First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"Bria Gaines stood at the back door of the small brick office building she rented in Union Springs, Alabama, population 3,314. She pulled her phone from her pocket to check the time. Six minutes past midnight. They were late."

~ Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson 

The Power in Surrender

"The real sign of someone who is confident is not how they walk into the room. It's how they change every room they walk into for the better." ~ 53%

It is easy to lose sight of who we are and our purpose in a world that bombards us with distractions. Bestselling author, spiritual leader Sarah Jakes Roberts inspires us in a new book titled The Power in Surrender. She identifies 100 ways to be authentically, unapologetically you in a world of noise while reconnecting with Christ.

Reading The Power in Surrender is like sitting down with a mentor that knows the right words to say at the right time. Written in a daily devotional format, the 100 ways to seize courage, conquer doubt and trust God's plan are easy to digest. The short passages are encouraging, uplifting and challenging. Oftentimes self-help books can be preachy and make you feel like change is an isolated effort. A "you" problem that should be fixed if you do exactly what the author advises. However, while reading The Power in Surrender, I never got the sense I was doing it alone. Sarah Jakes Roberts' warmth and wisdom exude from the page, providing support every step of the way. 

By the time I read the last page, I was excited to acknowledge my growth and surrender to God's plan. No more just making it day-by-day or going through the motions. Time to shut out the noise and embrace a better self in Christ. There is a lot of information packed into 100 devotionals so I will definitely revisit The Power in Surrender as needed. You should too! This book is recommended for Christian women with faith, a desire to grow spiritually and ready to live a life of purpose. 

Happy Pub Day, Sarah Jakes Roberts! The Power in Surrender is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: The Power in Surrender
Author: Sarah Jakes Roberts
Published: March 2026
Pages: 224
Edition: Galley
Genre: Christian Devotional
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤