"With-ness . . ." Turns Four
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Four years ago this week, this prototype arrived in the mail. My 91 year old mom had just passed into the Arms of her Savior. So as excited as I was to see this book published, it was supplanted by the grief of losing my greatest mentor and unconditionally loving friend, my darling mother.
But as the days, months, and now even years have passed by, I have grown in amazement (a long story, because of so many obstacles) and appreciation to the Lord for using my feeble words and thoughts to produce this little volume exalting The With-ness of our God: Relationship in Every Dimension.
This anniversary would have passed me by had it not been for Facebook pointing out that the post containing the above photo was “Janet's most commented photo on Facebook of 2015.”
So I’m celebrating . . .
the truth of the Triune God seeing fit to unite with us, His children, through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ;
the many brothers and sisters who labored with me as the Lord unfolded page after page of His truth that became this book;
the ways He has used this little volume in Bible Studies and personal devotion and ways of which I am unaware;
and for the brothers and sisters I have met online and in person because they connected with me through this book.
So would you celebrate with me?
Thank you, Lord, for the honor of sharing Your With-ness in every possible dimension.
You are WITH us (in union with us),
FOR us,
IN us,
living OUT OF/ through us;
we are IN You;
moving TOWARD/focusing on You by faith.
And You always come INTO our “stuff” as we invite You.
We are so grateful! Amen.
Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, WestBow Press, and others:
The WITH-ness of Our God: Relationship in Every Dimension by Jan Loyd.
Visit for other endorsements and study helps etc.-- https://www.abranchinthevine.com/with-ness-of-our-god
I was so blessed when I read the study that Jan Loyd has written on the “WITH-ness of our God." It came at a time when I was weary in my spirit. I was so refreshed with the heart of the study, which is that God wants to be with us. Jan helps the learner to discover so clearly that God not only wants to be with us but He is always for us and lives in us as believers. In her study, she helps the student of Scripture capture the message of the spiritual rest that we can only have in Jesus Christ. I wholeheartedly encourage all believers to do this study. You WILL BE BLESSED!
Dr. Wayne Barber (now with his Lord in glory!)
Senior Pastor, Woodland Park Baptist Church
Former teacher, Precept Ministries Chattanooga, TN
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A Christian devotional based upon prepositional relationships found in the Bible.
Loyd, an educator, begins this book by sharing her lifelong love of grammar—an interest that led her to look carefully at the specific grammatical constructions of the Bible and their implications for Christians. This leads to an exploration of prepositional phrases used in Scripture. This seemingly banal project turns out to be filled with insights about the relationship between God and the faithful. The author’s primary example is “with,” as in the phrase “God is with us,” and she looks at the three Greek words which could be translated as “with” and how they differ from one another. She then goes on to analyze a number of other prepositions in the same manner, focusing especially on key lines, such as, “If God is for us, who is against us?” and “You are in Christ Jesus.” Loyd designs each of her nine chapters as a one-week devotional tool. She begins by laying out a grammatical concept and focusing on a key verse, then moves on to seven days’ worth of reflections, including study and discussion questions. Her prose style is solid though certainly informal and even folksy at times. She often uses examples from her own daily life to back up her points; for instance, in one case, she related an imperfect birthday cake she baked to Jesus, “who came to earth and put up with a broken, imperfect life for my sake.” At another point, she contrasts an old, threadbare nightgown with the comfort of life with Christ. Loyd is well-read within the evangelical canon, quoting authors as diverse as early-20th-century Scottish Baptist minister Oswald Chambers and present-day Christian pastor and broadcaster Tony Evans. She also ably explains the basics of Christian theology, placing substitutionary atonement within the context of “Christ died for me.”
An ingenious and insightful approach to Scripture.
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This incredible book by Jan Loyd is not a quick read…it is not a fluffy feel-good book…it is a powerful interactive book that pulled me into the truth of God’s word. To glean the fruit available within its pages, I needed to take my time in order to engage in meditation, reflection, journaling, application, and worship. This is such a powerful book because the author has built into its structure the opportunities for individual growth and personal experience – it is a text, a workbook with prompts and study questions, and a doorway to capturing my thoughts on paper.
Jan does a masterful job of interweaving personal experiences, song lyrics, and metaphors with rich Bible studies and deep dives into solid theology. The book takes the reader from making biscuits and chocolate orange cake; to a walk in the vineyard and enjoying an ocean sunrise; to the life, salvation, sanctification and redemption found in Christ. Don’t miss this spiritual journey.
I have a little plastic, blue boat on my office desk…once you read this book you will want one too. As I begin to walk the Appalachian Trail this summer, I plan to join Jan’s Sunrise Club and I am putting a few handwritten notes from this book regarding courage and St. Patrick’s Breastplate in my backpack. Jan’s insights will provide me (and you) with powerful truth in times of loneliness and adversity.
Little words like prepositions will never be the same after an encounter with this book. These powerful words of motion, movement, and rest communicate the truth of the gospel with such significance. Jan’s insights provide wonderful windows of nuance into familiar passages of scripture. I highly recommend this book for a personal read, a group study, or a Sunday school class…but before you pick up this book, be ready to be pulled into the exciting reality of God’s word.
David Rough, Ed.D.
Academic Dean
Dayton Christian School System
