Trust + Follow: A 60-Day Devotional to Know Jesus More

by Maddie Joy Fischer

You shouldn't follow someone you don't trust, and you can't trust someone you don't know. So if you want to follow Jesus more closely, you need to know him more intimately. How do you do that? Well, how do you get to know anyone? By hearing their story, by asking them questions, by talking with them day by day. Which is exactly what Trust + Follow helps you do through 60 devotions designed to draw you into a closer relationship with your Savior. With a focus on exploring what God reveals about himself in his Word, these daily reflections help you· understand the importance of spending time with God each day· explore simple truths from Scripture that we too often complicate· experience the abundant joy of surrendering to Jesus· express yourself through daily writing and reflection prompts· boldly proclaim and live out your love for the One you follow

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian

224 pages, Hardcover

Published September 24, 2024

Reviews

[Christina DeVane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a 60 day devotional going through different topics related to trusting and following Jesus.
Each day is roughly two pages of reading with a prayer and reflection/application section with some great questions to think through at the end.
I very much enjoyed her content and writing style. I found it helpful, encouraging, and grounding in my faith.

This would make a great gift for every Christian, but specifically those going through a trying time or a young person facing many life choices.

Day 32 “The Waiting Isn’t Wasted” was my favorite section.
Definite 5 🌟 read!

Some quotes I especially enjoyed:
📖 “When we desire to be used by God more than we desire to fellowship with him daily, we find ourselves in a dangerous and distant place, outside of his desire for us.”
📖 “The God of the mountains is the God of the valleys. In order to believe that, you will have to experience his faithfulness in both places.”
📖 “Peace is not knowing what comes next. Peace is knowing Jesus, he is the only source of true peace.”
📖 “The way I respond to disappointment in my life is a reflection of where I am placing my hope.”
📖 “Most of your lifetime will be spent in the waiting and in-between seasons of life. God‘s Word will strengthen you to embrace the waiting with hopeful expectation for Him to do only what He can do.
📖 “This is why the way we wait is so important. We serve a God who wastes nothing, not even the waiting. There are good and necessary things produced within us as we wait for what comes next. While we wait, He strengthens us.”

I’m looking forward to what this author will write next!

[Kristi Drillien · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has 60 devotionals, which I read as intended, over the course of 60 days. The focus is on learning how to completely trust and follow Jesus, presuming that the reader is already a Christ-follower. I don't have a lot to compare it to, since I haven't read a lot of devotionals in the past (I generally prefer a more self-driven reading/studying of the Bible). I was surprised by how short the devotionals were, generally requiring only about 2 minutes to read each entry, but that might be common and certainly might be what some people prefer. They also seemed a bit shallow and repetitive for my taste. There were some here or there that hit home, though, so I don't mean to sound like I didn't appreciate the devotionals overall. Not that it's her fault, but the author is a lot younger than I would expect, considering how much she talks about her experience and difficult things she's gone through. I had no disagreements with any theology found in these pages, and overall, I'd say it would be a good daily devotional for a newer Christian or one looking to deepen their faith in Christ. I would, however, suggest supplementing it by reading more of the Bible yourself, maybe using one of the verses contained within each day's devotional as a launching point.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.

[Jeni | StoryTimeReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

🙏🏻𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲? 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱!🤲🏻✝️

If you’re anything like me, you might have wondered, “How can I follow Jesus more closely when life feels like a never-ending to-do list?” Enter 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 + 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄: 𝗔 𝟲𝟬-𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 that’s not just a book but a breath of fresh air for your soul.

Maddie Joy Fischer serves up daily reflections that simplify the complexities of faith, focusing on the essentials: knowing Jesus, trusting Him, & walking with Him one step at a time. You know how you get to know someone? By spending time with them. Fischer takes that simple idea & runs with it, showing us that the same principle applies to Jesus, but without making it feel like a chore. Instead, it feels like you’re having coffee with a dear friend every morning—one who also happens to be, well, the Savior of the world.

The devotional focuses on bite-sized truths & quiet moments with God that draw you into His Word & His heart. Fischer doesn’t sugarcoat the call to follow Jesus, but she makes it clear that this journey is one of joy, surrender, &—most importantly—trust.

This book makes walking with Jesus feel like the most natural (and necessary) part of your day—one joyful step at a time.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱:
✨ It’s refreshingly simple—you don’t need a theology degree to dive in & be transformed.
📝 Daily writing prompts that actually make you stop, think, & *grow*. (Yes, even on Monday mornings 😁.)
💬 It’s real and relatable—the kind of devotional that speaks to the messy middle of life.
🙏 You’ll reflect, & you’ll surrender (in a good way—promise).
💆‍♀️ It helps you trade stress for peace—because trusting Jesus just feels better than trying to do it all on your own.

If you’re ready to go from “I’m too busy” to “I can’t wait to meet with Jesus today,” Trust + Follow is the book you’ve been waiting for.

❓What’s one way you’ve learned to trust God more in your everyday life?

I received a complimentary copy of this book. A positive review was not required. All thoughts are my own.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many devotionals but this one resonated with me for several reasons.
First, it applies to many people in different stages of Christian life. The new Christian will find many scriptures relating to their daily lives. There are scriptures at the beginning and end of each day's reading, in addition to the back of the book. Mostly, the chapters contain encouragement with the hard things like replacing fear with faith.
Second, it also speaks to the "mature" Christian, reminding us of our first love, enabling us to either return to Him or continue following while becoming more deeply in love with Him.
Third, the important points of each day's devotion are highlighted so they stick out in your mind as you go through your day. This helps new and mature Christians, as well as struggling Christians or Christians who may find themselves in the valley.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
I would like to thank Baker Books and LibraryThing for sending me this ARC giveaway. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Jeanette Durkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This devotional is perfect for new and mature Christians. Each one is about 2-3 pages, so it's not overwhelming. I liked that there is a scripture at the beginning of the day and at the end. I found the prayers inspiring. There's also a reflection/application for further contemplation.
I won this book from Baker Books through LibraryThing. I'm so glad that I did!

[Courtney Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really enjoying the devotionals in Trust + Follow each morning. They are short and easy to understand, but are full of insight and instruction to help you navigate scripture and how it pertains to your life. The book itself is beautiful and would be ideal for gifting.

[Jessica Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grab this devo! Loved this devotional and highly recommend if you are needing encouragement in trusting God and want to follow Him more closely on your faith walk.