Beloved is Where We Begin: A weekly devotional for sustainable rhythms of grace

by Rachael Newham

Overview

In a world which pushes us to move faster and work harder, carving out the space for a traditional quiet time every day can feel impossible, leaving people desperate to connect with God regularly but feeling as if they're failing.

Beloved is Where We Begin encourages us to build a sustainable rhythm of grace with 52 extended reflections and blessings for people to read and ponder through the week.

Using the liturgical year, the book gently guides the reader through the Christian seasons of Easter, Ordinary Time, Advent, Christmas and lent, encouraging them to tune into the rhythm - and hear the echo of God's voice calling us beloved whatever we are facing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780281091119
Publisher:	SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge)
Publication date:	09/23/2025
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	5.43(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Rachael Newham is an author and speaker specialising in the theology of mental health and illness. She founded the Christian mental health charity ThinkTwice while at university, and after completing her research masters looking at a pastoral theology of depression, she led it for a decade. Rachael has also held roles at several national Christian charities working to change the conversation around mental health. She now writes, speaks and consults on issues of mental health and faith on a freelance basis. Her first two books, Learning to Breathe and And Yet, are also published by SPCK. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and young son, and can be found with a coffee in hand among her colour-coordinated bookshelves. You can find her on social media @RachaelNewham90 and Substack. She lives in UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Week 1 Third Sunday of Christmas/New Year
Week 2 Epiphany
Week 3 First Sunday of Epiphany: Jesus' baptism
Week 4 Second Sunday of Epiphany: Water into wine
Week 5 Third Sunday of Epiphany: First disciples
Week 6 Fourth Sunday of Epiphany: Candlemas
Week 7 Third Sunday before Lent: Tapestry of life
Week 8 Second Sunday before Lent: Defined as beloved
Week 9 Sunday before Lent: Clothed in mercy
Week 10 First Sunday of Lent/Ash Wednesday
Week 11 Second Sunday of Lent: That’s my boy
Week 12 Third Sunday of Lent: Living water
Week 13 Fourth Sunday of Lent / Mothering Sunday
Week 14 Fifth Sunday of Lent: Jesus wept
Week 15 Palm Sunday: Gentle and lowly
Week 16 Easter Sunday: Gardener God
Week 17 Second Sunday of Easter: 'We had hoped'
Week 18 Third Sunday of Easter: 'Peace be with you'
Week 19 Fourth Sunday of Easter: Jesus of the scars
Week 20 Fifth Sunday of Easter: 'Do you love me?'
Week 21 Sixth Sunday of Easter: The Great Commission
Week 22 Ascension Sunday: Jesus' coronation
Week 23 Pentecost: Glimpse of the kingdom
Week 24 Trinity Sunday: Eternal life
Week 25 Ordinary Time: Love
Week 26 Ordinary Time: Love is patient
Week 27 Ordinary Time: Love is kind
Week 28 Ordinary Time: Love does not boast
Week 29 Ordinary Time: Love is not proud
Week 30 Ordinary Time: Love does not dishonour
Week 31 Ordinary Time: Love is not self-seeking
Week 32 Ordinary Time: Love is not easily angered
Week 33 Ordinary Time: Love does not delight in evil
Week 34 Ordinary Time: Love rejoices with the truth
Week 35 Ordinary Time: Love always protects
Week 36 Ordinary Time: Love always trusts
Week 37 Ordinary Time: Love always hopes
Week 38 Ordinary Time: Love always perseveres
Week 39 Ordinary Time: Love never fails
Week 40 Ordinary Time: Love is our shalom
Week 41 Ordinary Time: Love shines through weakness
Week 42 Ordinary Time: World Mental Health Day
Week 43 Ordinary Time: Rebuilding
Week 44 Ordinary Time: Lavish love
Week 45 Ordinary Time: Settling down
Week 46 First Sunday of Advent: In the dark
Week 47 Second Sunday of Advent: Facing the dark
Week 48 Third Sunday of Advent: Journey to the light
Week 49 Fourth Sunday of Advent: Light breaking through
Week 50 Christmas: The light shows us what God is like
Week 51 Sunday after Christmas: Glory around
Week 52 Second Sunday after Christmas: Feast of the Holy Innocents
Afterword
Acknowledgements
Notes

Editorial Reviews

"This book is a wonderful liturgical walk through the year, with gently hopeful reminders of our belovedness and beautiful original prayers and blessings. For anyone feeling ashamed, broken or overwhelmed, this book is pure balm."

Tanya Marlow

"Rich with blessing and prayer. Resonate with an honesty of life lived and love known. Rachael Newham invites us to fifty-two weeks of wondrous work, of "liturgy", as together we seek to understand the breadth and depth of God's love for each of us. Truly, beloved is where we begin."

Revd Canon Rob Merchant

"This is a gift of a book, so generously crafted and gifted to us by Rachael. To say that we're God's "beloved" is easy, it's central to our faith. But to live it? Now, that's hard. To truly believe such a thing - on our worst days as well as our best days - it can feel painfully difficult. And that's why this book is such a gift. It aids us in dwelling on the truth, giving the love of God the space and time to sink into our bones once more. It's a tender companion, a gentle friend, the wisest company. It's a book that I needed more than I knew."

Dr Belle Tindall

"This gentle, accessible devotional speaks love and truth in every breath. I felt encouraged, nurtured and loved as I read its words. Far from a superficial read, however, I was equally challenged by insights which exposed where my thoughts and feelings had diverted from God's best. I recommend Beloved for all!"

Lucy Rycroft

"In our worrying world and busy lives, faced by constant challenges of work, money, health, relationships, confidence and responsibility, how difficult it is to hear that "still small voice of God" that we know brings calm and comfort. This intuitive, beautifully-written book offers gentle company along the bumpy road of day-to-day life, reminding us that God never lets us stray from the palm of His hand, and that His love is unconditional and forever."

Pam Rhodes

"In Beloved Is Where We Begin, Rachael crafts a clear pathway through mental and spiritual uncertainty, reminding us that divine love persists even when our capacity to feel it falters. This deeply personal journey through the liturgical year offers gentle, accessible wisdom for the overwhelmed and weary - you could call it a sanctuary in book form that beautifully demonstrates how our belovedness is not something we earn, but the very foundation from which all healing begins."

Revd Dr Cris Rogers

"Beloved Is Where We Begin is a book that will be beloved by many. It's a life-giving devotional full of Godly encouragement from a deeply authentic author. In its weekly meditations, you'll be invited to soak in your beloved identity as a believer - through every season of life - whilst being reminded that we are most missionally impactful when we're most secure in God's magnificent love. It's full of the healing balm of God's grace that binds up our bruised and broken hearts, and its breath prayers and blessings are beautiful."

Howard and Holly Satterthwaite