Trust: A Godly Woman's Adornment

On-the-Go Devotionals

by Lydia Brownback

An easy-to-carry "pocket book" that steers women away from the world's weak remedies for anxiety and fear and points them to their security in Christ. While fear-provoking headlines fill our days, and struggles with anxiety are a fact in a fallen world, Scripture says fear does not need to be a fact of life for Christians. This little carry-along "pocket book" for women focuses on the Bible's great truths about what lies beneath their fears and the means to overcome them-for those who worry just a little, those who suffer a gnawing, controlling fear or actual panic attacks, and every woman in between. The first in a series of small, Bible-centered volumes for women, each of which covers a particular struggle, Trust is full of biblical truths and promises that will reassure readers that if they belong to Christ, they have absolutely nothing to fear. On-the-Go Devotionals easily tuck into a purse or gym bag and make great gifts. Each lesson is self-contained, with Scripture and a paragraph or two of teaching that will steer women away from worldly coping techniques, away from themselves and their circumstances, and onto God and their security in Christ.

Genres: Christian, Devotional, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Womens, Christianity, Faith

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2008

About the author

Lydia Brownback (MAR, Westminster Theological Seminary) serves as a senior editor at Crossway in Wheaton, Illinois, and an author and speaker at women’s conferences around the world. Lydia previously served as writer in residence for Alistair Begg and as producer of the Bible Study Hour radio program with James Montgomery Boice.

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the core of this book is the premise - know God, understand him, and you will know that you can trust him. We have our own ideas of what it means to trust, and that is often: believe that you will get what you want. But trust, Brownback skillfully demonstrates, means believing that God is who he says he is, and to do that, you need to know what his word says about him. These small, simple reflections, each centered on a piece of scripture, are concise, coherent, rich, and insightful. I went through it more than ten years ago and reading through it again this year, found even more comforts and convictions as I have grown and changed.

[Anna Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I saw the title and thought, ew another cheesy quicky devo for christian "chicks" but this series is totally amazing. really addresses the complexity of life and struggles and worries. totally solid and always challenging me to rely on God and revealing all the lies i've built into my thought processes.

[Crystal Joplin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not typically a fan of short devotionals but I do think they have their place and this past year was just one of those seasons. I enjoyed the readings during my daughter’s nap time and tried to meditate on the truths in them after reading before I would eventually fall asleep out of exhaustion!

[Schuyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good the second time. I love using this as a devotional in conjunction with other Bible reading, and on quick mornings, it's the perfect two pages to start the day.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has become one of my favorite devotional books❤️

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!!! We need to be reminded to trust God every day!!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice refreshing devotionals.

[Barbara Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trust: A Godly Woman’s Adornment by Lydia Brownback is one of a series of “on the go” devotionals for women: small, relatively short books focusing on one main topic.

After an introduction titled “Why Women Fear,” Lydia deals with various aspects of battling fear and anxiety. Each chapter is just two, sometimes three pages long, making it very easy to grab a “nugget” to carry with you through the day.

To give you just a taste, some of the chapter titles are:

The What-If Woman
A Phobic’s Only Reemedy
False Security
Resting on Self-Righteousness
Afraid of the Pain
Whose Fault Is Our Fear?
Control Freaks
The Path to Healing
A Fence Against Fear

And some of the quotes that stood out to me:

The only thing big enough to conquer this kind of fear is God, who rules every detail of every day of your life. Rest assured that nothing can touch you apart from your heavenly Father’s permission. Out of his love for you, he is well able to prevent the thing you are so afraid of, and out of that same love he might allow it. Either way, whatever happens, he only allows what is going to work for your eternal happiness and blessing and his glory (p. 26).

God wants more than our symptom relief. He desires to get at the core of what underlies our fears, which, at the deepest level, have to do with our relationship to him (p. 27).

God allows us to experience fear at times to help us recognize our false foundations, things on which we are resting our security that have no more strength to support us than a mound of whipped cream (p. 28).

God often acts contrary to how we think a good God should act. The answer we think we need seems so logical and clear to our way of thinking, yet God does not provide it. That is where faith comes in. Real faith isn’t the belief that God will do a particular thing; real faith is the conviction that God is good, no matter what he does and however he chooses to answer our prayers (p. 30).

We care much less about long-term results and the glory of God than we do about simply feeling better (p. 48).

“I’d never put my child through what God is doing to me.” But God is a wiser parent than we could ever be. He places us in situations that provoke us, not to cause us to doubt but to strengthen us against our doubts” (p. 72).

God let [Jonah] go his own way, as he does with us when we insist on running our own show; but because God is merciful, he will make sure that any way we take away from him doesn’t work out so well (p. 79).

That very thing you want God to fix may be his instrument to teach you first to depend on him rather than on yourself or on peaceful circumstances (p. 90).

Rather than take God at his word, they just looked at the difficulties. Rather than doubt their own viewpoint, they doubted God’s (p. 97).

The devil is stronger and smarter than we are; so arguing with him won’t help us very much and can actually enhance our difficulty. Jesus has provided us with the way to resist…there are Scripture passages to refute every one of [the devil’s] lies. Immersing ourselves in the Bible is one of the primary ways we keep, or guard, our hearts (p. 130).

This book is a treasure that I am pretty sure I will revisit often. In addition, this experience with Lydia’s book makes me want to check out her others as well.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve used three of Lydia Brownback’s women’s Bible studies and found them interesting and theologically sound. I saw this small devotion book on trust and wanted check it out. It is not a self-help book but would be helpful to those who are struggling with fear, anxiety and worry. Each of the fifty 2-page short devotions is based on scripture and point women to trust in Christ and lean on His faithfulness. It was well done. It would be a good bed side book to read at night or one with which to start your day or even to keep in your bag and read a selection or two while you wait. Keep it alongside your Bible and read the complete chapter or verse on which she bases the devotion then spend some time in prayer.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of 50 short devotionals on the reasons we might not trust God. The author covers causes of distrust from fear, to the pride of self-righteousness and self-reliance that leads to unbelief, to performance-based salvation in which we don't trust God to save us, to the idolatry of using others or something other than God for our security and happiness. Each devotional is two pages, three at most, so it's easy to read. The author gives direct advice in pithy sentences so it's easy to understand and remember. I just wanted more application and real-life examples of how to live another way. It's a good beginning to changing my life from insecurity and anxiety to peace and security when I trust in the goodness of God.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book, possibly the best devotional I've ever read. It's only small, and each devotion is only a page and a half in length, so perfect for on-the-go women. But despite being so short, each chapter is jam-packed with wisdom, encouragement and solid biblical advice. Trust is a real issue for so many of us; we so often give in to fear and anxiety instead of looking to God. The author looks honestly at these heart struggles and applies God’s Word to them. I found this so uplifting and encouraging, as well as convicting and challenging.

The book's very inexpensive, so no excuses for not buying one. I've already bought of a couple of extra copies for giving to friends!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tend to steer clear of devotional-type books because they’re often cheesy, shallow and self-focused. This book, however, came at a time when I really needed to be reminded of my sin of worrying and also the goodness of the Lord.

Instead of reading it one day at a time, I devoured the book in an afternoon. I will go back and read it again one day at a time because I will undoubtedly need to be reminded of these truths again. Brownback does not hold back calling worry/fear/control a sin and consistently reminds the reader to have a high view of God. I’m grateful I came across this little gem!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic devotional - one every woman should read! In fact, I could tell it was going to be a valuable read the first week in and ordered a copy for several friends without having finished it. The Lord used Brownback's words and scripture to peel back the layers of anxiety and lack of trust in the Lord in my life, reminding me continuously of who God is first and what that means for who I am secondly. Looking forward to reading the other devotional she's written!

[Shannon]

Not sure how to rate this so I’m not going to. Titus 2 summer reading. I am not a fan of devotionals (this is a devotional) as they give just a tiny bit of something and never really give complete thoughts or working out of topics or themes. While I was encouraged by scripture and some questions and phrases and the discussion of the book, I would have benefitted much more by a full book on the same subject fleshed out.

[Sharda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this little book...so much encouragement in one pocketbook for women...would love to read the others...however this one is a favorite so far...I don't think I've ever read devotionals for women...ever...but this is special.

[Shelley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute gem of a book. Highly recommended!

[Heather Knickerbocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent little daily devotional that reminded me to trust and not fear. Put anxiety aside and lean on our Lord.

[Christine Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

this seemed to make assumptions about anxiety that just were untrue or did not resonate with me at all.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a small devotional book. The idea is to read a few pages each day. If you are looking for something inspiring and encouraging...a little tidbit to jumpstart your mornings and get your day off to a great start, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Very well-written and uplifting.

She has also written the devotionals: Joy and Contentment. Both are excellent. Another is Purity, but I have not yet read it.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. Looking forward to other "on-the-go" devotional titles by Lydia Brownback. This was given to me by a friend and it proved timely, encouraging, and strengthened me spiritually. Each devotional is very short, but full of wisdom from scripture with practical application.

[Lori Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much that I've given it as a gift several times. The author is constantly bringing the reader's heart back to the place of rest...in God.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insights.

[Aisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It deals with a lot of trust issues, although sometimes repetitive in what it discusses (especially since some of the examples don't apply to younger women), but the main thesis of the book—that we need to know and be reminded of who God is and what His characteristics are in order to trust in Him in the midst of our circumstances—is consistently and clearly explained. My older sister and my mother both wanted to try reading the book, which is a good thing. I'm willing to read other books in this series by Lydia Brownback.