I grew up in church, and I still can't tell you much about Mary, the mother of Jesus. We'd hear her name at Christmas, see her in the nativity play, and then she'd pretty much disappear until next December. So when I got the chance to read Let It Be Me by Mary Aloe, a devotional built around Mary's life and her faith, I was curious what I'd been missing.
Turns out, a lot. Here's what this book is, who it's for, the question a lot of readers will have before they buy it, and why it's earned a spot in my devotional rotation.
Disclosure: I received this book free and was compensated in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.
⚡ Key Takeaways
- 📖 Let It Be Me by Mary Aloe is a devotional with 100 short devotions inspired by Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her "yes" to God.
- ✋ It's a compact 5-by-8-inch hardcover that fits easily in one hand, with comfortable print and line spacing.
- 🙏 Each devotion pairs an insight with a practical reflection and a short prayer, so it only takes a few minutes a day.
- 👩 It's a great fit for women who want to learn more about Mary as a woman of faith, especially if church never taught you much about her.
- 🎁 It makes a meaningful Advent or Christmas gift, and it works year-round as an encouraging daily read.
What Let It Be Me Is About
The title comes from Mary's answer to the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:38, when she's told she'll give birth to Jesus. In the King James Version, she says, "Be it unto me according to thy word." She was young, she didn't have all the answers, and she said yes anyway. The whole book grows out of that moment.
Let It Be Me has 100 devotions drawn from Mary's courageous yes and the lifelong journey that followed. Each one pairs a thoughtful insight with a practical reflection and a simple prayer. The topics follow real life: uncertainty, grief, hope, and the everyday kind of resilience most of us need just to get through a Tuesday.
Mary Aloe calls the heart of her approach "Marynating." It's her word for intentionally soaking in Mary's virtues, compassion, and wisdom so her example can shape your own life. In an interview with Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper, Aloe named qualities like courage, compassion, forgiveness, and faith as the ones she hopes readers carry into their everyday lives.
Who Is Mary Aloe?
Mary Aloe is a film and TV producer and the founder of Aloe Entertainment. She produced Mary, the 2024 Netflix film about the mother of Jesus that's been watched by millions of people. This devotional is her first book, and it was inspired by her work on that film. You can see more of her projects on Mary Aloe's press page.
Book Details at a Glance
Let It Be Me is a 368-page hardcover from The Open Field, Maria Shriver's imprint with Penguin. It releases November 10, 2026, with a list price of $28.00. It also comes as an ebook and as an audiobook read by Mary Aloe herself. If you buy a copy, the author's site offers a free Marynating companion workbook once you verify your purchase.
Who Should Read Let It Be Me?
This devotional is a great fit for women who want encouragement from a real woman in the Bible. Mary isn't presented as someone who had it all together. She's a young woman who faced a scary, life-changing moment, and the book uses her story as a mirror for our own moments of uncertainty.
It fits some very specific seasons. Think about a woman waiting on news she can't control, like a diagnosis, a job decision, or a pregnancy test. Mary's yes came before she knew how anything would turn out, and that's a hard but comforting thing to sit with. Or picture a mom who's watching her kids grow up and leave home. Mary knew what it was like to love a child she couldn't protect from everything, and a lot of moms will feel seen in that.
It also makes a lot of sense during Advent and the Christmas season, when Mary's story is everywhere but we rarely stop to think about her as a person. And it's a sweet off-season pick for Mother's Day, when you want a gift that honors motherhood without being cheesy.
Is Let It Be Me a Catholic Book?
This is the question I'd want answered before buying, so let's talk about it. Mary plays a bigger role in Catholic tradition than in most Protestant churches, and some Protestant readers get uneasy when a book centers on her. I grew up Pentecostal, and I still consider myself Pentecostal, so I understand that hesitation.
In that Sunday Paper interview, Aloe says she isn't Catholic and describes her approach as "relatable faith" meant to include everyone. The book's focus is on learning from Mary's example as a woman who trusted God. That fits right in with how we learn from Ruth, Esther, or Hannah. Wherever you land theologically, Mary's yes in Luke 1 is in every Bible, and her faith is worth studying.
Is it heavy or hard to read?
No. The tone is warm and encouraging. It's written for everyday readers, and you don't need any background in church history to follow it. If you want something light enough to read with your morning coffee but still meaningful, this works.
How long does each devotion take?
The devotions are short and sweet. Most days you can read one in about 5 minutes, maybe a little longer if you sit with the reflection or pray through it slowly. In the Sunday Paper interview, Aloe also mentions you can read it daily, work through it in a set stretch of days, or go chapter by chapter, so it bends to your schedule.
Is it good for a small group?
It could work for a women's group or a mother-daughter study, especially during Advent. Each person can read the devotions on her own during the week, then share which reflection stuck. It isn't set up as a formal group study, though, so the leader would need to pick a few devotions to talk through.
What Stood Out to Me
The size was the first thing I noticed. It's a smaller book, and it fits easily into one hand. I have small hands, so that's saying something. That matters more than you'd think when you're reading in bed or holding a coffee mug in your other hand. Even with 368 pages, it never feels bulky.
The font size and line spacing are good, too. Nothing looks cramped, and the pages are easy on the eyes. That's a big deal for a book you'll pick up every day.
But what I liked most was learning more about Mary herself. I really feel like we don't learn enough about her in Bible study or Sunday school. At least, I didn't when I was younger. She's usually a side character in the Christmas story, and that's about it. This book treats her as a woman of faith in her own right, and there's so much we can learn from her. She's a great example to women all over the world.
I also like the overall message. Saying yes to God doesn't mean you have every answer first. Mary didn't. That's a message I needed, and I think a lot of women need it, too.
How to Use Let It Be Me Each Day
The simplest way is to read one devotion a day. Keep the book by your bed, on the kitchen table, or in your bag, since it's small enough to go anywhere. Read the insight, think through the reflection, and pray the short prayer before you start your day.
If you already have a devotional you love, you don't have to replace it. I'd add this one to your rotation for some extra motivation and encouragement. You could alternate days, or save it for the mornings when you need a reminder that God can work through ordinary, uncertain people.
During Advent, you could pair it with a slow read through Luke 1 and 2, where Mary's story begins. And if you like short devotions you can fit into busy days, my review of the Breath as Prayer Special Edition devotional covers another one I keep close by.
My Favorite Takeaways
First, your yes doesn't need a full plan behind it. Mary said yes to God without knowing what came next. A lot of us wait until we feel ready, and this book gently pushes back on that.
Second, ordinary days matter. Most of Mary's life wasn't angels and miracles. It was raising a child, worrying, waiting, and trusting. The devotions keep bringing it back to everyday life, which makes Mary feel like someone you could actually learn from.
Third, there's room to learn more about the women of the Bible. This book made me want to go back and read Mary's story again with fresh eyes. If you've only ever seen her in a nativity set, you might feel the same way.
Where to Get Let It Be Me and Who to Gift It To
This devotional would encourage a woman facing a big unknown, a mom in a season of letting go, or anyone who grew up hearing about Mary only at Christmas. It helps most during Advent, at the start of a new year, or during any stretch when life feels uncertain, and you need a short daily reminder to trust God. As a gift, it's a lovely pick for a mom, grandmother, sister, or friend, especially tucked into a Christmas stocking or a Mother's Day basket. You can also enter the Let It Be Me book giveaway for a chance to win a copy.
Your next step: get your copy on the Let It Be Me Amazon page.
Let It Be Me FAQs
What does "let it be me" mean in the Bible?
The phrase echoes Mary's response to the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:38. After hearing she would give birth to Jesus, she said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" (KJV). Modern translations put it in different words, but the meaning stays the same: she accepted God's plan even though she couldn't see how it would work out. Mary Aloe built her devotional around that yes and what it can teach us today.
What is Marynating?
"Marynating" (I love that) is Mary Aloe's name for the practice at the center of her book. It means intentionally immersing yourself in Mary's virtues, compassion, and wisdom so her example can shape your daily life. Aloe has named courage, compassion, forgiveness, and faith as some of those qualities. If you buy the book, you can also get the free Marynating companion workbook from the author's site after verifying your purchase.
Is Let It Be Me based on a movie?
It was inspired by one. Mary Aloe produced Mary, a 2024 Netflix film about the mother of Jesus that was watched by millions of viewers. Working on that film led her to write this devotional, which is her first book. You don't need to see the movie to enjoy the book, but if you like learning through stories, watching it during the Christmas season could be a nice pairing. You can find more about her films on Mary Aloe's press page.
How many pages is Let It Be Me?
The hardcover has 368 pages, according to Penguin Random House. That sounds long, but it's spread across 100 short devotions in a compact 5-by-8-inch size, so it reads quickly. Most devotions take about 5 minutes. It's also available as an ebook and as an audiobook read by the author, which runs a little over 7 hours.
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