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Christian Author Arlene Cook 
Devotionals & Spiritual Growth for Women

What if God is closer than you think—showing up in ways you may not have noticed? Through 31 short stories that can be read as a devotional for personal and spiritual growth, this book will open your eyes to His presence in your everyday life—not in the lightning bolts you’ve been waiting for, but in the laughter that catches you off guard. The interrupted plan that turns into something better. The friend who listens without trying to fix you. The small worry He cares about because you care about it.

 

Discover what it means to move from striving to resting. From managing alone to partnering with a God who’s intimately present in the mess and beauty of your life. Maybe you don’t need more time with God. Maybe you need new eyes to see and experience Him in the time you already have.

 

Written with vulnerability and warmth by Dr. Arlene Mancilla Cook, ordained minister and counselor, this Christian devotional and personal growth book for women includes reflection questions that gently surface what you didn’t know was there—and awaken you to freedom, joy, and rest in ways you never expected.

 

Whether you’re seeking spiritual healing, self-improvement, or simply a fresh encounter with God, this book meets you exactly where you are.

 

No religious jargon. No guilt. No pressure. Just the invitation to notice God where you least expect Him—and discover you’ve never been alone.

Coming Soon

Why you’ll love it

  • 31 short, accessible devotionals — perfect for busy mornings or a few quiet minutes each day.

  • Written by an ordained minister and counselor, blending spiritual insight with emotional honesty.

  • Reflection questions at the end of every chapter to deepen personal growth and spiritual awareness.

  • Encourages moving from striving to resting: partnering with God in the mess and the beauty of everyday life.

  • Warm, non-judgmental tone — ideal for seekers, those craving healing, and women wanting fresh encounters with God.

Who it’s for...

For women who want spiritual formation that fits real life—mothers, professionals, students, and anyone who’s tired of religious pressure and ready for simple, practical encounters with God.

Meet The Author

Dr. Arlene Mancilla Cook is an ordained minister, counselor, and author based in Florida. Her writing blends pastoral insight and real-life stories to help women notice God in everyday moments. In Encounter God, she offers 31 gentle devotionals and reflection questions designed to bring rest, joy, and spiritual clarity.
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Arlene Cook Christian book author

"Snapshots and Inkspirations"

Find God in the Everyday

Bite-size devotionals and practical reflections for busy women. 

Devotional Blog — Short Reflections & Devotionals

Short devotionals, scripture reflections, and practical prompts by Dr. Arlene Mancilla Cook — designed to help busy women notice God in ordinary moments.

Glimpses of Wonder

I search for beauty hiding in plain sight. My eyes seek the stories others walk past.
Light dancing on water. Tears that tell a story. Spontaneous laughter–free and unrestrained. 
My camera freezes fleeting grace. My pen gives voice to what the lens discovers. God speaks through both.
Let these images transport you to sacred spaces where heaven touches earth. Listen as God whispers through ancient trees and across weathered bridges standing strong against time.
Words become windows. Images transform into doorways. Step through and discover Truth waiting in these captured moments.
Journey with me. Through shadow and light. Along quiet paths where beauty reveals itself to patient hearts.
This connection was always meant to be. Grab a cup of tea. Make yourself at home.

Marble Surface

Savor

You know that moment when you take the first sip of ice tea on a scorching summer day? The way it cools you from the inside out? Or that sweet taste of guarapo—that sugar cane drink that dances across your tongue, the gentle creak of a hammock beneath the shade of an ancient tree under the Colombian sun, the rhythm of waves kissing the shore around you? I caught myself this morning—pausing—the melodic song of a cardinal pulling me from hurried thoughts, his scarlet wings flashed against the pale blue sky, and for a breathtaking minute, nothing else mattered. That's what savoring is, my friend.To savor means to relish with unhurried delight. The Message translation reminds us, "Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him" (Psalm 34:8, MSG). When was the last time you ran toward delight rather than duty? It's not just tasting or smelling something pleasant—it's letting that pleasure sink bone-deep. It's standing fully in the now, refusing to rush ahead to the next moment, the next task, the next worry. "Taste and see that the LORD is good," invites the psalmist (Psalm 34:8, TPT). Have you allowed yourself the luxury of tasting lately? Of seeing—really seeing—the goodness scattered like gems throughout your ordinary days? Isn’t it interesting that after each act of creation, God didn't immediately move on to the next project? No—He paused. He noticed. "And God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:31) He savored what He'd made. The Passion Translation puts it beautifully: "Drink deeply of the pleasures of this God. Experience for yourself the joyous mercies he gives to all who turn to hide themselves in him." (Psalm 34:8, TPT) But let's be honest—we struggle with this, don't we? Our culture whispers (sometimes shouts) that our worth comes from productivity. When was the last time you put 'savor the sunset' on your to-do list? Or added 'pause beneath the night sky' to your agenda - to witness the black canvas shimmering with stars, each one a silent storyteller, all paying homage to the glorious, bold full moon? What if our most meaningful accomplishments aren't tasks we can check off, but moments that we fully inhabit? Maybe true wealth isn't measured in hours worked, but in breaths that catch at the sight of beauty. In a world racing forward, maybe wisdom lies in standing still long enough to let wonder find you. Lisa Graham McMinn writes in The Contented Soul: The Art of Savoring Life: "An unintended byproduct of our self-determining, productive, economically vibrant and enriched lives is that we forget who we are. We forget that we are souls.” I wonder if our constant restlessness, our lack of contentment, our pursuit of the next thing, comes from missing the treasures God scatters throughout our ordinary days. "Every good gift bestowed, every perfect gift received comes to us from above, courtesy of the Father of lights." (James 1:17, MSG) Savoring requires us to live in the now, to focus on what's right before us. Daily, the Divine Artist scatters treasures across our path—the steam curling from your coffee cup. The laughter of a child. The weight of your loved one’s hand in yours. The first star appearing in the twilight sky. What ordinary wonder is inviting your attention today? What simple pleasure is God offering you to savor right now? Maybe our spiritual practice for today is simply this: to pause, to notice, to delight—to savor each moment as the sacred gift it truly is. Will you accept the invitation to savor today? Reference: The Contented Soul: The Art of Savoring Life (Lisa Graham McMinn)

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