Summer 2024: Savor

Finding delight in the right now

Warmer days are here! A new season always means a new seasonal focus here at The Bookery, and this summer is no different! For the months of June, July and August, we’ll be exploring what it means to savor. From savoring particular seasons of our lives to a few savory recipes (you know we couldn’t resist!), we’ll be trying to discover what it looks like to savor or delight in the lives we’re living right now.

To help us gain a deeper understanding of our Summer 2024 theme, we sat down with our founder, Mandy Crow, for a short conversation about what you can expect here at The Bookery this summer. 

Where did the idea for “savor” come from? 

Last year, I took a long weekend to devote myself to dreaming about, planning for and praying over the next year of The Bookery. Some of that weekend was very tactical—trying to outline broad themes for our scheduled reading plans and figuring out seasonal theme ideas. When I sat down to think about seasonal themes, the idea of savoring the moment or delighting in the right now kept coming to mind. As I was outlining the 2024 editorial plan for The Bookery, summer seemed like the perfect time to focus on this topic. 

What do you mean by “savor”? 

To savor something is to enjoy or appreciate something completely. It’s to find delight in something and to make sure you enjoy every last morsel of it. I’m good at savoring desserts and good cups of coffee; I’m sometimes terrible at savoring the moment I’m in or seasons of life I don’t love. It’s so easy to focus on the next big thing in life or how life will be better when this season is over, but when I do that, I lose sight of the moment I’ve actually been given. That doesn’t mean we put on a happy face and pretend like truly terrible situations are the best things ever—they’re not!—but it does mean that we approach all circumstance in our lives with the understanding that they matter and that God can and will use them for something. To me, savoring is coming to our lives with the attitude that nothing is wasted in God’s hands—not our sorrow or pain or our happiness and achievements. Everything matters, and we should live our lives in a way that recognizes and affirms that truth. 

Is there anything you’re planning that readers could speak into? 

Well, actually, yes! We’re hoping to do a series of articles that focus on savoring different aspects of life or different Christian disciplines. So what does it really look like in a real, live person’s life to savor Scripture? To find delight and joy even in a season of grief? To delight in singleness or motherhood or the unknown? What does it mean to savor God’s Word or delight in God’s faithfulness? We’d love for our readers to tell us about ways they seek to practice “savoring” in the very real moments of their lives. If you’re interested in sharing a bit of your story or what you’ve learned, or if you’d like to nominate someone for us to reach out to, just send an email to mandy@thebookery.org. 

What will you be savoring this summer? 

I don’t have kids, so summer can sometimes feel like the same old routine for me if I let it. But summer can feel a little more relaxed than other seasons, and I’m hoping to lean in and savor that. There will definitely be a lot of reading and writing, things I enjoy, and taking in a few movies and singer/songwriter rounds. Before it gets too hot and humid here in Nashville, I’m hoping for long walks with my dog (we’ll still take walks when it’s muggy and HOT in August, they’ll just be shorter), try some new recipes and schedule time to just hang out with friends and family. I’m planning a summer trip, and I’ll get to spend time with several of my nieces and nephews when they head out on a summer adventure of their own. I love to travel and see new places, so I’m also hoping to sprinkle in a few day trips here and there to unique Tennessee locations. I’ve lived here for nearly 25 years, and there’s still so much I haven’t seen! 

What delightful plans do you have for this summer? Let us know in the comments!