Sacred Ordinary Days

I'm one of the fortunate clergy in the Episcopal Diocese of California who received the 2020-2021 Planner as a gift from my bishop. It just appeared in the mail and I didn't know until our Deacons' Zoom Meeting that week where it came from. I'm semi-retired, so I'm using the planner for my prayer life and study. It's just what I need right now to discern the next journey God has planned for me and getting through this pandemic and the strange times we're living in. The planner is well-designed, with clear, concise, instructions and the inclusion of the Daily Office readings from the Lectionary are a bonus - no fumbling with a Prayer Book and Bible. Thank you and God continue to walk with you. Ellen+

I have been using my planner for six months now. The most valuable part for me has been the structure offered by the liturgical calendar and the daily lectionary readings. I feel like I'm connected to the global Christian community in a way I've never experienced. Oddly enough, the structure has freed me from attempting to find the "perfect" passage to read each day in my Bible. Having my Scripture readings planned for me has allowed me to experience the Spirit communicating to me in unique ways--several times the scheduled reading was like the Lord speaking right to me! Finally, having just enough space for each day's notes, tasks, and thoughts has kept me from feeling overwhelmed by a blank journal page staring at me. I'm a stay-at-home mom with two little ones under the age of 5, and this planner has been invaluable in keeping me connected to the Lord.

A someone who loves to follow the liturgical seasons, in a church that doesn't focus a great deal on these, this diary is a great way of prompting me and keeping me in line with the broader church. I do have to say I love the IDEA of daily bible reading and journaling IN THE SAME PLACE that I plan the practicalities of my day, but this year has kind of gone out the window for me and my diary has been sadly underutilised. I also LOVE the idea of all of the relfection pages but again, haven't fully utilised them - my problem, not yours. I am planning to purchase the WEEKLY planner for next year as I do like being able to see one week to a page, but I am also so keen for the other gems you have hidden all through and don't want to miss these. I only wish postage to Australia wasn't so exorbitant. Any chance you could stock through some local stores I wonder...

It's been years since I used a paper planner and using one again has been such a joy! The weekly examen has been such a wonderful addition to my Sunday afternoons, the practice of slowing down to reflect on the week really has a way of halting life from just blowing by. The thoughtful design and daily scripture reading has me loyal again to paper planners, so excited to get my next one!

I love the Sacred Ordinary Days Planner for how I can use it to help ground my days in truth & grace. The perfectionist in me gets upset when I cannot complete the Daily pages to the depth I’d like to, so for this next liturgical year I’ll be trying the Weekly version. Thankful for this tool that steadies me and turns me toward the only One who does not change.

When covid hit, I needed to shift my organizational structure. I love the planner which keeps me focused on my priorities and spacious in my dreaming. It’s all there. Simple, beautiful and spacious. Love it. Thank you.

I have been using Sacred Ordinary Days Planner since the first year. Each year I dive deeper and deeper into the rhythms. In the midst of COVID-19, my planner has been the basic building block of each day. Without it I feel I am missing a piece of myself. I love that there is ample white space for doodling/notes/keeping track of parishioner's prayer request, hospital dates and more. I enjoy keeping them on my shelf and reminding myself what I've journeyed through, how I've grown like journals.

I've always been into the idea of a paper planner but follow through was difficult. I have trouble developing a daily habit and so many of the planners out there have cool gimmicks that just also happen to add complexity to the planning. If they work for you then fantastic, there are lots of cool choices!! However for me, I already have a daily worship practice that similarly took great difficult to develop so since I at least have that, this planner ended up being the perfect way for me to double down on my spiritual practice by adding a planning segment to my daily rhythm and FINALLY, FINALLY, hallelujah the habit stuck. What I particularly like is the way it harmonizes with my study practice and doesn't expect me to plan my day in detail (which if I try, I also have a hard time sticking to). It simply asks me to set a few priorities and let my day flow through them, and with the scriptural prompts it lets me do this in the context of god's light which illuminates his plan for me as I am planning. It's a really beautiful system and I'm so grateful for it. Thank you!!

I am a Spiritual Director, Supervisor, and writer. I just love the new size, the format - the way the pages are laid out. I have been using ‘your’ planners for 4 years now … somehow this years ‘feels’ different. I decided on the Red, and oh my, am I glad I did.

Its funny (I could go on and on 😁) … how these planners have shaped and formed my life (especially as a SD and writer). The tools that support my spiritual growth, my Rule of life, as well as, give meaning and depth in my life are all beautifully laid out … the daily lectionary, the examen, following the church calendar, etc. Thank you. It has become important to name my three priorities for day to bring order and dignity to my like. Many days “Breath and no hurry” are one of the priorities. 😁

I have also become aware of the movement of God’s voice and activity in my life as I reflect and muse each morning. The planners have become a witness to God’s love and blessing in my life as the days and years go by. I love looking back one or two years and see what God, as well as my inner and outer world, were up to then. I have tried many many other planners for different areas of my life, however … it is this planner that is consistently used and 'gets to’ travel with me everywhere I go - overseas and all my travels. (I have a stack of unused / barely used planners by the side of my desk to remind me I do not need another planner.) I have all I need. My planners have logged many a mile with me, reminding me what is important and meaningful in my life and helping to create space to listen to the voice of the Holy. Well done and thank you!

I just started my second Academic Year planner. It is not an exaggeration to say that this planner has changed my life. Having the lectionary readings right there, without having to fumble around with the BCP, makes it so easy to stay on track. I start each morning with my planner and it has really helped me to prioritize my faith in my daily life. It has also increased my sense of mental health and well-being because I am more closely connected to the Word and what it means for my life. Thank you for continuing to make these! WIth love from Boston, MA.

I had the honor of previewing the new weekly layout and giving some feedback. I appreciate both the daily and weekly layouts, but the weekly is by far my favorite. Honestly, having used the weekly in previous years, it didn't need any alterations to be wonderful. But what Julie and the team have done with this has made a good thing even better! The Rule of Life section alone nearly makes the purchase worthwhile. How they've approached the weekly Examen spread is thoughtful and appropriate. There is just enough guidance throughout the days/sections to be helpful, but then the team gave themselves permission to step back and let us ponder and let the Spirit lead us to use these wonderful pages in ways that speaks to us personally. I'm thinking of the Sabbath white space and the bulleted priority lists. It's so clear that this was put together with prayer and intention. The weekly spreads are functional for planning out your days/weeks. The included quotes are wonderful for pondering and learning. I just can't recommend this planner enough. I'm so grateful for these folks. They are filling a space that needed to be filled. This will be my 3rd year using this planner, and each year it just gets better. Thanks y'all!

I have recently been using the Book of Common Prayer as part of my daily rhythm and am happy that I now have a planner to work alongside it. As a stay at home mom, I love having the weekly format as it seems less daunting to me than keeping up with a daily planner. I usually use Sunday as my day to rest, reflect and plan ahead, so the Monday start day is perfect for me. The size and weight are great for taking with me when I need to and fit perfectly in the kitchen drawer that is my command station. 😊 The only difficult thing is choosing just one of the beautiful covers.
This isn’t just a planner that will help me organize my day, it is a planner that will help me create a rhythm of life that will be a source of steadiness and comfort in a rapidly changing and unsteady world. It is such a gift!

I am so excited that this resource is coming back! I used the weekly planner in the past and I love that it served as a way to orient my weekly planning while allowing a lot of freedom to incorporate other resources into my planning/journaling/bible reading. I love that Sacred Ordinary Days sets up the planner to be a touchstone and a starting point whenever you come back to it, and I love that the weekly version provides many of the same resources as the daily planner, but the simpler format was so helpful to me in not getting lost or overwhelmed in the way I did for the daily planner. I especially loved the examen pages, and learning to practice this new-to-me routine.

I'm also excited for the smaller, slimmer version of this year's planner and the beautiful cover options! I am also loving the change to start with Monday - I've recently changed all calendars in my life to this orientation (when possible) to remind me of the way that God oriented the week - 6 days of work followed by a rest.

I can't tell you how many planners I've used over the years.
This is the first one that worked well with my pattern as a pastor, as well as supported my individual spirituality.
The weekly exam is a welcome rest from a busy schedule and serves to help connect my heart with God and focus for a new week.
The weekly quotes offer insight and inspiration.
The space to identify priorities has revolutionized the way I think about my work days and my days off.
The Sabbath pages are a GIFT. Full of white space, this page welcomes creativity and ease.
I am SO grateful for this planner, and am content to be a loyal customer for as long as these planners are available.

I was thrilled and blessed to be among those who got a sneak peek at the new weekly planner and had an opportunity to give feedback on the design. The various components of the planner help keep God at the center and life from being too overwhelming. I am a weekly planner user, as I like to see my whole week laid out before me; otherwise I have a tendency to miss things I need to do! I have been looking at the Sacred Ordinary Days planners for a couple of years, and now is my chance to finally see how this can bring more rhythm to my days with the weekly option now available. Thanks for all the hard work that has gone into making this wonderful resource.

I have been using this planner more as a journal and a bible reading prompt in 2020. It has really made a difference in the way my day starts. Loving it!

I truly love this planner. It helps me bring rhythm and intention to my day. I love the ability to not only identify key tasks, but to set a rest or reward for completing each. It is so easy to get into production mode, thinking we just need to go - go - go - but the SOD planner reminds me to stop and take a breath, to reconnected with the Spirit and refocus my day on what truly matters.

I had a chance to review the preview copy and I can't say enough about the new weekly version. The Rule of Life Section is broken down, explained in detail, but not overwhelming. The Examen pages have more white space. There's enough room and flexibility in the weekly planner to list priorities, appointments and to-dos. The best part is the new Sabbath pages. If your Sabbath is not on a Sunday, you'll love the difference. If it on Sunday, you'll like the space to keep the Sabbath practice, but also see Sunday's priorities and to-dos along with the rest of the week. Plus, I find it easier to plan the weekend with Sat/Sun together and do Sabbath and Examen as a reset for the week ahead.

I've had several of these planners over the years. I wasn't a daily user (for any planner, not just SOD) so I actually didn't buy one a couple of years ago and missed using this one. There's just something about living within the ligurgial calendar that makes me be intentional about the bigger picture - and the little things - that really matter in the long run. The SOD planner has information on the seasons and the website has many resources to help you explore in more depth.

There's white space and extra pages for notes, pasting in quotes, prayers, pictures and what-not.

The SOD team continues to refine these planners - the are a beautiful, useful and quality product.

Especially in this time of WFH, having a rhythm for your life keeps you focused. My meetings and appointments are kept on my phone, but this has become a place for me to write reflections and big picture priorities for each day. A place for me to find scripture to meditate on, and each week to recenter myself as I continue to live and breathe God's Word.

I have found this to be my most used planner ever, out of many systems that I have tried. The weekly layout allows for structure while also giving my schedule the ability to adapt quickly to whatever happens without my needing to start over or destroy the current page. I also love the structure of the liturgical year, as that has long been part of my life but only informally. Weekly examen and Sabbath pages support me in my walk as well without making me feel trapped. In all, this planner has brought together so much of what helps me to hold on when it all hits the fan.

I leave this little cross in my pocket, and it helps me to refocus my day. Any time I slip my hand in my pocket, I am reminded to recenter my thoughts and actions on God. It is small enough to fit in your pocket and the shape and smoothness makes it easy to hold.

I love using this cross as a fidget tool when having conversations with young people who engage so much better when their hands are busy. It is beautifully carved and I love the faint scent of olive.

I wasn't expecting much, it's just a wooden cross, but I thought it would be neat to place on a side table as a sort of curiosity. But I found that sometimes when I am especially worried or contemplative, I enjoy picking it up to hold and touch while I'm praying. I can fidget with it as I form my prayer and it provides a sense of comfort that as I am turning it over in my hands, I am literally turning it over to god with my prayer, and that he understands my worry and participates in the solution with me. One of those purchases you love way more than you knew you needed. Yay!!

I love this book. It has been a great way to begin my time with the Lord each morning. It's been a wonderful way to join in prayers and scripture that many others are also praying--a deep reminder that we are not walking this journey alone. I have also very much appreciated the midday and evening prayers as a great rhythm to incorporate into my day. I also appreciate the way it reflects on key dates in history as an often sober reminder of where we have been as we seek to pursue the Kingdom on this earth.

I have always understood prayer as a conversation with God, which with my ADHD, means that I get off track within 5 minutes. This book has given me some beautiful structure with prayer, song, and scripture to begin my day and then to have a point to focus on throughout my day when I need a break from work. It has been a centering experience for me.

Recipient loved it. I appreciated the ability to include a gift note!

I have a wall display where I place a ceramic cross and a little box that I keep mementos and it has a horizontal bar underneath the shelf. I am not sure what it's really for, but when I saw these towels I finally realized what I could hang there. I got the "Come Thou Fount" one to start with and am loving it, I plan on collecting others so I can change them out with the seasons.