Some devotional books are written from behind a quiet desk. Texting With Jesus was born on a concrete shop floor, surrounded by noise, deadlines, and the steady hum of machines.
For years, Michael James Smith has spent his days measuring,
cutting, and checking tolerances, making sure every part fits exactly where
it’s supposed to go. Three years ago, he realized his own heart needed the same
careful attention. So he did something simple and brave: he started texting
short morning messages to his family. One Scripture. One thought. One reminder
that Jesus was still in control, even when the day ahead felt overwhelming. The
list grew, the stories multiplied, and before long those texts became a daily
lifeline for forty-two people walking through real-life joys and heartbreaks.
That’s the heartbeat of Texting With Jesus,
now launching as a full-year devotional. The book follows the rhythm those
texts created. Each dated entry begins like a message from a trusted friend:
“Good morning, love you.” Then it gently leads you into Scripture, offers a
plain-spoken reflection, and closes with a prayer, a practical “today” step,
and an affirmation you can carry into your shift, your commute, your classroom,
or your kitchen sink.
As you move through the pages, you’ll notice themes that
keep circling back, not as slogans, but as invitations. Five intentional
minutes with God can change the tone of an entire day. Discipline grows one
minute at a time. A real relationship is more than religion. Prayer moves
heaven even when you can’t see it. Hope, faith, and courage are built in the
middle of ordinary Mondays, not just on spiritual mountaintops. There are
readings about viewing God rightly, cleaning the house of your heart, listening
instead of leading, waiting when you want to rush, and choosing to praise in
the very middle of a storm.
This book isn’t about adding another pretty book to your
shelf; it’s about putting something living and usable into your hands. Keep Texting
With Jesus on your nightstand, your toolbox, your desk, or next to your
coffee maker. Open it to today’s date, read slowly, breathe, and let Jesus meet
you in the real world you actually live in, on the line, in the break room, in
traffic, in the quiet just before bed, one small text of truth at a time.
Consider it an invitation to start again: one reading, one
prayer, one step at a time, trusting that Jesus is already in your day.