Ordinary Altars: A Guided Journal

This companion journal invites you to weave the heart of Sarah Bessey’s Ordinary Altars into your everyday—a guided journey through the work of living a faithful, meaningful life when the world is on fire and nothing has turned out as advertised.

In Ordinary Altars: A Guided Journal, you will journey through the ordinary altars of your life—those unseen, uncelebrated places where God is present in the everyday—especially now, when headlines are overwhelming, our systems feel broken, and despair seems like the wiser choice. These pages are your invitation to engage with the realities of the world around us and decide to love the world anyway, whether you’re rebuilding faith after deconstruction, weary from performance-driven spirituality, or simply seeking a truer way of being with God.

Through thoughtful prompts, reflection questions, storytelling exercises, and accessible spiritual practices,
you will explore how to love our place, our people, and our limitations with courage. You’ll make space for lament, rediscover joy in the regular, and learn to see your own stories as the defiant choice and act of protest that loving can be in the world.

Ordinary Altars: A Guided Journal doesn’t promise a formula for faith—but it does offer the humble, healing work of showing up to your life and finding that God is already there.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs