Deep down in our hearts, many of us have a desire to do something or be something great. At times we kick against the boundaries of our ordinary lives, seeking to demolish the sense of drudgery by breaking out of what we perceive to be the ruts of our existence. We plan and dream, hope and pursue all because we have a desire to be or do something that feels extraordinary. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, many of us “lead lives of quiet desperation” in our struggle to feel like we are something better, greater, and more than ordinary. But in our striving for something more, we can often miss the beauty of living a simple and ordinary life.

I recently read the book Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life* by Tish Harrison Warren. In her book, she breaks down an ordinary day with typical activities and rhythms to illustrate how we can use even our ordinary lives as a liturgy of worship to God. Though she examines her day through the structure of an Anglican liturgy, there is much to be gained by Christians of all walks of life and denominations. Her book practically examines what it looks like to live our daily lives to the glory of God.

Our daily activities, the way that we shape our everyday existence, is shaping who we are as a people of God. Warren invites us to lay aside our presuppositions about our lives and look through the lense of what it might look like to daily invite Christ into our everyday rhythms and rituals. In doing so, she calls us to become better worshippers as we consider how we can allow our habits and desires to be shaped and formed around our identity in Christ rather than a desire for our own greatness.

Warren does a beautiful job of practically applying theology in a way that is artistic, accessible, and practical. She writes with a beauty of expression and language that makes her book a delight to read. Yet she weaves practical theology into her book in a way that will make you pause, ponder, and assess the way you live your life. Her book invites you to embrace the life that Christ has called you to while inviting him to form and shape you more into his image through your daily activities.

In order to truly live our lives to the glory of God, we must embrace our identity as the people of God. This identity must permeate our thoughts, our actions, our responses, and the way in which we shape our days. Warren’s book is a valuable resource for those struggling to find purpose and meaning in the humdrum of everyday life. Her book provides a breath of fresh air and a truthful perspective on how we can transform our ordinary lives into extraordinary obedience to Christ. This is a book that I will certainly read again and highly recommend to others.

After reading this book, I find myself looking at my day through a different lense. Instead of only feeling the pressure and frustration of everyday routines, I am slowly learning to welcome Christ into these routines. Warren’s book really helped me think through how I can intentionally orient my thoughts and daily practices around the truths of who I am in Christ and what he has accomplished for me. I was challenged to take an honest look at my day and at what my typical practices revealed about my heart and the way I viewed God. I encourage you to read this book. It will provide you with wonderful food for thought and practical steps of application to go along with your everyday living.

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“As Christians, we wake each morning as those who are baptized. We are united with Christ and the approval of the Father is spoken over us. We are marked from our first waking moment by an identity that is given to us by grace: an identity that is deeper and more real than any other identity we will don that day.” — Chapter 1, page 19

“Examining my daily liturgy as a liturgy—as something that both revealed and shaped what I love and worship—allowed me to realize that my daily practices were malforming me, making me less alive, less human, less able to give and receive love throughout my day. Changing this ritual allowed me to form a new repetitive and contemplative habit that pointed me toward a different way of being-in-the-world.” — Chapter 2, page 31

“When the day is lovely and sunny and everything is going according to plan, I can look like a pretty good person. But little things gone wrong and interrupted plans reveal who I really am; my cracks show and I see that I am profoundly in need of grace.” — Chapter 4, page 54

“In Christ there will always be enough for us, with so much left over.” — Chapter 5, page 73

“Our hope for a future of shalom motivates us to press toward that reality, even in our ordinary days. Our work, our times of prayer and service, our small days lived graciously, missionally, and faithfully will bear fruit that we can’t yet see.” — Chapter 8, page 113

“Christian friendships are call-and-response friendships. We tell each other over and over, back and forth, the truth of who we are and who God is. We speak the good news to each other. And we become good news to every other.” — Chapter 9, page 117

“If it is hard for us to believe that God is at work in us and in the world even while we sleep, it reveals who we truly think is the mover and maker of our lives and spiritual health.” — Chapter 11, page 151

CLICK HERE to purchase a copy of the book.*

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