Books & Devotionals
Return to grace. Reorder what shapes you. Remain in God's presence.
Featured Devotional
Coming Back to What Holds You
A devotional in three movements — an invitation to slow down, anchor yourself in the Word, and dwell deeply in the presence of God. Not a devotional to rush through, but one to return to day after day.
Book signing: Sunday, May 24, 11:30am-1pm, Fellowship Hall at Tanner. See event details.
Inside the Book
Opening the book…
Why I Wrote This
There is a benediction we speak at the close of every worship service — words so familiar they can almost slip past you without landing:
"Now may the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit rest, rule, and abide — now, henceforth, and forevermore. Amen." — 2 Corinthians 13:14
One Sunday, those last words wouldn't let me go: rest, rule, and abide.
I sat with them for days. I turned them over. And I started asking questions I hadn't asked before: How does one actually rest? What are we allowing to rule our lives — and do we even know? And what does it mean to abide — to truly sit with God and let Him work?
I understood, theologically, that the resting, ruling, and abiding belonged to the grace of God, the love of Jesus, and the communion of the Holy Spirit. I got that. But I felt called to go deeper — inward. Because the question wasn't only about what God offers. It was about whether we are positioned to receive it.
Do we rest long enough to let grace settle in us?
Do we examine what is actually ruling our lives — and surrender it?
Do we create the space to simply abide — unhurried, expectant, present?
Those questions sent me into a season of searching, reflecting, and studying. And as I grew, I knew I couldn't keep what I was learning to myself.
I am about learning. I am about teaching. REST · RULE · ABIDE was born from that conviction — an invitation for us to go on this journey together.
I am about learning. I am about teaching. I couldn't keep this to myself.— Rev. Sylvia Bills
Who This Is For
This devotional is for the one who is weary — but still showing up.
It is for the person whose days are full but whose soul feels empty. The one caught in the current of hurry and worry and doing — moving so fast that slowing down feels like a luxury they can't afford. The one who loves God but hasn't had a real conversation with Him in longer than they'd like to admit.
It is for the overwhelmed. The tired. The worn down.
It is for the believer who wants to walk with God — not just near Him, not just about Him — but with Him. Present. Unhurried. Connected.
If you have ever felt like life is happening to you faster than you can process it, this devotional was written with you in mind. If you have longed to slow down but didn't know how, these pages will meet you there.
You don't have to have it all together to begin. You just have to be willing to come.
Return to grace. Reorder what shapes you. Remain in God's presence.REST · RULE · ABIDE
An Excerpt — Day 22
When habit becomes authority, you stop asking why. You continue patterns because they are known, not because they are faithful. Familiar ways of thinking, reacting, and responding begin to shape your life more than intentional trust in God.
REST · RULE · ABIDE — Rev. Sylvia Bills
Reader Reviews
This devotional met me gently but powerfully right where I was.
— david h.
REST · RULE · ABIDE was more than a devotional for me; it was a mirror.
— SHNELLE STEWART
This is a wonderfully soothing, enjoyable and uplifting guide, which you will no doubt refer to again and again.
— MARK JOHNSON
This devotion had a profound impact on me because it felt like a personal conversation that spoke to my heart and soul.
— D. MARGOLIS
Also by Rev. Bills
A Spiritual Journey from Bondage to Boldness in Christ
A 29-chapter spiritual journey through surrender, healing, and the freedom God promises to those who trust Him with everything — including the things they've held too long. Be the first to know when it's available.
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