Hello, lovely friends!

Have you noticed that things look a bit different around here? We’ve changed up some things and we are very excited about the future. 

This website format is going to hold lots of new goodies for you. Click around and see! We’ve changed our email platform, too. The old platform wasn’t working well for us for a number of reasons, but the main reason was it’s a huge monthly expense that just wasn’t sustainable. We’ve been surprised by all the inherent costs to publishing and to maintaining various venues to build community. It’s been a couple years since Take Up & Read began, and it was time to see where we are and figure out a way to continue. We took some time to do some research, pray, and discern, and now we believe we have found a plan that is both accessible and sustainable. 

We’re moving to a subscriber-based model for Take Up & Read. Beginning in September, we’ll continue to post the Scripture plan (chapters and verses) for our studies on our website for free . If you are happy with that arrangement and won’t miss the essays and journaling pages in our books, don't do anything at all—you're good to go!

If you want more, you’ll be happy to hear that we have an idea for delivering essays and beautiful, printable graphic support right to your inbox. Beginning in September, you’ll need to sign up to be a member of our community

Members will be all-in for all the goodies:

Grace Notes | In your inbox on the first Sunday of each month

Once a week, members will receive our “Grace Notes,” a Scripture study and reflection to help you center your heart and find Jesus’s presence in Ordinary Time. Written by Elizabeth Foss, each essay explores specific biblical themes and reflects on how to apply the grace of these truths to our everyday lives. All original and new content, the essays are focused on promoting biblical literacy and connection to Scripture in women’s hearts in all seasons of life.

The Digital magazine Heart & Home | in your inbox in the middle of the month

The digital magazine connects members with the core team and contributors at Take Up & Read, providing an insight to how faith is lived in the lives of the women behind-the-scenes. Reflective, informative, and full of curated resources, the e-magazine is more than a newsletter. It’s a comprehensive guide to finding the graces in liturgical living and the holiness of intentional moments during ordinary time.

Access to our exclusive Facebook Group with special Live! chats

Women who join our Facebook group exclusively for Take Up & Read members will find a place for kind conversation with fellow Take Up & Read members who have like-minded hearts. Here, you can engage with other members who share your passion for Scripture, pray for each other, and receive updates and reminders on content, and more. Once a month, join contributing members of the Task Up & Read team for a Facebook Live! chat on Scripture study and liturgical living. These talks will be archived so you can view them any time.

Downloadable Tools of Encouragement

Members will receive printable tools intentionally designed exclusively for our Scripture plans that will deepen Scripture study and liturgical life. Each month is unique and will offer a different variety of digital products.

If you think you’re going to miss the printed journals (me, too), please be assured there will be an Advent and a Lent journal, printed and at the ready for you, just like always. Those will be available for purchase at Amazon in all the ways you know and love. Take Up & Read will always be a promoter and provider of print journals. We’re moving to a hybrid model, but we will continue to offer our entire bank of print books for sale, and will be adding to them at least every Advent and Lent. You can always purchase the previously published journals on Amazon.

We believe this new model will have many benefits beyond simple financial responsibility and sustainability. 

• Habit building: weekly email deliveries will encourage accountability

• Closer Community: bigger isn’t always better. A small community of women dedicated to building a habit of regular Scripture study, even if it is “just” online, has the power 

  • to pray intentionally for each other, 

  • encourage each other to persevere, 

  • ask questions, and 

  • participate more meaningfully in discussions. 

• A library of materials that will be at your fingertips, whenever you’re ready, wherever you are. 

  • Want to re-read last month’s essays because of what’s going on in your life today? Print and go. 

  • Kids finally old enough to appreciate the printable kids’ books? Print and go.

  • Need current liturgical year art or art that dovetails with your study? Print and frame or tape to your fridge.

This month, as you get ready for all the new that autumn holds, I have some Scriptures to consider and some big thoughts about them. If you want those, you don’t need to do a thing. Plus, you will receive the first edition of our e-magazine and some lovely printables.

We want you to have a chance to see what it’s all about. So, August is free.

Next month's study will only go out to paid subscribers. There may be some hiccups as we figure out this new system and we would appreciate your patience as we transition. 

This is incredibly hard for me to do, but I am heartened by the enthusiasm of many of you who have encouraged me to do it. Honestly, it’s the only sustainable way forward and I hope and pray it is indeed sustainable. 

We want to assure you that if money is an issue for you and you truly can't afford to subscribe, please just let me know. We'll figure something out.