and down, disconnected or hopeless. Times can be hard, times of hurting, pain, and sorrow. This book will be a resource one can access time after time to companion alongside your journey in the highs and lows of life. Being nourished through both word and art is a unique way to find healing and the authors made this book accessible to everyone to find hope in their healing. Thank you to Baker Books and NetGalley for the advanced review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
October 7, 2025
I’m here because I’ve loved all of Scott’s previous books and use them regularly with clients. I usually set aside some time for them to work through the images and phrases while listening to binaural music and many of them say they appreciate this method. I find his books soul enriching without being preachy or cheesy. I’ve been waiting for In The Low since I learned it was coming.
What a difference it might have made if I had had this book when I went through my own depression four years ago when I was starting my practice. I’ve bought the book for office and two of my friends already.
I especially like 1) the phrasing in the first section that reframes of suicidal thoughts as a "desire to not feel this way any more" which can be a good way to jujitsu through painful feelings 2) the use of the Welcoming Prayer throughout.
What a difference it might have made if I had had this book when I went through my own depression four years ago when I was starting my practice. I’ve bought the book for office and two of my friends already.
I especially like 1) the phrasing in the first section that reframes of suicidal thoughts as a "desire to not feel this way any more" which can be a good way to jujitsu through painful feelings 2) the use of the Welcoming Prayer throughout.
October 15, 2025
Please stay.
At least for today.
You don’t need to
Figure it all out
Accomplish anything great
Be acclaimed
Know all the stuff
Be on the cutting edge of whatever frontier you think you need to be on
To be able to make it in this world.
Just stay with this:
The promise of your incarnation.
Please
I promise you...
There are roads ahead
You have never imagined traveling.
And there will be a moment
In the not too far future
Where you’ll look back at this moment.
And be grateful
You stayed with it.…
You stayed with the promise
that you don’t actually know
what’s going to happen next
And
You have grossly underestimated
The surprises
Providence
Has hidden along the way.
This is the promise of your incarnation.
And I promise
It’ll be worth it.
So
Please stay
At least for today.
At least for today.
You don’t need to
Figure it all out
Accomplish anything great
Be acclaimed
Know all the stuff
Be on the cutting edge of whatever frontier you think you need to be on
To be able to make it in this world.
Just stay with this:
The promise of your incarnation.
Please
I promise you...
There are roads ahead
You have never imagined traveling.
And there will be a moment
In the not too far future
Where you’ll look back at this moment.
And be grateful
You stayed with it.…
You stayed with the promise
that you don’t actually know
what’s going to happen next
And
You have grossly underestimated
The surprises
Providence
Has hidden along the way.
This is the promise of your incarnation.
And I promise
It’ll be worth it.
So
Please stay
At least for today.
December 7, 2025
I’m not even sure how to start. This book is incredible. Morsels of meaning that enable contemplation moments and allow yourself to see your situation from someplace else.
While the book is split into broad sections, its value comes from its permanent place on the bedside stand where you can flip open to any page at any time and be fed and encouraged. Not platitudal courage, but rather having poetry, prose and graphic prints meet you where YOU are at.
It’s so good.
The actual design of the book itself is awesome as well. Smooth but textured/embossed(ish) hardcover with the book’s sections being delineated by blue pages so it’s easy to find he next section while thumbing the pages. Other than the section intros, each page has poetical reflection alongside a thoughtful illustration on the other.
So beautiful.
So good.
While the book is split into broad sections, its value comes from its permanent place on the bedside stand where you can flip open to any page at any time and be fed and encouraged. Not platitudal courage, but rather having poetry, prose and graphic prints meet you where YOU are at.
It’s so good.
The actual design of the book itself is awesome as well. Smooth but textured/embossed(ish) hardcover with the book’s sections being delineated by blue pages so it’s easy to find he next section while thumbing the pages. Other than the section intros, each page has poetical reflection alongside a thoughtful illustration on the other.
So beautiful.
So good.
October 9, 2025
This is a book about depression (because we all have our times of it) with art and poetic words. I read this while not in a depression and loved it. I imagine I would love it even more when I am in a depression. Because sometimes certain words just hit when you don't have words to fix your own life.
This book is also full of art. Some of the art I just did not get. And some of the art speaks deeply that I return to it often. Art adds another dimension when you don't have the words to fix your own life.
This book is a great gift for your friend who is struggling with depression. My guess some of the art that I didn't understand, my friend will understand deeply. This is the gift of art to us.
This book is also full of art. Some of the art I just did not get. And some of the art speaks deeply that I return to it often. Art adds another dimension when you don't have the words to fix your own life.
This book is a great gift for your friend who is struggling with depression. My guess some of the art that I didn't understand, my friend will understand deeply. This is the gift of art to us.
October 17, 2025
I’ve appreciated Scott Erickson’s art and voice for a long time, and was grateful to receive an advance reader copy of his newest collaboration with Justin McRoberts, In the Low: Honest Prayers for Dark Seasons. I’ve been slowly savoring it over the past few weeks, and I already know it’s a book I’ll return to again and again.
This isn’t a collection of prayers that tries to chase away the darkness. Instead, it offers something far more meaningful: permission to be low, to stay there honestly, and to let that lowness become something beautiful within you. Thoughtful, tender, and deeply human—this book is a companion for anyone walking through hard or quiet seasons of faith.
This isn’t a collection of prayers that tries to chase away the darkness. Instead, it offers something far more meaningful: permission to be low, to stay there honestly, and to let that lowness become something beautiful within you. Thoughtful, tender, and deeply human—this book is a companion for anyone walking through hard or quiet seasons of faith.
October 7, 2025
I've been on a slow journey through this book and have so appreciated the honest words and reflections alongside imagery that helps articulate feelings of "the low" when sometimes words are not enough. It's a beautiful work. The authors do a great job of helping the reader understand what this book is (and is not) meant to be while offering a guide for seasons that can run the gambit from a little sad to downright full of despair and hopelessness. They are in no way shaming nor offering solutions but simply suggestions and art to help the reader make sense of their journey.
September 9, 2025
A collection of prayers, thoughts and images as a companion to the journey through life's tough times. It has the depth and compassion that only comes from people who have been there before. I found myself resonating with so much of what was in here and immediately taking photos of pages to text to friends who I know are also going through their own Low seasons. I will be buying copies of this book to give to friends for many years to come.
October 7, 2025
Insightful, meditative, healing. Provides the perfect balance of art, poetry, spirituality, and guidance for those on a healing journey --be it from grief, loss, shame, guilt... A perfect tool for any counselor or pastor's desk. We all have these moments of darkness, and this book helps the reader not gloss over, but sit with the feeling, name it, visualize it sometimes, and lift it up for blessing and release. Absolutely beautiful.
October 10, 2025
Can a book become a security blanket? For me, this one has. I find myself carrying it wherever I go, even from room to room, so it’s always nearby for a moment of grounding or clarity when I need it. I didn’t expect to discover such an immediate, comforting companion to my day, yet it has become exactly that. Somehow immediately familiar and reliable. Its words have a way of settling me, offering perspective and quiet reassurance.
November 10, 2025
In the Low beautifully acknowledges the fact that we experience low moments throughout our lives. Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson have created a beautiful and vulnerable book to meet us in the Low. There are short reflections followed by thoughtful prayers that can be used in these moments. I recommend In the Low to anyone who experiences these low moments and seeks resources, prayers, and solidarity without judgment.
October 3, 2025
The front cover of this book says "honest prayers for dark seasons" and it definitely does embody that! I really liked reading the poems and seeing the pictures throughout the book. I enjoyed numerous poems that were poetically helpful to read about dark times you might be going through in a Biblical aspect
I won this ARC from a Goodreads giveaway
I won this ARC from a Goodreads giveaway
October 8, 2025
This is a beautiful book full of the words I wish I had in moments of sadness, disappointment or distress. It's the perfect book to sit on your bookshelf, ready whenever you need an encouraging word, an image to meditate on, or the words to explain how you're feeling when words fail you. I'll be returning to it again and again.
November 14, 2025
This book is written for people facing depression, but I consider it a great read for anyone who has experienced lows, temporary or long term, in life…which is everyone.
The blend of beautiful words and powerful poetry with stunning visual art makes this a read I’ll return to. I’ve already bought it as gifts for two friends.
The blend of beautiful words and powerful poetry with stunning visual art makes this a read I’ll return to. I’ve already bought it as gifts for two friends.
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