Restore A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation - Miriam James Heidland SOLT and Valerie Delgado

Restore: 

A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation 

Miriam James Heidland SOLT

Valerie Delgado (Illustrator)

Ave Maria Press

ISBN 9781646801480

eISBN 9781646801497

ASIN B09P9QY56Q

During Lent in 2026 I worked through a few volumes, and two of them were from this series. They were both very different but I benefited greatly from both of them. To date it appears there are 5 offerings each for Lent and Advent in the “A Guided Lent/Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation” series. I plan on working through all of them because both this and the other volume I did this year were excellent!

The description of this volume states:

“Follow the Lord into the depths of your heart this Lent and you will never be the same.

Take a healing journey with Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, as she helps you turn away from what wounds you and toward God who heals you and makes you whole.

In this beautiful guided journal for prayer and meditation, Sr. Miriam invites you to meet the tenderness of God’s mercy, the power of his love, and the restoration of your heart and life as you practice prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Restore features stunning original art by Valerie Delgado of Pax.Valerie along with daily meditations on a passage from scripture, reflection questions, guided prayer, and space for journaling and notetaking.

Throughout Lent, you’ll move through four different phases of healing, focusing on traditional Lenten practices:

 1. Prayer is the means of healing our relationship with God.

  2. Fasting disciplines us in healing our relationship with ourselves.

   3. Almsgiving leads us to healing our relationships with others.

    4. Sacrifice shows us the path to heaven and union with God.

If you enter into Lent with Christ, your heart will see more clearly, be pierced more easily, love more strongly, and serve more passionately. Jesus will be etched into the crevasses of your being.

Restore is perfect for both individual and group use. Free companion videos and a downloadable leader’s guide are available at avemariapress.com.”

About the author we are informed:

“Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, is a popular Catholic speaker, cohost of the Abiding Together podcast, and the author of the bestselling book Loved as I Am.

A former Division I athlete who had a radical conversion and joined the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity in 1998, Heidland has shared her story on EWTN’s The Journey Home, at numerous SEEK and Steubenville conferences, and at the USCCB’s Convocation of Catholic Leaders.

In addition to speaking, Heidland has served in parish ministry and as the director of novices for her SOLT community. She also has served as an assistant to both her provincial and general superiors.

Heidland earned a master’s degree in theology from the Augustine Institute and speaks extensively on the topics of conversion, authentic love, forgiveness, and healing.”

About the illustrator:

“Valerie Delgado is a Catholic painter, a digital artist, and the owner of Pax. Beloved. She illustrated the books Prepare Your Heart by Fr. Agustino Torres, CFR; Adore by Fr. John Burns; Restore by Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT; and ABC Get to Know the Saints with Me by Caroline Perkins.”

The chapters and sections in this book are:

Week of Ash Wednesday

First Week of Lent: The Desert

Second Week of Lent: Freedom of Heart

Third Week of Lent: The Roots of Sin

Fourth Week of Lent: The Healing Balm of Almsgiving

Fifth Week of Lent: The Journey of Forgiveness

Holy Week, the Week of All Weeks

A sample reflection is:

“Ash Wednesday

But you are merciful to all, for you can do all things, and you overlook men’s sins, that they may repent. . . . You spare all things, for they are yours, O Lord who love the living.

Wisdom 11:23, 26

The Inner Room

Here we begin, dear friends. Ash Wednesday. Our foreheads are marked with the blackness of death while the words “Repent and believe in the gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” are spoken over us. Every single person, no matter their age or state in life, receives the same greeting, for we all are called to repent, believe, and remember. All things pass away and only the eternal remains.

We receive glimpses of this reality throughout our lives, but today we ponder it specifically as the door through which we follow Jesus out into the desert. The Catechism states that “interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed” (CCC 1431). We must turn away from what wounds us, destroys us, and makes us sick and turn toward God who heals us, saves us, and makes us whole.

While other people may know certain things about us, and we may know ourselves to varying degrees, only the Lord knows us fully. He alone sees us in our fullness and wholeness and loves us completely. This is why we must go into the “inner room” with him, into the hidden place, so all can be revealed.

He is inviting us into an encounter with him, in the depths of our hearts, for that is where true transformation takes place.

Reflect

Where are you in your heart and life right now? What is Jesus wanting to heal in you as you pray, fast, and give alms this Lent?

Take a few minutes to write about this in your journal.

Pray

Jesus, help me as i begin this journey with you. Give me an open heart, a willing spirit, and the courage to keep going, no matter what. Amen.”

I highlighted numerous passages while working through this volume. Some of them are:

“The season of Lent stirs many things in our hearts. Some people love it, some people dislike it, and all of us know that we are supposed to somehow be transformed through it all. We often give up chocolate, alcohol, or meat. We try to practice mortification and remember that we are only pilgrims on this earth and that all things pass away. And while all these things are inherently good and important, I often wonder what is being engaged at the deeper level of our hearts.”

“Perhaps by now you have noticed some areas of your life that need attention this Lent. When you look at the traditional Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, you may have chosen a few practices for each discipline that will help bring you into deeper freedom during this season.”

“As sin scatters and fragments, love brings us into communion and wholeness.”

“He is calling us into union with him in the heart. This is why we must allow the Lord to prompt our actions with his inspiration and further them with his help. We are not making the journey of Lent on our own or from our own will. We are being led by the Lord as the Holy Spirit led Jesus out into the desert.”

“This is a journey about your heart with Jesus and your relationship with him. Each person’s relationship with Christ is unique and unrepeatable. As God loves each of us in a way he loves no other person, so too we love God in a way that no one else loves God.”

“Prayer heals our relationship with God. Where we are shattered by sin and disorder, prayer draws us into the heart of God.”

“Or more succinctly, the heart of God enters into our misery. God enters into the true misery of our sin, sorrow, and suffering, and he saves us, restores us, and redeems us.”

“The beautiful thing about the desert, though, is that it lays all things bare and Christ goes before us. We do not go into the desert alone, and the Lord will not reveal anything to us that he does not also wish to attend to and heal.”

“A covenant says, “I love you. I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. I am not going anywhere. I am here for you. No matter what happens, I will not reject you. I love you as you are, and I desire your ultimate good. I give myself to you completely and I receive you completely. You do not have to hide anything. You do not have to pretend. You can bring anything to me and I will be with you in it, bear it with you, and speak the truth to you about it in love.” This is how God loves us. This is the freedom and responsibility of love.”

“Prayer is not mere words; prayer is life itself. This is why we pray without ceasing.”

“How might you give the Lord permission to come into any place of your life and bring you into wholeness and into relationship with himself?”

“The earth that we live upon is not neutral territory. We live on not a cruise ship but a battlefield. And we know this battle through and through, as well as the ache for communion in eternal love.”

““First, our wounds are not arbitrary, they are not random. Satan is like a sniper. He intuits with his angelic intellect the destiny of every human person and he shoots his deadly arrows into the place that will do the most damage in order to thwart the flourishing of the person and God’s plan for their life. Satan succeeds when he can convince us to hate God, hate ourselves, and hate others for the wounds we bear.”

““Suffering that is not transformed is transmitted.” Every experience of suffering we have had that has not yet been redeemed and transformed by the love of Christ is transmitted to those around us. The suffering we have experienced does not just disappear; it is most often buried alive. And that pain buried alive continues to afflict us and those around us.”

“The priest who mentored me for many years before and after I entered religious life was very fond of offering the adage that when we fast from one thing, we need to feast on something else. This is not compensating for what we are aching for but offering our heart, mind, body, and soul the true food that it needs.”

“As Adam and Eve hid in the garden, so do we. In light of our story and where we hurt and how we try to avoid suffering, our sin and broken ways of living follow a pattern.”

““Behind every disordered desire is a good and holy desire, an unmet need, an unhealed wound, and a hidden pattern of sin.””

“Maybe we feel that no one in our life listens to us or really hears our heart and takes us seriously with attentiveness and love. Maybe we don’t feel as though we have a safe place to bring our sorrows, and we have had to bury our anger our entire life. Maybe we have wounds of rejection, abandonment, shame, fear, powerlessness, hopelessness, or confusion. These unhealed wounds and unacknowledged needs (that often tie back to our childhoods with long histories and patterns) continue to play out over and over again in our lives. Collectively they are the proverbial “iceberg under the water” that drives so much of our painful behavior.”

“Jesus continually comes to us where we are ill and in need and asks us if we want to be well. As we recall our Lenten journey thus far, we know that if we are honest, we all have places in our lives where we are not well, where we are out of communion and experiencing isolation, and where we need healing. And as we discover, it is through communion that healing gushes forth.”

“And yet this is often the very thing we want the most—to be seen, received, and loved. Jesus is truly present to us and receives us.”

“Lord, give me a generous and open heart. May my love for you grow more deeply into a fragrant, life-giving aroma that fills the world around me.”

“This life is not the end. This life is not all there is. The best things on earth are only a small foreshadowing of the beauty of heaven.”

I hope that sample reflection and those quotes give you a feel for this volume. The supplemental weekly videos and other resources on the Ave Maria Site really do make this a self-guided retreat. You can work through it personally, as a family or in a small group. The illustrations are great for meditation. 

The material is easy to engage with and written and a very compelling manner. Anyone with a secondary school education could easily worth through this volume. But the working through it might not be easy. It will help you go deeper over the days of Lent. But it will be work. It will challenge readers to be more open and honest with them and with God. It will encourage us to open our hearts, our hurts, our wounds and turn to God for healing and restoration. 

This volume was so good I plan on picking up all of them in the series and hope to work through them over the next few Lents and Advents.

An amazing volume I can easily recommend. 

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan! For all Lent resource reviews click here.

A Guided Journal from Ave Maria Press:

A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation:

Made for Heaven - Fr. Agustino Torres CFR 

Restore - Sr. Miriam James Heidland SOLT 

Return - Fr. John Burns 

Wilderness Within - Sr. Josephine Garrett CSFN 

Witness - Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe OP

…

A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation:

Adore - Fr. John Burns

Behold - Miriam James Heidland SOLT 

Encountering Emmanuel - Heather Khym

Illuminate - Fr. John Nepil

Prepare Your Heart - Fr. Agustino Torres CFR

…

Why Suffer - Mary Ann Budnik - Scepter Booklet 121

Why Suffer?

Scepter Booklet 121

Mary Ann Budnik

Scepter Publishers

ASIN B004ASNDMU

I first read a copy of this while on retreat twenty years ago in 2006. I read an old copy of the Scepter Booklet edition of it. Many of which are now available for free on the Scepter site. In 2026 a quote from the book was a social media post from Scepter, it really struck me. 

“Much suffering is caused by what we do and what we fail to do.”

It struck me so much I shared it on social media and had numerous interactions. When I checked I saw when I read it but back then I only reviewed stuff I tried to publish in papers and magazines. Now I try and review everything I read. So I decided to read it again, this review grew out of that second reading. 

The Scepter Booklet edition description is:

“"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" How often do these words of Scripture come to mind when sorrow and suffering strike? A lost job, a sick child, death in the family, financial setbacks, a problem marriage, or chronic illness can find us turning to God with tears in our eyes and anguish in our hearts. Many of us were taught as children that everything that happens to us has a divine purpose, including pain and suffering. But it often is hard to see God's love and providence in pain.”

One online description of a different edition of this book is:

“Suffering has never been a popular topic. In fact, most of us find it downright distasteful, probably because suffering dogs our footsteps as we progress through life. Yet, suffering has its purpose. It matures us emotionally and spiritually, while it also plays a part in helping us to develop the various virtues.”

The chapters in the booklet are:

Introduction

Benefits of Suffering

Suffering as a Teacher

We Suffer With Christ

The Scandal of the Cross

 “A Bad Night in a Bad Inn”

Lessons to be Learned

I highlighted a few passages while working through this booklet, some of them are:

“Many of us were taught as children that everything that happens to us has a divine purpose, including pain and suffering. But it often is hard to see God's love and providence in pain!”

“Today, as in the days before Christ, Satan is allowed to test us. Some of the saints have experienced such testing in a special way. St. Francis of Paola has told us: "The devil has a consuming hatred against the servants of Christ. The malignant one, seeing that he cannot steal their souls, vents his most terrible wrath on them, forcing them to resist every type of suffering."”

“A third cause of suffering is our own nature—our weakness and failings such as pride, selfishness, lack of self-control--in short, our lack of virtue. Much suffering is caused by what we do and what we fail to do. The gossip that we never should have passed on can destroy our peace of mind and the lives of others. Lack of self-control in regard to food, drink, and drugs has destroyed many lives and families.”

“But growing in virtue is not easy. Some self-discipline is needed, and the development of good habits to start driving out the bad ones. Some important helps are frequent or daily Mass and Communion, frequent confession, and spiritual direction. But it is a puzzling fact that few people want to alleviate their sufferings by growing in virtue. They almost seem content with their misery.”

“Another cause of suffering is our own lack of mortification. Our frail natures resist anything that looks like penance.”

“"That piece of cake looks so good.... I'll skip dessert tomorrow instead of tonight." But mañana never comes! It's easier to say "yes" than "no" to a second drink at a cocktail party.”

“There are so many excuses why we shouldn't go to Mass, or take time for mental prayer, or do that work of charity. Yet without a spirit of mortification, we cannot grow spiritually. So God comes to our rescue and imposes a mortification on us in the form of some cross or tribulation.”

“Only in retrospect can we ordinarily see the benefits or purpose of our suffering. It's like a painting. When we are too close to the canvas we see only splotches of color here and there, but when we view it from the proper distance we can see the beauty of the work as a whole. So with our sufferings. While we won't be able to see the entire picture until eternity, we can see meaningful bits and pieces once the suffering has passed.”

“Suffering should strengthen our love of God and give us a clearer vision of Christ's message in the Gospels. By taking up our cross we become Christlike and able to bring others to him.”

“The crosses that add color to our lives are never selected by us. They are given to us by God for a specific reason. God's ways often are an unexpected mystery.”

“As we carry our burdens, there are times when we will stumble. Remember that Christ also stumbled, not once but three times, on his way to Calvary. And so will we. The secret of a successful Christian struggle is not in the failures, but in the struggle to begin again and again every day, and many times during each day.”

“If you find yourself being bitter and gloomy, instead of being at peace with yourself, maybe your condition is a result of you not using frequent confession, and frequent or daily Mass, to grow in love of God. We must turn to prayer, confession, and the Mass to find comfort in adversity. Turn also to Mary, cause of our Joy, to learn docility and acceptance.”

I hope those quotes give you a feel for this booklet. It is an excellent little volume even with a second reading almost twenty years after the first. A number of years ago I wanted to track down all the old Scepter Booklets and read them. I did not plan on reviewing them, just reading them because all of them I had read were great. I believe there were originally over 200 volumes in the series. Currently 54 are available for free. And I have over 100 in various digital editions. 

I can easily recommend this specific Scepter Booklet and all of them from the series I have read!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan! For reviews of other books and booklets from Scepter click here. 

Books by Mary Ann Budnik:

A New Look At The Works of Mercy

Exam of Conscience 

Game Plans: A Plan for Holiness

Looking for peace? Try confession!

Raise Happy Children...Raise Them Saints!

Raise Happy Children...Teach Them Joy!

Raise Happy Children...Teach Them Virtues!

Raise Happy Children...Through a Happier Marriage

Why Suffer?

You Can Become A Saint Facilitators Guide

You Can Become A Saint Workbook

You Can Become a Saint!

…

Scepter Booklets:

5 Steps to a Financially Healthy Marriage - Joseph D. Salem

A New Beginning - Walter Macken

A Plan of Life - Josemaria Escriva

A Profile of St Thomas More - M. Alvarez

A Treasury of Prayers - James W Albrecht

Bright and Cheerful Homes - James Urteaga

Catholic Teachings on Sex - Daryl Glick

Celibacy, Personality and the Gift of Self - John B Torello

Censorship - Cormac Burke

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - Declaration on Certain Questions of Sexual Ethics

Devotion to St. Joseph - F Delclaux

Diary of a City Priest - George William Rutler

Dispositions for Faith - John Henry Newman

Divine Ways on Earth - Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli

Francis Luna - How to Pray

Freedom From What For What - Cormac Burke

Frequent Confession - S Feirgle

How to Pray – Rev. Francis Luna

In Gods House - Paul Nitta

Increase and Multiply - J. A. Garcia-Prieto and J. L. Pastor

Is Purity Possible - JL Soria

Legacy A Story of Generosity - James B Stenson

Life of Faith - Josemaria Escriva

Living in God’s Presence - Francis Luna

Making the Most of Confession - Francis Luna

Marriage in Crisis - Cormac Burke

Montserrat Grases - Mercedes Eguibar

Norms of Piety - JM Muntadas

Novena to St. Josemaria Escriva for Work

Novena to the Immaculate Conception - St Josemaria Escriva

On the Encyclical “The Splendor of the Truth” - Russell Shaw

Order - Joseph L Soria

Parents, Children and The Rules of Life - Cormac Burke

Popular Devotions and Theology - JJ Espinosa

Priests for the New Millennium - John C McCloskey

Reinventing Dad - Denis Helming

Sanctifying Ordinary Work - Andrew Byrne

Scepter Christmas Carols

Seeking Christ in Reading - Rev Eugene Boylan

Sir Thomas More The Making of a Saint - Thomas J. McGovern

Sowing Abundant Doctrine - Joseph A. Vidal

The Angels - Cardinal John Wright

The Apostle Who Couldn't Believe - George Chevrot

The Ark and the Dove - Joseph W. McPherson

The Christian in the World - Russell Shaw

The Donkey at the Waterwheel - Malcolm Kennedy

The Galileo Affair - George Sim Johnston

The Gospel Truth - Michael Giesler

The Laity’s Role in Today’s Church - John Paul II's Christifideles Laici 

The Limits of Dissent - John Myers

The Priest and His Image - Alvaro del Portillo

The Reasonableness of Christianity - Peter Kreeft

To Make a Good Retreat - David Chandler

When God Calls - Rev. Federico Suarez

Why Suffer - Mary Ann Budnik

Winning Converts  - John  McCloskey

With All Your Mind - Rev. Federico Suarez

Women’s Liberation and Feminism - Jutta Burggraf

Work as Fufillment in the thought of John Paul II - John F Cloverdale

…

The Original List of Scepter Booklets:

001 Loyalty to the Church 

002 Sowing Abundant Doctrine 

003 Time is a Treasure 

004 "Increase and Multiply" 

006 Human Virtues

007 Bright and Cheerful Homes 

008 Freedom From What? For What ? 

009 Christ's Presence in Christians 

010 Mother of God, Our Mother 

011 Supernatural Aim of the Church 

012 That All may be Saved

014 The Angels 016 A Priest Forever 

017 Marriage, Christian Vocation 

018 With All Your Mind

019 Dispositions for Faith 

020/021 A New Beginning 

022 Sanctifying Ordinary Work 

024 Is Purity Possible 

025 Life of Prayer

026 Ascension of Our Lord 

027 The Religion of the Pharisee 

028 To Jesus Through Mary 

029 The New Barbarism

030 Passionately Loving the World 

032 Montserrat Grases

033 The Great Unknown

034 Love of God and Love of Neighbor 

035 Popular Devotions and Theology 

036 Towards Holiness

037 "Things New and Old"

038 Christ Triumphs Through Humility 

039 Judge Among Men

040 Frequent Confession 

041 Divine Ways on Earth: 

042 interior Struggle

044 The Eucharist: Mystery of Faith and Love 

048 Living in God's Presence

049 Marriage in Crisis 

050 The Priest and His Image 

051 Freedom and the Church 

052 Freedom A Gift of God

053 Censorship 

054 Christ the King 

055 Humanae Vitae 

056 With the Strength of Love 

057 Devotion to St. Joseph 

058 The Christian Vocation 

060 Woman Today

061 Norms of Piety Part 1

062 Norms of Piety Part 2

063 The Way of the Cross

064 Surrender to God 

066 Conscience and Truth 

069 Will You Also Go Away?

070 Twenty Questions to Msgr. Escriva

071 Have You Received the Spirit?

072 The Christian's Hope

073 Marxism and Christianity

074 The Apostle Who Couldn't Believe

075 God's Work 

076 Heaven 

080 Conversion of the Children of God

081 Full of Grace

082 St. Thomas More: A Profile 

083 Justice Alone is Not Enough 

085 "Your Sins Are Forgiven You" 

087 Here and Now

088 In the Footsteps of Christ

089 Before and After Holy Mass

090 The Greatness of Ordinary Life 

091 The Communion of Saints 092 The Blessed Trinity

093/094 Ideals in Youth

095 How to Understand the Bible

096 How the Bible Has Come to Us 

098 What is the Church For?

099 Msgr. Escriva De Belaguer: His Love for the Church

100 Parents Children and the Rules of Life 

101 Before God and Men

103 On the Feast of Corpus Christi 

104 Fatima and Its Pilgrims

105 Authority Faith, and The Individual 

106 Letter to Priests

107 Growing in Parenthood 

109 Detachment

111 Population and Development

112 Reaching and Teaching Your Children 

113 Strangers and Exiles

114 Woman Today: Her Role in the Family 

115 Christ's Death Is The Christian's Life 

116 The Need for Penance

117 Our lady's Place in Your Life 

118 Commentaries on the Holy Mass 

119/120 Letter on the Holy Eucharist 

121 Why Suffer

123 Man Essential Part 1 

124 Man Essential Part 2 

125 Sir Thomas More: The Making Of A Saint 

126 The Ventures of Faith

127 The Mystical Number Three 

128 The Ark and the Dove 

129 Come Holy Spirit

131/132 Family, Become What You Are 

133 Friendship Of Christ

134 Freedom to Love 

136 Conscience and Authority 

137 Seeking God in the World 

138 Priesthood of Today and Tomorrow 

139 A Year of Jubilee

140 Evolution

141 The Black Madonna 

142 Christ in his Church 

143 Meeting the Press 

144 Will Being Good Make Me Happy? 

145/146 Letters to a College Student 

147 A Game Plan For The Christian

148 Catholic Understanding of Marital Intimacy 

150 Process Theology and Secularization

151 Opus Dei & Its Critics 

152 Reading: Learning to Choose 

153 Liberation Theology 

154 Joys & Sorrows St. Joseph 

155 Alive to God

156 Keeping God in the Closet 

157 Freedom and Obedience 

158 With Respect to Sex 

159 The Individuality of the Soul 

160 Work and the Spiritual Life 

161 Women at Work

162 20 Questions to Mgr. Alvaro del Portillo 

163 Go For It!

164 Speaking from the Heart 

165 Donkey at the Waterwheel 

166 Talking About God

167 The Intelligence in the Service of Christ the King 

168 Penance

169 Law and Morality 

170 Sex & Education 

171 The Romance of Orthodoxy 

172 Marriage And The Priesthood 

173 In Her Will I Dwell

178 The Gospel Truth 

179 To Make a Good Retreat 

180 Contraception

181/182 Sucessful Fathers

183 The Laity's Role in today's Church 

184 Spiritual Direction

187 Reasonableness of Christianity 

190 The Christian in the World 

191 Seven Words From The Cross 

192 The Beatification of Msgr. Escriva 

194 Mass: The Hidden Treasure 

197 Evangelization in the U.S. 

199/200 Order

201 The Galileo Affair

…

204 Reinventing Dad

…

Advice on Dyslexia An Article

An Article Advice on Dyslexia

This might end up being a long and rambling article. It grew out of a request from an author for info to help his granddaughter who had just been diagnosed. Please feel free to share with any family and friends as needed. 

First this is my story: Confessions of a Bibliophile #5 - How I Became a Bibliophile, From Dyslexic to Addict. I have also written about How I Read So Much, now. In summary I failed grade one, was tested and they did not find it, and then repeated grade 1. In grade 2 I was still really struggling. The teacher pushed for me to be retested and it was discovered. This was in the mid-seventies. I was lucky in that I lived in a University town and had the same clinic and same doctor do my testing from 1976 to when I started university in 1988.

 

The big change for me was a private summer school I went to, 8 hours a day for my whole summer break. I did reading both mornings and afternoons and my next brother down did reading in the mornings and math in the afternoons. Once I learned to read it was whole worlds I never knew existed and I have been addicted since. 

 

My tips for where to start with supporting someone diagnosed with dyslexia. For dyslexia is a genre of diseases, it its much like having the flu, the symptoms and what helps could vary greatly from person to person. When I was in school what is today dyscalculia was often part of dyslexia and dyslexia treatment. 

 

The first place I would start would be a vision assessment with a developmental optometrist. For example Vue3, which we used for our son for eye tracking issues.  Sometimes other vision issues are misdiagnosed as dyslexia. But a through process here will help any other steps whether it is dyslexia or not.

 

Second I would test reading strips, There are different styles and colour. You want to test isolating the sentence being read and highlighting it. Different people work better with different colours. I do better with blues and purples. My son was yellows and reds. 

 

Third, combine audio with reading. I often use adaptive technology to listen to books, or listen while reading. Sometimes I have it reading from one device and mike highlights and notes on a second. 

 

This one is not specific to dyslexia but will help develop other skills and make the overall process learning. To be up front my wife works there, and all three of our children have gone there. Breakthroughs in Learning & Careers. Their therapy can be done remotely and some of the success stories on the website are amazing. Including the owners, as it was founded as his mother needed a way to help him and his brother. 

 

A book I have heard great things about is The Dyslexic Advantage by Brock L Eide. Another is Ben Foss The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan. I have not read either of these but heard good things. I have read and reviewed this one, living lexi': a walk in the life of a dyslexic by Shelley Trammell. 

 

My main advice would be to try anything you hear about, keep what works, and drop what doesn’t. And advocate, advocate, advocate it was advocates who got me going on a new path, all the way back to that teacher in grade 2. Advocate for assistance in school. By high school I had exams in a separate room, with 1.5 time. I also had it in university and by then was able to do my exams on a computer with the extra time. When I returned to school as a mature student I often did not use all or occasionally some of the extra time. Keep it anyways, better to have it and not need it then not have it. 

 

Also there are many famous people who have or had dyslexia. The list includes Richard Branson, Tom Cruise, Cher, Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Keira Knightley, Jennifer Aniston, Henry Winkler and many more.

 

Henry Winkler even wrote a series of books about his experience growing up with dyslexia. The first was Niagara Falls, or Does It?. Which was done as a TV series in the UK, Hank Zipzer. The book and show really capture what it is like living with dyslexia. Well worth reading with her or watching it with her. 

 

If anyone wants to have a conversation I am happy to be a sounding board.

Other Articles About being a Dyslexic Bibliophile:
Who Am I? Who Am I? -2008
Confessions of a Bibliophile #5 - How I Became a Bibliophile, From Dyslexic to Addict - 2009
Steven R. McEvoy Interview - 2012
2014 My Goals
Confession of a Dyslexic Bibliophile - eBooks, Regional Rights and More

Steven R. McEvoy Q & A IT Employee Spotlight

How I Read So Much? 

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Visions of Hope Reflections for Chronic Patients Based on the Stations of the Cross - Eva Déli and Mark O'Malley

Visions of Hope 

Reflections for Chronic Patients 

Based on the Stations of the Cross 

Eva Déli 

Mark O'Malley

Resource Publications

Glenn L. Monson (forward)

ISBN 9781725270039

eISBN 9781725269958

ASIN B089ZNW9BP

Prior to Lent in 2026  I went through the collection of Stations I had and found I had about 10 Stations I have never read or reviewed and made the commitment to try and make it through them over the 46 days Lent, and I as many as I have been reading, praying, and reviewing my way through the collection. This is one is one of the new ones I discovered while researching for reviews of other stations. I ordered it as picked it up as soon I saw it. This one is very different from the others. It is the first I have read not written by a catholic or published by a Catholic publisher. I was unaware of that when I picked it up. I have a few issues with it, it mentions Karma including trying to show karma in the New Testament. It speaks about and promotes yoga, which I have written about before. As I was reading, I thought I know a few people struggling with illness you might benefit from the long reflections on each station, my opinion had changed; I would not recommend it. 

The description of this stations is:

“Growing evidence indicates that spiritual practices enhance personal resilience under challenging circumstances. Combining the wisdom of the Bible (stations) with modern considerations of positive psychology, Visions of Hope is a practical guide map for chronic patients. The symbolic framework of the stations of the cross serves in the examination and understanding of the challenging facets of chronic diseases, such as the trials of despair, suffering, and the hope of redemption. The book does not shy away from discussing the most difficult questions the reader might face, including the need to face death and what happens after we die. Original illustrations by the author, classic poetry, and quotes from the Bible and other religious and spiritual texts bring the content into a sharper focus for the reader in an aesthetically pleasing and meaningful volume. This is a book you will want to keep and share with family and friends throughout the disease process.” 

About the authors we are informed:

“Eva Deli is an artist-scientist and author of the 2015 book, The Science of Consciousness, with an extensive background in cancer and consciousness research. Illustrations in this volume reflect her semi-abstract artwork, which can be found at evadeli.com. Mark O'Malley is a practicing physician with over forty years of medical experience. The book's up-to-date and comprehensive overview of chronic disease management reflects his generous contribution.”

and

“Glenn Monson is an active pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He received his MDiv from Luther-Northwestern Theo. Seminary, St. Paul, MN in 1991, and his DMin in Preaching from the Lutheran School of Theo. at Chicago in 2003. His blog, Law and Gospel Everywhere, and his first book, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, have been used by pastors globally, seeking a clearer understanding of Law and Gospel preaching. His collection of devotions, Quarantining With God, was written for congregational members during the first year of the corona virus pandemic.”

and 

“Mark O'Malley is a practicing physician with over forty years of medical experience. The book's up-to-date and comprehensive overview of chronic disease management reflects his generous contribution.”

The chapters and sections in this book are:

List of Poetry

Foreword by Glenn L. Monson

Preface

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Station I: Jesus Is Condemned

Station II: Jesus Takes up His Cross

                 The Power of Acceptance

Station III: Jesus Falls for the First Time

                 Diet, Exercise and the Mind-body Connection

Station IV: Jesus Meets His Mother

Station V: Simon the Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross

                 The Varied Effects of Stress

Station VI: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

                 Cultivating Your Spirituality

Station VII: Jesus Falls the Second Time

                 Pain

                 Depression

Station VIII: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

                 Trust in Your Closeness to God

Station IX: Jesus Falls for the Third Time

                 Overcoming the Fear of Death

Station X: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments

Station XI: Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross

Station XII: Jesus Dies On the Cross

                 Prayer

Station XIII: Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross

Station XIV: Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb

                 Questions of Afterlife

Station XV: Hope

                 Spontaneous Remission

Afterword

Bibliography

Resources

A stations are on average 6 pages and as seen by the contents some have supplemental articles or essays. The art work is excellent, I believe they are woodcuts. Though the author mentions in the forward having done a series of paper mache projects for the stations. 

A few quotes I highlighted were:

“Following the Second World War, a better understanding of human physiology, the discovery of DNA, vaccinations, and other breakthrough research led to optimism and belief in the power of modern medicine. The appearance of novel diseases, such as AIDS, SARS, ebola, and others, has poured cold water on that optimism. Although chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and surgery substantially extended the survival of cancer patients, the complexity of the underlying mechanisms has made progress in treatment more challenging than initially thought.

“The Stations of the Cross are a Christian tradition about Jesus’ last hours of humiliation and horrendous suffering before his execution on Golgotha. This was in 2005; I had just completed a paper collage series on the Stations. In light of my friend’s declining health, the haunting images of the Stations acquired a new meaning of the tortuous trajectory of chronic diseases. My motivation to present the Stations in a book form was solidified ten years later, after watching my mother’s health slowly decline and succumb to multiple myeloma, a type of cancer.”

“Jesus suffers three increasingly difficult falls on his route to crucifixion. Each fall symbolizes his increasing weariness, pain, and dependence on others. The first fall represents the confused, disoriented state following diagnosis and its initial setbacks. The second fall is the depression and discouragement brought about by the side effects of chemotherapy, surgery, etc. and their toll on the human body. This includes the sequelae of the disease, such as secondary tumors, infections, and the associated stress, depression, and other problems. The third fall symbolizes the physical and mental exhaustion that precedes the acceptance of death.”

“The last station, not part of the original series, is hope. Hope is inherent in every human being and even in every living creature. Life, especially for those with chronic disease, withers without sustaining inspiration.”

“Such contemplations reflect the intuitive belief in karma, which implies that our life represents the visible surface of some deeper forces. In Eastern philosophy, karma, the idea that the intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect), is a crucial concept. 

In the Gospels, several examples refer to karma, such as Galatians 6:7 (NIV). Luke 8:17 writes, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed; nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” While many illnesses can be blamed on heredity or environmental factors, most often, these investigations remain futile. Getting through the first painful shock of being face-to-face with death triggers a change of habits and beliefs; it forces a reevaluation of relationships and a way of life.”

“Meditation and Yoga practice: Meditation is a prime example of controlling one’s thoughts to create emotional neutrality and equanimity.”

“Breathing, an integral part of yoga practice and meditation, can relax and detoxify the body. Yoga is an Eastern spiritual practice that aims to create a sense of inner union through physical postures and proper breathing. The in and out rhythm of breath is a very familiar activity, which can become meditative, calming, and relaxing. Conscious breathing sends impulses from the cortex, which has an impact on emotions.”

I began Lent in 2026 with 10 Stations I had not prayed. This marks the twenty-fourth new stations I have worked through. Most of the rest get 5/5 Stras, a few got 4/5 stars. This one ended up on the ‘did not finish pile’. Because of the concerns highlighted above I give up part way into the 8th station.

I cannot in good conscience recommend this volume. I was really looking forward to it and even saved it to read on Good Friday. I was disappointed. 

Note: For all Stations of the Cross review click here. 

Wise Home - A.K. Frailey - Wise Home Book 1

Wise Home 

Wise Home Book 1

A.K. Frailey

Laura Frailey (Illustrator)

Rebekah Frailey (Illustrator)

A. K. Frailey Books

ISBN  ‎ 979-8994596517

eISBN 9798994596500

ASIN B0GHPP4M9N

Wow! A stunning first novel in a new series from the masterful pen of Frailey. And the debut of two illustrators.

I have read much of Ann’s work. Both her fiction and non-fiction. This book marks the fifteenth time I have read a story by her. I always look forward to when a new title is available from Frailey and this first in a new series is excellent. 

The beginning of the description of this volume states:

“An enchanting family story told from an older woman’s perspective about her childhood during the years she spent on a farm with her Great Aunt Wilda on the outskirts of a midwestern town. While exploring the wonders of the woodlands, she discovered an animal community and formed friendships that taught her the meaning of wisdom and the value of home.”

About the author we are informed:

“A. K. Frailey taught elementary education in Milwaukee. WI: Chicago. IL: Los Angeles. CA; and Wood River. IL. She also trained teachers In the Philippines for the Peace Corps and later earned a Master or Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing for Entertainment from Full Sail University. Ann homeschooled all her children and currently manages her rural homestead with her family and their numerous critters. In her spare time, she serves as an election judge and secretary/treasurer or her small town's cemetery.”

About the illustrators:

“Laura Frailey graduated from Greenville University in 2025 with a BS in social work and a BA in Spanish. She completed her Master of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She enjoys painting with a variety of media. including watercolors, acrylics, and oil pastels, with a focus on the whimsical side of nature, color, and fantasy. When not creating art. she enjoys gardening and long-distance running. Wise Home is her first collection of published illustrations.”

and

“Rebekah Frailey graduated from Greenville University In 2025 with a Bachelor of

Arts in History. She enjoys drawing, painting, putting together complex puzzles,

Hiking, and running. Wise Home is her first collection of published Illustrations.”

This story is excellent. I read it one afternoon over a large mug of tea. I could not stop thinking about it so the next day I listened to it using adaptive technology and loved it even more the second time through. I have said before that Frailey’s works remind me of Madeleine L’Engle. Especially how she writes across so many genres in fiction and her non-fiction. This new offering illustrated by her daughters could easily become a children’s classic. This specific story reminded me of L’Engle’s The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas, but also of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and but also elements of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and Richard Adams’s Watership Down. In the past I have always had mixed reaction to talking animals or anthropomorphic animals. So often it has been done badly as authors try and capture something others have done but miss the mark. That was not the case this time. Frailey did an excellent job with this story and a second has already been announced; Wise Home on Lily Pad Pond. And to be honest I hope it is a long series with many more offerings to come from the trio of Frailey ladies. 

The illustrations are an interesting mix of full colour and greyscale. I would say they are a mix of watercolours, pencil sketches and maybe one of the squirrel drawings is charcoal work. 

It is an interesting beginning to a story. It feels like a coming of age story. It is an intergenerational family story. And it is a magical story with talking animals. From early on we know that Great Aunt Wilda knows more than she lets on. But she allows the adventure to unfold. It is a story about friendship and learning a friends history and story even if that friend is feline, also learning about the community in the fields and woods nearby, and it is about finding your place in the world. Even if you are putting the pieces together slowly. 

This was a very enjoyable story. I could not read when I was younger because of dual form of dyslexia. When I did learn to read I found all these worlds I never knew existed. And I have been addicted to reading since. This is a world I would have loved when younger, and would have even loved sharing with my children when they were younger. It is a very moving story and the beginning of what looks like a great series. This is a great book I can recommend for the young, for those who read to the young, or the young at heart! It leaves you desperate for the next instalment.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by A.K. Frailey:

The Adventures of Tally Ho

It Might Have Been: And Other Stories

Encounter Science Fiction Short Stories and Novella

One Day At A Time And Other Stories

Homestead

For Me?

…

Old Earth Series:

OldEarth ARAM Encounter

OldEarth Ishtar Encounter

OldEarth Neb Encounter

OldEarth Georgios Encounter

OldEarth Melchior Encounter

…

New Earth Series:

The Last of Her Kind

NewEarth: Justine Awakens

NewEarth A Hero's Crime

NewEarth Progeny 

NewEarth Relevance

...

Oldtown Series:

Fly, Sparrow, Fly

Brothers Born

…

Wise Home Series:

Wise Home

Wise Home on Lily Pad Pond

…

Non-Fiction:

The Road Goes Ever On: A Christian Journey Through the Lord of the Rings

My Road Goes Ever On Spiritual Being Human Journey

     *Formerly Heart Beats: Spiritual Being Human Journey

My Road Goes Ever On A Timeless Journey

My Road Goes Ever On Rise Again 

Hope's Embrace & Other Poems

…

Note: Old series that got reworked into other series:

Deliverance Series:

ARAM

Ishtar's Redemption: Trial by Fire

NEB the Great: Shadows of the Past

…

Hidden Heritage Series:

Georgios

Georgios II - A Chosen People

…

The Way of the Cross - All You Drink of this - The Liturgical Press - Popular Liturgical Library

The Way of the Cross 

All You Drink of This Popular Liturgical Library

Clemens Schmidt (Illustrator)

The Liturgical Press

ISBN 9780814606643

ISBN 0814606644

Prior to Lent in 2026  I went through the collection of Stations I had and found I had about 10 Stations I have never read or reviewed and made the commitment to try and make it through them this Lent, and I added a few as I have been reading, praying, and reviewing my way through the collection. This is one is one of the new ones I discovered while researching for reviews of other stations. I ordered it as soon as I saw it. It is one of a few versions of this devotion available from the Liturgical Press, only half of which have eBook editions, this is not one of them.

The description of this stations is:

“Practically every phrase in THE WAY OF THE CROSS has been culled from Biblical and liturgical sources. Consequently the reflections and prayers are dignified and substantial. Wherever this form has been introduced, it has received the most hearty approval.

The Stations are interspersed with stanzas from the Stabat Mater set to the traditional melody. Large and clear type makes the booklet eminently suitable for congregational use. The words of the Benediction chants are added.” 

Another states:

“33 page 3 3/4"x6" pocket size booklet. Contents: Entrance Song, Preparatory Prayer, 14 Stations of the Cross, Concluding Prayer, Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. Biblical and liturgical texts make up this booklet, illustrated with woodcuts by Clemens Schmidt. Used at home and in the parish assembly, this publication has been a favorite for decades. Adapted from the Old Latin Compilation of Liturgical and Biblical Texts. Revised, Second Edition.”

The sections in this booklet are:

Entrance Song

Indulgence Attached to the Way of the Cross

Preparatory Prayers

First Station Jesus is Condemned to Death

Second Station Jesus Takes Up His Cross 

Third Station Jesus Falls the First Under the Cross

Fourth Station Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother 

Fifth Station Simon of Cyrene Is Forced to Take Up the Cross 

Sixth Station Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus 

Seventh Station Jesus Falls a Second Time 

Eighth Station Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem 

Ninth Station Jesus Falls a Third Time 

Tenth Station Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments

Eleventh Station Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross 

Twelfth Station Jesus Dies on The Cross 

Thirteenth Station The Body of Jesus is Placed in the Arms of His Mother 

Fourteenth Station Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb

Concluding prayer

Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament

Psalm 116

A sample station is:

“THIRD STATION

Jesus Falls the First Under the Cross 

V. We adore you, 0 Christ, and we praise you.

R. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled himself to the point of death, even to death on the Cross. That is why God exalted him above every creature, and gave him a name that is above all other names. Come, let us adore and bow down in worship before God; let us weep in the presence of the Lord who made us, for he is indeed the Lord our God.

V. Surely he has borne our infirmities.

R. And he has carried our sorrows.

Let Us Pray

Almighty God and Father,/ we confess

that we are weak /and that we often fail

in the midst of trials and sufferings. /

Through the merits of the passion, death,

and resurrection of Christ, your only begotten

Son, / give us new courage and

hope. / This we ask in Jesus' Name, who

lives and reigns for ever. Amen.

GRACIOUS MOTHER, FONT OF LOVE,

TOUCH MY SPIRIT FROM ABOVE,

MAKE MY HEART WITH YOURS ACCORD.”

I hope that sample station give you a feel for this version of this devotion. I loved the wood cuts used to represent each station, And could see even using them for meditation with other stations that do not have images or just simple crosses. 

It is a pretty basic Way of the Cross. It is small and reasonably priced. I would be a great resource for parish use, or use in a small group, or personal devotion. I try and pray a Stations each Friday throughout the year, and every day during Lent. I do see myself returning to this one occasionally, but if a digital edition because available it would be one I used more often. I did benefit from praying through it and am glad I tracked it down.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!  For all Stations of the Cross review click here. 

Praying the Stations with Pope John Paul II - Bill Huebsch

Praying the Stations with Pope John Paul II 

Bill Huebsch 

Twenty-Third Publications

ISBN 978-0896225510

ISBN 0896225518

Prior to Lent in 2026  I went through the collection of Stations I had and found I had about 10 I have never read or reviewed and made the commitment to try and make it through them this Lent, and I added a few as I have been reading, praying, and reviewing my way through the collection. Of the 10 I started with 6 were from Twenty-Third Publications, and while researching the first review I found a few others I am interested in. This is one is one of the new ones I discovered previously had already. I read this during holy week in 2026, and it marks the 21st new Stations I have worked through this lent. I left it to the end because of issues with another from the author. I have read a few not part of this series from them as well. I really loved Praying the Stations Mary’s Way of the Cross, by Richard G. Furey CSsR and picked up several others in this series. But I was fairly disappointed in Praying the Stations with Saint John XXIII by Bill Huebsch; so had sort of ignored them the past few years. 

This is the twelfth of the Stations of the Cross I have read from Twenty-Third Publications in the ‘Praying the Stations with …’ series, and also other Stations from them. Originally published in 1993 with the first edition from Twenty-Third Publications the one I tracked down was from a third printing in 2007. 

I do not have a description of this volume for none of the used copies online have a description, and the edition I got did not have a back cover. Using the WayBack machine I found this minimalist description: 

“This is a Scripture way of the cross based on the stations preferred by John Paul II. Each station is based on actual Scriptural passages and each is beautifully written. Highly recommended.” 

About the author we are informed:

“Bill Huebsch is a husband, an author, a gardener, an advocate for the poor, and a bit of a monk. He studied philosophy in college and theology in grad school. He worked in the textbook divisions of both Macmillan-McGraw Hill and Harcourt, and he's the retired president and publisher of Twenty-Third Publications in New London, CT. In retirement he served on the adjunct faculty of the IPS at Loyola Chicago where he taught grad level courses.

He is deeply engaged with Common Hope and serves on their Board of Directors. Common Hope serves the abandoned and poor families of Guatemala with education, housing, medical needs, and life-coaching.

He writes about spirituality as it emerges in daily life, whether among friends at dinner, in the garden, or in a chapel. He has a couple of dozen books in print, and he always leaves his readers profoundly inspired. He brings humor and hope to his presentations and provides people with practical tools for just living!.”

The chapters in this volume are:

Introduction

Opening Prayer

The First Station Jesus Prays in the Garden of Olives

The Second Station Jesus Is Betrayed by Judas

The Third Station Jesus Is Condemned to Death by the Sanhedrin

The Fourth Station Jesus Is Denied by Peter

The Fifth Station Jesus Is Judged by Pilate

The Sixth Station Jesus Is Flogged and Crowned with Thorns

The Seventh Station Jesus Carries His Cross

The Eighth Station Jesus Is Helped by Simon of Cyrene

The Ninth Station Jesus Encounters the Women of Jerusalem

The Tenth Station Jesus Is Crucified

The Eleventh Station Jesus Promises to Share His Reign with the Good Thief

The Twelfth Station Jesus Is on the Cross, with His Mother and Disciple Below

The Thirteenth Station Jesus Dies on the Cross

The Fourteenth Station Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb

A sample Station for this edition:

“The Third Station

Jesus Is Condemned to

Death by the Sanhedrin

Announcement of the Station

Leader The Third Station: Jesus is condemned to death by the Sanhedrin

Dialogue

Leader Let us enter into the Death of the Lord

All Whose suffering led him to Grace

Leader Let us take up our Cross

All Let us follow the way of the Lord

Proclamation of the Word (Mark 14:56, 61–64)

Leader A reading from the Gospel of Mark

Many people gave false evidence against Jesus, but their stories did not agree. Finally, the high priest asked him, “Are you Christ, Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I am; and ‘you will see the Human Son seated at the right hand of the Power, coming with the clouds of heaven.’” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” All of them condemned him as deserving death.

Responsorial Psalm (36:1–4)

All Sinners listen to evil deep in their hearts;

they have no awe in the face of Divine Presence.

For they lie to themselves so well

that they can no longer recognize or hate

their own sin.

Whatever they say is foolish or false.

They have ceased to act wisely and do good.

They plot their sins while lying awake at night.

I tell you, they are set on a way that is horrible

and they do not reject evil.

Reflection

Leader O God, we are sometimes so reluctant to admit that we are also part of Christ, part of the Blessed One. Take away the fear that we will be condemned as Jesus was. Help us not be ashamed to claim Christ as our own.

A momentary, sacred pause…

Communal Prayer

All O God, we know that you are with us; you behold all we

do and say. Grant that, by the light of your Holy Spirit,

we might be earnest as we search for truth, and fair in our

judgments of others. Through Christ, our Lord, Amen.”

I should not have one I disagreed with stop me from reading others for so long. I really enjoyed this volume.  I will state again; I am impressed with Stations I have tracked down from Twenty-Third Publications, both the currently in print and older titles that are out of print. I have benefitted from all of them. I wish that a digital edition was available. I know several people I would recommend it to. I have dyslexia and prefer eBooks, my son has eye tracking issues and our deacon has low vision. eBooks would be a better option for all three of us and many more.

I try to pray a Stations each Friday throughout the year, and every day during Lent. I do see myself returning to this one occasionally, but if a digital edition were available it would be one I used more often. I did benefit from praying through it and believe it would be great for personal or corporate use.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!  For all Stations of the Cross reviews click here. 

Books in the Praying The Stations With Series:

A Way of Reconciliation for Teens - Colleen Rainone 

Praying the Stations for Healing - David M. Knight 

Praying the Stations of the Cross for Seniors -  John van Bemmel 

Stations of the Cross for Older Adults - John Van Bemmel  

Praying the Stations for the Suffering, Ill, and Disabled - Holly B. Clark 

Praying the Stations Mary’s Way of the Cross

    aka Praying the Stations With Mary the Mother of Jesus – Richard Furey 

Praying the Stations of Mercy with Pope Francis - Bill Huebsch 

Stations of the Cross for Today's Disciples - Sr. Christine Kreshko 

Praying the Stations with Catechists - Gwen Costello  

Praying the Stations with Children - Gwen Costello  

Praying the Stations with Faith and Courage - Richard Gribble 

Praying the Stations with John Paul II – Bill Huebsch 

Praying the Stations with Pope Francis - Bill Huebsch 

Praying the Stations with Saint John XXIII - Bill Huebsch 

Praying the Stations with Seniors – John Van Bemmel 

Praying the Stations with Teenagers - Gwen Costello 

Praying the Stations with Young Children - Diane Abajian 

Stations of the Cross for Today's Disciples - Christine Kresho 

The Mystery of the Cross: Praying the Stations with Pope Francis - David M. Knight 

Walking the Via Dolorosa Today - Laurin J. Wenig 

…

Other Stations from Twenty-Third Publications:

A Mother's Way of the Cross - Deborah McCann 

A Personal Way of the Cross - Isaias Powers 

An Illustrated Stations of the Cross - James Nisbet 

Stations of Hope: Praying the Stations of the Cross for Today - Father David M. Knight 

Stations of Strength Praying the Stations of the Cross in Times of Suffering - Alice Camille 

The People of the Way of the Cross - Marci Alborghetti 

The Stations of the Resurrection - Sister Catherine Duenne 

The Way of the Cross - William V Coleman 

The Way of the Cross for Parents - Susan Jones 

Via Lucis the Way of Light Praying the Stations of the Resurrection - Glenn Byer 

Walking with Jesus on the Way to Calvary - Kathy McGovern 

Way of Cross Religion Teachers - Gwen Costello 

...