Lucinda Secrest McDowell - Life-Giving Choices: 60 Days to What Matters Most

Lucinda Secrest McDowells beautifully written devotionals draw me deeper into the Word of God and closer to His heart.

Debbie Macomber,
#1 New York Times best-selling author

Lucinda Secrest McDowells books never disappointand this one is not to be missed! Every day we face important choices that alter our attitude, our outlook, our approach to people, and our spiritual productivity. Life-Giving Choices will greatly impact the way you live your life. She masterfully weaves powerful quotations with heart-gripping stories and applicable Scripture. Each days topic concludes with a prayer and a question that will prompt you to take action. This timeless devotional is my go-to gift for friends and family members.

Carol Kent,
speaker and author of He Holds My Hand

As the champion of Encouraging Words, Lucinda Secrest McDowells Life-Giving Choices devotional is a daily arrow pointing readers toward a more joyful, hopeful, and faithful life! Lucindas easy writing style, tremendous godly wisdom, and sense of humor made this sixty-day devotional an opportunity that I looked forward to choosing to experience each day.

Barb Roose,
speaker and author of Winning the Worry Battle

We are able to choose what really matters because God provides endless resources to help us. We can choose authenticity, healing, obedience, serenity, and celebrationsixty choices that will lead to a more whole and holy life. Weaving humor, memorable quotes, stories, and powerful Scriptures, Lucinda encourages us to make life-giving and life-transforming choices on a daily basis.

Tessa Afshar, award-winning author,
Land of Silence and Pearl in the Sand

Life-Giving Choices captured both my mind and my heart on every page. A consummate storyteller and woman of wisdom, Lucinda Secrest McDowell hands readers like me the practical tools we need to live well. This is the book you want to have on hand to give as a good gift to the people you love.

Margot Starbuck, author of Not Who I Imagined: Surprised by a Loving God

Though Ive avoided facing certain areas of my life, through Life-Giving Choices, Ive been reminded that God wants to walk through those paths with me. I have been blessed and given hope that I can make a difference for His kingdom. Thank you, Cindy, for writing a book most of us women truly need!

Valerie Elliot Shepard,
author of DevotedlyThe Personal Letters and Love Story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot

Life is filled with opportunities to choose that ultimately determine the quality of life we enjoy. In Life-Giving Choices, Lucinda Secrest McDowell shares powerful personal stories and engaging reflection questions to help us untangle the choices. Each devotional is a beautiful invitation to choose Gods best in every situation.

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD,
author of Sacred Rest

Our decisions determine our destinies. As you are faced with different decisions each day, Life-Giving Choices will help you choose well. Lucinda writes with beauty, truth, humor, and wisdom. I was greatly encouraged by this book, and I think you will be too!

Arlene Pellicane,
speaker and author of Parents Rising

Most major choices are made in the first half of life, correct? Not. At. All. As a woman in my senior years, I want to be even more intentional about using well the years that remain, which includes mentoring others behind me on the journey. I am ever so thankful for Lucinda Secrest McDowells beautifully enriching guide that empowers readers of all ages to decide each day how to handle what comes our way.

Maggie Wallem Rowe,
author of This Life We Share: Journeying Well with God and Others

In her latest book, Life-Giving Choices, author Lucinda Secrest McDowell gives us a precious gift. Her insight, gleaned from the foundation of Gods Word, reminds us that a life well-lived is a series of conscious choices. Written in her engaging style and sprinkled with personal stories and anecdotes, this volume encourages believers to reach for Gods best with every decision we make. This book will have a permanent home on my favorites shelf, and Ill keep extras to share with others.

Edie Melson,
award-winning author and director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference

New Hope Publishers

100 Missionary Ridge

Birmingham, AL 35242

NewHopePublishers.com

An imprint of Iron Stream Media

IronStreamMedia.com

2019 by Lucinda Secrest McDowell

All rights reserved. First printing 2019.

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the prior written permission of the publisher.

New Hope Publishers serves its authors as they express their views, which may not express the views of the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: McDowell, Lucinda Secrest, 1953- author.

Title: Life-giving choices : 60 days to what matters most / Lucinda Secrest McDowell.

Description: Birmingham : New Hope Publishers, 2019. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019022592 (print) | LCCN 2019022593 (ebook) |

ISBN 9781563092794 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781563092800 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Christian womenReligious lifePrayers and devotions. |

ChoicesReligious aspectsChristianityPrayers and devotions.

Classification: LCC BV4527 .M389 2019 (print) | LCC BV4527 (ebook) |

DDC 242/.643dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019022592 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019022593

Copyright information continues on p. 205.

Italics in Scripture quotations reflect the authors added emphasis.

ISBN-13: 978-1-56309-279-4

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-56309-280-0

1 2 3 4 523 22 21 20 19

Dedicated to MamaSarah Hasty Secrest

Thank you for life, love, prayers, and for giving me the courage and confidence to choose wisely.

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life... You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. Deuteronomy 30:1920

T he great danger facing all of us... is not that we shall make an absolute failure of life, nor that we shall fall into outright viciousness, nor that we shall be terribly unhappy, nor that we shall feel that life has no meaning at allnot these things. The danger is that we may fail to perceive lifes greatest meaning, fall short of its highest good, miss its deepest and most abiding happiness, be unable to render the most needed service, be unconscious of life ablaze with the light of the Presence of Godand be content to have it sothat is the danger.... That is what one prays ones friends may be sparedsatisfaction with life that falls short of the best. Phillips Brooks (18351893)

Day 1