Since beginning my recovery journey, what I read has changed. I read now to feed my soul.
I fell in love with books as a child. It’s a love that has only grown deeper through the years. Since I began my recovery journey, however, what I read has changed immensely. I read now to feed my soul.
Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy a good mystery, thriller, or love story. But I’m more selective about what I let into my head.
I work daily to stay in the Word.
No, I haven’t read the Bible in its entirety.
I don’t believe reading the Bible cover to cover is the goal. No more than I believe that being able to recite Scripture means I understand or know how to apply it.
I do believe the Bible is the Word of God. I am called to remain in it. We all are.
I pray for discernment.
I pray for divine wisdom.
And I rely on those who know more than I do to help me.
Those who have a gift for sharing the Word of God.
I’ve met many authors and writers throughout my journey. I thought I’d share a few who feel more like friends. Every time I read their work, I’m strengthened, encouraged, counseled, and uplifted.
William Slayton
I actually know Dr. Slayton. He came into our lives when we most needed him. He was the physician who found our daughter’s cancer after almost a year of not knowing. She’d been suffering without relief when we were finally referred to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida.
Dr. Slayton became her attending physician, but more than that, he became our hero. I truly believe God guided his care of Emma. The miracle of her complete healing is a gift of grace we’ll forever be grateful for.
Dr. Slayton is also a musician, something he shares with Emma, and a writer. In his newsletter, Heroes, Heartwork, & Healing, he shares stories that “explore the healing power of compassion through art and medicine.“
Every time I read it, I’m reminded of the dedication, kindness, and compassion our family received from Dr. Slayton and his team at UF.
“Those experiences… being a little lost, a little unsure, but moving forward anyway—they give you a kind of confidence you didn’t have before. It creates a bond that doesn’t really go away—even after all these years.”
— Dr. William Slayton, from his memoir, Stunt Mole
Emma with Dr. Slayton the day she rang the bell after her last round of chemo, 2016.
Pastor Rich Bitterman
I came across Pastor Rich Bitterman’s writings more recently. But, boy, how his words have impacted me!
He writes from the heart and from a deep well of spiritual knowledge and compassion. He’s been there and understands the struggles we face in our walk of faith. His honesty fills every word. And the words are beautiful.
I cannot adequately put into words the impact he’s had and continues to have on my journey. I truly believe God places people on our path who help us draw closer to Him. Pastor Bitterman is that for me.
Old Paths & New Roads is his daily devotional. I read it daily. It is food for my soul.
Laura Lynch
Laura writes from a place of gratitude and healing. In Beneath the Surface, she shares the story of her emergence.
I love that word. Because emergence is transformation and revelation. A caterpillar enters the cocoon, a butterfly emerges.
Laura is that butterfly. And she honestly and beautifully shares her journey of faith, writing from a place of compassion for the woman she was and confidence in the woman being revealed through God’s grace. I’m looking forward to reading her complete memoir, Beneath the Surface, when it’s released.
“We often think of ‘falling’ as a sudden event. But as I watched my toddler test boundaries in a mall years ago, I realized it starts with a lean. We weigh the safety of the Father’s presence against the mystery of the “what if.”
— Laura Lynch
David Manoukian
Christ in the Text isn’t just a newsletter; it’s a ministry. And the Word of God is at its center.
What drew me into David’s work is his candor. He doesn’t mince words or tiptoe around the hard stuff. Instead, he relentlessly pursues it to bring the truth of God’s Word to light.
It isn’t always comfortable. But, I think that’s the point. To make us question. To make us reflect. And to help us move more deeply into the Word.
David’s ability to bring Scripture right back to the Architect where it belongs is a gift. One that I’m grateful to receive.
Donna Aust
Donna is “a lifelong learner of God’s word.” When I read that, I knew she was an author I needed to read. Because I, too, want to be a learner of God’s word. Not just a reader or a hearer.
Donna turns to the Bible, God’s story, to teach and to inspire.
“What we can’t miss is how God, in both Old and New Testaments, chooses the most unlikely and lowly for his glory to be revealed, and God continues to teach us by defying conventional and human wisdom by doing the unexpected.”
— Donna Aust
Through her ministry, I’ve been pointed to the biblical stories of Ruth and Gideon, and invited to reconsider the age-old question, Coincidence or Providence?
I’m grateful for that because it’s expanded my journey into God’s Word and sparked a desire to know more. I’m grateful that my curiosity is inspired each time I read Donna’s work. It’s a curiosity that leads me to the only well that can feed my soul.
Jeffery Curtis Poor
In Rethink, Jeffery shares simple but powerful reflections on God’s Word.
Every offering is a blessing gratefully received. His words are filled with wisdom that point me to truth and the enduring power of God’s love.
He writes about the unsung heroes, the lowly, the sinners God transforms into beacons of hope in a lost world. He writes about Creation and Heaven from a biblical foundation.
His approach is designed for the everyday person seeking to grow in faith and to move deeper into Scripture.
I’m always moved by his words and filled with hope and peace.
“I created Rethink to help people understand what the Bible says and how to align their lives with God’s Word in a simple and understandable way. I hope that what you find here will help you grow in your faith.”
— Jeffrey Curtis Poor
There are so many other writers I could add to this list. And, I will, over time. I’m grateful to each one of them for the work they put into sharing their faith and God’s Word.
They are a blessing that helps me connect to Scripture more fully. Their work enriches my spiritual walk and, most importantly, inspires me to deepen my relationship with God.
I encourage you to read their work.
It will feed your soul.
JN Fenwick | mothjournal14 | ©2026 | All rights reserved. | I DO NOT WALK THIS RECOVERY JOURNEY ALONE.
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