Encouraged to Dig Deeper
Written by Jeanine Amapola Ward Published 10.27.26
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Christian Devotional
3 Stars!
Forty days in the Gospel of John! What a wonderful opportunity to spend time learning more about Jesus, His love for us, His teachings, His sacrifice, and what it means to truly abide in Him. I was so looking forward to this devotional!
Jeanine Amapola Ward writes with warmth and a desire to encourage women in their walk with the Lord. I appreciate her heart for helping others spend time in Scripture and grow closer to Jesus. There are beautiful biblical truths throughout The Abiding Way, along with reminders of God's goodness and the wonderful gift of salvation through Christ.
As I continued through the devotional, though, I found myself wishing for more explanation of the Scripture passages and greater attention to their context. There were times when the applications seemed to reach beyond what the passages were actually teaching. Other times, the wording wasn't quite as clear or complete as I would have liked, especially when addressing important truths about salvation, being born again, and the work of the Holy Spirit.
I love being encouraged by God's Word! There is nothing quite like spending time in Scripture and coming away with a greater understanding of who God is and what He has done for us. But I also want to understand why a passage was written, who it was written to, what it meant in its original context, and what the Lord is teaching us through it. Those details matter to me.
I found myself returning to the biblical passages and studying them more closely, sometimes because I wanted a fuller explanation and other times because I questioned whether the application accurately reflected what Scripture was saying. I would have appreciated more time spent exploring the meaning of the text before moving into how it relates to our lives.
I realize that not everyone is looking for the same things in a devotional. Some readers may enjoy the conversational style and find the personal encouragement especially meaningful. For me, however, I wanted more substance and precision in the biblical teaching. Particularly when we're studying the words of Jesus and such important matters of faith, I believe careful wording and thoughtful explanations make a tremendous difference.
The Gospel of John is extraordinary! There is so much to discover about our Savior, and even familiar passages can deepen our understanding of Him as we continue studying His Word.
While The Abiding Way wasn't quite the right devotional for me, I appreciate the desire behind it. I hope it encourages readers to open their Bibles, spend more time with Jesus, and continue seeking a deeper understanding of His Word. There is so much joy in knowing Him more!
Above all, I want what I read about God to lead me back to what He has revealed about Himself in Scripture. This devotional did that. His Word is far too precious for us to settle for anything less than understanding it as faithfully as we can.
I received copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House Publishers. All opinions are entirely my own.
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