Start Where You Are
I am coming back to faith
Quiet, gentle ways to return, at whatever pace feels right.
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.So he set out and came to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let’s eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.“He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate; for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
Coming back can feel awkward, and that is all right. In this passage the father runs to meet his son before he has finished explaining himself.
There is no need to rush. A few minutes of prayer and Scripture each day is a good way to start again.
A few quiet minutes
Short daily readings and prayers you can listen to or read on your own.
- DevotionalsProvisional
Lectio 365
24-7 Prayer
A free daily prayer app with morning, midday, and night devotionals that can be read or listened to. Morning prayer follows a set rhythm: pause, rejoice with a psalm, reflect on Scripture, ask for God’s help, and yield to his will.
- Cost
- Free
- Time
- Under an hour
- Where
- Online
- Format
- App · Introductory
Last verified October 4, 2026
- Bible studyProvisional
Dwell Audio Bible
Dwell
An audio-Bible app built for listening rather than reference: multiple narrators, optional music beds, listening plans, and passage looping across several translations. The design goal is to make hearing Scripture a daily habit.
- Cost
- Paid
- Time
- Ongoing
- Where
- Online
- Format
- App · Introductory
Last verified September 20, 2026
- DevotionalsProvisional
Morning and Evening
Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon’s classic daily devotional: a morning and an evening reading for every day of the year, each hung on a single verse and written in dense, quotable prose. Public domain, so it is readable free in full and bundled into most Bible apps.
- Cost
- Free
- Time
- Ongoing
- Where
- Online
- Format
- Devotional · Introductory
Last verified September 20, 2026
Songs and stories
Music and stories can reach places that are hard to put into words.
- Music & worshipProvisional
Getty Music
Getty Music
The modern hymn-writing of Keith and Kristyn Getty — “In Christ Alone” and a growing hymnbook written to be sung by a whole congregation and to carry doctrine you can still recall years later. The site offers recordings, lyrics and lead sheets, and the annual Sing! resources for local churches.
- Cost
- Free
- Time
- Ongoing
- Where
- Online
- Format
- Music · Introductory
Last verified September 20, 2026
- Film & seriesProvisional
The Hiding Place
World Wide Pictures
Corrie ten Boom and her family hide Jews above their Haarlem watch shop, are betrayed, and are sent to Ravensbrück. Adapted from Corrie's own book and made by Billy Graham's film company in 1975.
- Cost
- Paid
- Time
- A few hours
- Where
- Online
- Who for
- Teens · Film
Last verified September 8, 2026
- Books & readingProvisional
The Pilgrim’s Progress
John Bunyan
Bunyan’s 1678 allegory of the Christian life as a journey — Christian leaving the City of Destruction and travelling, through the Slough of Despond, Vanity Fair, and the Valley of the Shadow, to the Celestial City. Public domain and readable free in full, in the browser or as a download.
- Cost
- Free
- Time
- Weeks
- Where
- Online
- Format
- Book · Introductory
Last verified September 20, 2026
Back among people
When you are ready, serving alongside others is a low-pressure way to be part of a community again.
- Benevolence & reliefVerified
Volunteer with a refugee family
World Relief
Local offices place volunteers with newly arrived refugee families for airport welcomes, apartment setup, English practice, and the long, ordinary work of a first year in a new country.
- Time
- Weekly rhythm
- Where
- United States
- Area
- Benevolence & relief
Last verified September 8, 2026
- Prison & re-entryVerified
Deliver Christmas presents with Angel Tree
Prison Fellowship
Angel Tree lets a church provide and deliver Christmas presents to children on behalf of their incarcerated parent, given in the parent's name with a message from them. The same organisation runs in-prison academies and re-entry mentoring that need volunteers the rest of the year.
- Time
- One-off
- Where
- United States
- Area
- Prison & re-entry
Last verified September 8, 2026
