A Quick Guide to Growing Your Faith This Summer

Summer is a funny season for Christians. On one hand, the slower pace and longer days feel like a genuine gift — a rare window of breathing room in an otherwise hectic year. On the other hand, it's easy to let spiritual habits quietly slip. The routine that kept you anchored through January suddenly has no structure to hang from.

The good news? Summer doesn't have to be a spiritual desert. With a little intention (and without turning rest into another task on the to-do list), it can become one of the most fruitful seasons for your faith.

Here's a simple guide to the disciplines and habits worth holding onto — or gently picking up — this summer.

First: Give Yourself Permission to Rest

Before we talk about growing, let's say the obvious thing: rest is not the enemy of faith. It's part of it. Jesus withdrew. The disciples were sent away to rest and let’s not forget the importance of Sabbath!

Holiday time is precious. It's not wasted when you use it to sleep, laugh, be present with people you love, and let your shoulders drop for the first time in months. So approach this guide not as a new checklist, but as an invitation — pick what resonates, hold it lightly, and let God do the growing.

Prayer: Keeping the Conversation Going

One of the easiest habits to lose on holiday is prayer — particularly if your usual pattern is tied to a commute, a morning alarm, or a church schedule that suddenly doesn't exist.

But summer can actually be a wonderful season to rediscover prayer in a freer form. Praying while walking. Sitting quietly in a garden. Journaling a conversation with God rather than rushing through a list.

If you've always wanted to go deeper with prayer but never felt you had the time, this is the season. There are some brilliant books to help — from practical guides on how to pray with more depth and honesty, to devotional collections that open scripture in fresh ways.

👉 Explore all prayer books at Eden

Quiet Time & Devotionals: A Little Goes a Long Way

You don't need an hour. Honestly, fifteen minutes with a good devotional can anchor a whole day.

Summer is a great time to establish — or rediscover — a simple daily quiet time. The beauty of devotional books is that they do a lot of the heavy lifting: a passage of scripture, a short reflection, a question or prayer prompt to sit with. They're designed for exactly the kind of unhurried morning that summer sometimes offers.

Whether you want something theologically rich, something emotionally honest, something for women or for men, for new Christians or for those decades into the faith — there's a devotional for where you are right now.

👉 Browse all devotional books at Eden

The Spiritual Disciplines: Ancient Rhythms for Modern Lives

There's a reason Christians have practised the same spiritual disciplines — fasting, solitude, simplicity, scripture meditation, sabbath — for two thousand years. They work. Not as a means of earning anything, but as a way of positioning yourself to receive from God.

Summer, with its disrupted timetables and margin for reflection, is actually a surprisingly good season to experiment with disciplines you've never tried. What would it look like to fast from your phone for a day? To practise a genuine sabbath - why not grab a copy of the new book from John Mark Comer and friends - Sabbath Meditations? To sit in silence for twenty minutes without filling it?

There are some extraordinary books on this subject — from accessible introductions to deeper explorations of what it means to train the soul, not just the mind.

👉 Discover books on the spiritual disciplines at Eden

Slowing Down: The Discipline Nobody Talks About Enough

Here's something worth naming: hurry is the enemy of spiritual depth.

We know this. We feel it — the frantic pace, the endless scroll, the sense that we're always slightly behind. And yet slowing down can feel almost countercultural, even in Christian circles.

Summer gives us a rare invitation to actually try it. Not to be lazy, but to be present. To eat meals slowly, to have conversations that aren't rushed, to notice things. This is not wasted time. This is formation.

A few books that speak directly into this:

• Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer — a compelling, honest challenge to the pace most of us are living at, and a practical guide to reclaiming a slower, more intentional way of following Jesus.

“I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It's an easy read, but it is full of great ideas and suggestions which will make a difference to your spiritual life. I heartily commend it to you.” Joseph, Eden Customer Review

Click Here to Buy Your Copy at Eden

• Small Steps for Big Change — for those who don't want sweeping overhauls but are ready for gentle, sustainable shifts in how they live. Find it at Eden
• A Year to Slow Down — a beautifully encouraging book for women navigating the tension between a full life and a longing for more peace. Find it at Eden

Down-Time Activities: Rest That Still Nourishes

Not everything has to be a book or a Bible study. Some of the best spiritual formation happens in the margins — in creative, restful activities that quiet the noise and help us pay attention.

Journaling is one of the most powerful and underrated spiritual practices there is. Processing your thoughts on paper, recording what you're grateful for, noticing where God has shown up — all of this shapes the soul quietly and deeply. Bible journaling, in particular, is a wonderful way to engage creatively with scripture.

👉 Explore journaling and Bible journaling resources at Eden

Adult colouring books with a Christian focus might sound small, but there's something genuinely restful about sitting quietly with colour and scripture. It's meditative. It bypasses the analytical brain and lets something deeper settle. Perfect for evenings, slow afternoons, or when you simply need to stop but don't know how - turn off your screens and grab a pencil/ pen, you won’t regret it.

👉 Browse all Christian adult colouring books at Eden

A Final Word

You don't have to do all of this. Pick one thing. Maybe it's finding a devotional that fits your summer mornings. Maybe it's finally reading that book on prayer. Maybe it's buying a journal and starting to use it. Maybe it's just going for a slow walk and letting God into the silence.