Chittister (The Seasons of Life), known as "Sister Joan" to her readers and admirers, is the executive director of Benetvision: A Resource Center for Contemporary Spirituality. Here, she chooses to introduce each month's meditations with a verse from one of the Psalms, the "oldest prayers in the Judeo-Christian tradition," which "show us that our hopes and fears, desires and emotions are just like the rest of humanity's” while giving us the assurance of God’s "caring presence and loving help in every situation.” She suggests that the reader say the month's chosen verse before each day's reading. Each month, for the reader's further guidance, Chittister provides a brief, thoughtful comment following the Psalm verse and preceding the concise and provocative daily readings based on or around the verse. Consoling as all of this sounds, the questions raised by the daily readings will cause reader/users to reflect deeply upon several aspects of their lives and to examine their belief systems, their values and their priorities.

Author Joan Chittister suggests that we say the verse of the month before each daily reading. By the end of the month we will probably have memorized it. “It will find a soft spot in your heart. Most of all, it will bring your heart the comfort of the ages.” The daily readings are brief. Some, in fact, are just a sentence or two. For example: July 4: “Memory of God’s apology for distance. Enjoy it.” Or, March 5: “The beauty of suffering is that it enables us to understand the suffering of others.” And September 24: “Being angry is not the issue. Being hurtful is.”

Segments from twelve psalms set the tone for each of the twelve months of the year. Following the psalms are short daily meditations that develop various themes of the respective psalm. The author suggests that the psalm verse could be said before reading the reflections. This simple “thought for the day" can help bring the psalms into everyday life and prayer.