Between busy summer adventures, classes, and commitments during the year, and everything else that comes with being a college student, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle of daily life. One of the best ways to relax and quiet your mind is by reading a book. But sometimes finding the perfect book can be a stressful task all its own. That's why we decided to do the hard work and create the perfect list of books for you.

Our devotion focuses on today’s Gospel and comes from LifeLight: Mark—Leaders Guide.

The Old Testament Reading, Lamentations 3:22–33, is our focus today. We take our devotion from Concordia Pulpit Resources.

As we remember the presentation of the Augsburg Confession, we read about what the reformers confessed the church to be—or rather who she is, and who is her head. Our devotion is from Augsburg Today: This We Believe, Teach and Confess.

Let’s face it, life is a bit messier than we would like to admit. Our children spread paint all over a new couch. Our bodies age and our clothes don’t fit like they used to. Illness attacks (sometimes in the form of middle-of-the-night stomach flu). Feelings are hurt. Hearts are broken. The list could go on and on. We work tirelessly to fix this messiness, to clean it up, to patch it, and cover it. Sometimes I lose sleep thinking about solutions to problems that have not even presented themselves yet. I am a slave to the mess of this world.  Amid this brokenness, I have never received a more obvious lesson in Christ's redemptive work than an especially challenging evening with my seven-year-old.

The Gospel for today is St. Mark’s account of Jesus calming the storm. This miracle demonstrates Jesus’ divinity and power over all creation, and it points to His greatest act of rescue for mankind: bearing our sins on the cross and rising again to defeat sin, death, and Satan. Our devotional reading is from Growing in Christ: Middle School Teacher Guide (NT2).

Last week, the gas light came on in my car. It was time to fill up. That morning, I had left a bit late and had a meeting, so I was slightly annoyed when the gas was pumping slower than normal. I got about four gallons in and thought to myself, "That will get me far enough." So I took off. I had a couple of places to drive that day and had confirmation class that night as well. As I was driving home from confirmation, ding: the gas-light came on again. Running on empty, after having stopped for gas up that morning.

“The days go slowly, but the years go quickly.”

The Gospel of the day, which discusses the parable of the seed growing and the parable of the mustard seed, is our focus today. Our devotion is from Meditations on the Gospels.

Dads, have your children ever asked any of the following questions: “Why is my dad not like other dads? When I look at dad’s lifestyle, why does he live the way he lives? Why does dad live such a questionable life?”