In All Things: A Nine-Week Devotional Bible Study on Unshakeable Joy

by Melissa B. Kruger

This accessible and practical Bible study of the book of Philippians invites you to discover a joy and contentment that will carry you through every circumstance of life.

With warm teaching and perspective-shifting insights, Bible teacher Melissa Kruger walks you through the power-packed words of the apostle Paul to believers in the early church to discover what he knew about the secret to unshakeable peace--and how his insights can help any woman discover a secure and satisfying contentment no matter what life may bring. With the Scripture passages printed right in the book for handy reference, this is an ideal resource for busy women of any life stage who want to deepen their spiritual life and increase their daily joy.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Faith, Christianity, Theology, Devotional

232 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2018

About the author

Melissa Kruger teaches women at Uptown Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and at conferences around the country. She regularly writes articles for the Gospel Coalition and Christianity.com, and she is the author of The Envy of Eve. Melissa’s most cherished roles include being a wife to Mike, president of Reformed Theological Seminary–Charlotte, and a mother to her three children, Emma, John, and Kate.

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pros: questions in the five days of homework per week cover everything from the factual basics of what the passage says to an in-depth analysis; is a good book for people at any stage of the Christian faith from non-believers to new believers to long-time believers or students of the Bible; study guide in the back was incredibly helpful for facilitating discussion.

Cons: Organization of the book makes it a little hard to discuss even using the study guide (the leaders of our group made discussion guides that incorporated homework questions directly since the study guide kind of generally summarizes them instead of restating them exactly - not great for participation in our group); sometimes one day of homework (usually day 3) felt a little out of place with questions which did not always connect easily to the main idea of the passage.

Overall, this is a good pick for a diverse group of Christian women if your study group's leaders are willing to do the extra leg-work and planning to facilitate quality discussion and participation among members. It would also make a decent self-study book although it does not seem to be designed with that intent.

[Bethany Fader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best Bible study I've done in a long time. I love how the author helps you be the student of the Word to find out for yourself what the scripture says

[Cindy Marsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed a group study using this book. I think Kruger's personal examples are illuminating without getting in the way of the study itself, and the format is a good mix of exposition and exercise. A study like this forces me to slow down and really look at the text.

[Annie Riggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d recommend this as a solid format for group Bible study.

[Julie Biles · Rating 3 out of 5]

We used this as a resource for a group Bible study of the book of Philippians. The subtitle is, "A Nine-Week devotional Bible Study on Unshakeable Joy". So, I should not be surprised that this is exactly what the book is, a devotional study, not an in-depth study of the book of Philippians for which our group was hoping. But the author's personal stories and the application sections each week were well written.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In All Things" is a 9 week Bible study on Philippians designed for personal or group study. Each week has 5 days of personal study. The first day involved reading a section of Philippians and answering questions about what the text says. The second day focused on what the text means. The third day brought in related verses for better understanding of the text and focused on how the verses transform you. The fourth day was application involving a point or two from the verses. The fifth day was a devotional. The Scripture verses were printed in the book so everyone's reading the same version. At the end of the book, there were suggested questions for each week that can be used for group discussion. Overall, I'd recommend this Bible study.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.

[Blessing Bloodworth (naptimereaders) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a good Bible Study intro for someone new to the faith or looking to grow in their practice of whole-Bible study (vs just devotional use). This is just what it describes itself as : a devotional study - so it hits that middle ground.

[Meggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, accessible, thought-provoking, encouraging study in the book of Philippians. The study divides the book into a 9 week study with five days of study for each week. I loved how it progressed from basic Bible study questions to more in depth personal application questions. Kruger is honest and insightful, and really helps the reader know the book of Philippians and the Apostle Paul. My heart was encouraged to seek joy, pray for others and ultimately make Christ the object of my joy. A great study for personal use or groups!

[Alexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well laid out, solid, practical study on truths we all need to be reminded of often.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! So easy to follow and so full of God's truth. I learned so much!

[Chandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This really is an accessible study, as the review states, but I would have preferred for it to dive a little more deeply into the Scripture.

[Jill H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Bible study that focuses on joy in the Biblical book of Philippians. It takes readers deep into the Biblical book of Philippians while also using some other Bible verses to show how people in the Bible experienced joy in difficult times. Each chapter is split into sections by days 1-5 and on days 1-4 participants will observe, apply, and interpret the text; day 5 is a devotional. On days 1-4 participants will answer questions to help think about what they read from Scripture, and on day 5 the devotional helps it all come together and sink in. Sometimes the author gives examples of how something that has happened in her or someone she knows lives explain a little bit about some of the topics she is teaching about through Scripture and how they apply to their lives through those situations. There is also a group guide in the back of the book that give an ice breaker, and opening question, and more questions that apply to the Scriptures for each week's study.

I read through this whole book but only had time for one week of in-depth study at the point I am writing this review (and plan to continue on to finish all nine weeks, which will take me well over two months) since I needed to complete this book review before I could get through the whole study. I did see how the theme of "joy" during difficult times brought itself out when I took the time to read and meditate on Scripture the first week. It has also shown me just how deep the learning in this book is to have taken so much in through the first week's study (which I have paced out on different days and didn't complete it in a week).

I liked learning through the book of Philippians that they (the Philippian congregation) participated with Paul in the matter of giving in receiving according to Philippians 4:15 in the early days while it sounds like the other congregations maybe didn't, for some reason that stuck out to me the most while reading this book.

I discovered that the whole Biblical book of Philippians is printed in the back of the book of this uncorrected proof I received . For me personally I kind of wish it was at the beginning of the book (so that I knew it was there) but the sections of Scripture that were discussed were often printed with the group of discussion questions pertaining to that Scripture so it was not a big deal for me. I also liked to pull out my Bible and open it to the Scriptures given and read them that way.

I think both individuals and people in groups will benefit from participating in this study.

My review= 4.5 out of 5 stars

I received an uncorrected proof of this book for the purpose of reviewing it.

[Sarah Leeds · Rating 4 out of 5]

In All Things was a great book to walk through with my Bible study group. The subtitle is "A Nine-Week Devotional Bible Study on Unshakeable Joy" and it walks through the whole book of Philippians.

This is a exegetical study, going verse by verse, chapter by chapter and uses a simple three-step method to ponder each section of Scripture:
1. Observation: What does the text say?
2. Interpretation: What does the text mean?
3. Application: How does the text transform me?

Each of the weeks follow the same basic structure: 4 days of homework, using the steps mentioned above, then a 5th day of devotional.

Since the overall theme was "An Invitation to Joy", each of the chapters spoke about a different aspect of joy:
1. Joy in Salvation
2. Joy in True Fellowship
3. Joy in Christ's Lordship
4. Joy in Humility
5. Joy in Obedience
6. Joy in Knowing Christ
7. Joy in Heaven
8. Joy in the Inner Life
9. Joy in Giving

There was also a study guide with conversation starter questions or just further reflection, as well as a printed copy of the book of Philippians in the back of the book.

Here are a few of my favorite highlights throughout the book:

"We need friendships that are centered on God's Word to speak above the cultural clamor."

"The more I read the Bible and see the picture of the Christian..., the more I understand the nature of sin and life in this world, and what God has done for me in Christ, then the more I shall desire the things of God and hate the other. So I suggest that the best practical step is to read God's word, and to be thoroughly soaked in it." - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

"God wants our affections. The outward signs of faith are important, but true renewal starts inside and works its way out. In Christ, we're given new hearts, ones that love God and long to walk in His ways. Our obedience is not a way to earn God's favor but the natural overflow of God's work in our hearts. God wants more from you than obedience."

"We don't naturally drift toward holiness. We have to deliberately press on toward it, knowing that God promises to work in and through us. Because He's in the process of making us like Jesus, we can strive with all that is in us to be more like Him."

"When we submit out thoughts to Him, God transforms the way we think about the world and then uses us to transform the world. In the Lord, we can experience relational unity, emotional peace, and a new way of thinking."

I could go on and on listing all the wonderful things I highlighted and underlined, and double underlined, and circled, and boxed (I'm a bit excessive sometimes...), but I'll keep it to that.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Philippians and studying through it with this companion guide and my group. This is the first study I have done by Melissa B. Kruger and if I come across another, I'll definitely be adding it to my To Be Read list.

[Susan Wachtel · Rating 5 out of 5]

When breaking for summer, my Bible study teacher recommended Melissa Kruger’s Bible study, In All Things, a study in the book of Philippians.

Because of that recommendation I was interested in reading In All Things and I’m so glad that I did. I love finding solid Bible teachers so that I can use their books to stay in God’s Word when my regular Bible study breaks for summer.

In All Things, is an excellent Bible study. Melissa teaches readers to learn a book of the Bible. Each chapter is broken down in to five days and it includes studying the text to determine: Observation – What does the text say, Interpretation – What does the text mean, and Application – How does the text transform me. Each chapter concludes with a devotional based on the text that was studied.

Melissa goes through the book of Philippians verse by verse. She encourages people to read through the complete text multiple times so that you get very familiar with it. Each day you will be reading the specific text you are studying. The questions that are asked help the reader to pull out the facts of what the Apostle Paul wrote and help you unpack the text. What does it say, what does it mean and how should I apply it to my life?

To help better understand the passage, Melissa may have the reader look up other Scripture verses that may correspond to what’s studied. She uses Scripture to help interpret Scripture. You learn to study Scripture within context.

This study is mature, Christ centered and helps the student to develop godly wisdom and discernment. Melissa asks some hard, but true and necessary questions. She is open, transparent and has a godly humility.

I encourage anyone looking for a good solid Bible study to read and work through In All Things by Melissa Kruger. You will come away with a good understanding of Philippians. You will have developed some good Bible study techniques and know how to study the Bible, verse by verse and in context.

This Bible study would be good resource for a personal or group study or even a formal women’s Bible study at church.

I would like to thank Edelweiss and Multnomah Publishing for the opportunity to read In All Things by Melissa Kruger in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review. I am looking forward to going through this study in future.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED In All Things. This Bible Study was like a warm hug from a girlfriend, and I realize that sentence sounds so incredibly cheesy. A study on Philippians and the apostle Paul, the book gives you five days of “homework” for nine weeks and I felt it was both comprehensive and unintimidating. Geared towards women, the author writes anecdotal stories that tie the Bible passages in to real life, and then breaks down those passages with questions. There are also other related Bible verses placed in the chapters to help connect phrases and topics, which I found extremely helpful.

What I loved most about this book though were the actual study questions. I was reading a copy on my Kindle, and it included sections to put your answers in using the notes function which I loved. I didn’t have to find a piece of paper, and since I was reading this in bed, that design was wonderful. I know you can do that whether they put a specific place in or not, but the fact that the book actually stated how to use the notes was terrific. But then the detail of the questions I felt was spot on. I’ve read a few reviews that said they felt some of the questions dissecting the Bible verses were too repetitive or simplistic, but I disagree. From my standpoint, by the end of finishing a chapter, I felt like I knew the apostle Paul and Philippians better than I EVER had, in my multiple readings of this book of the Bible. The author has you really digging into things in a manner that I just hadn’t done before. Plus, I found myself really THINKING about things from a perspective I hadn't previously. Plus amount of information she packs into these chapters blew me away.

But really, if you’re looking for a new Bible Study, or perhaps you’ve never done one and are interested in delving into your Bible a little more thoroughly, this extremely accessible and friendly one by Melissa B. Kruger would be the perfect addition to your nightstand. Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy to review.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thorough study of the book of Philippians over the course of nine weeks. Each week follows the same schedule. Day 1 - Observation, read the next and note what you see. Days 2 & 3 - Interpretation, what does the text say as you look at it more closely and refer to other scriptures for clarification? Day 4 - Application, how will you apply what you have read and learned to your own life? Day 5 - Devotional thoughts and reading.

The author uses other texts from Paul as well as other books of the Bible to help readers understand what is meant by particular terms and to offer additional examples of what the writer is referring to. She also quotes from her favorite pastors and devotional writers, especially Martyn Lloyd-Jones. For those who plan to use the study in a group setting, there is a guide at the back of the book to help the study leader.

Clearly written with frequent scriptural references and additional examples from the author's own life. As a women's ministry coordinator, the author speaks to groups of women and her writing is geared toward female readers.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful study about unshakeable joy. The author walks you through the book of Philippians. However, this is not your average or "run of the mill" study. Kruger, starts with a detailed background that helps lay the ground work for the book of Philippians. Then she unpacks each section with three great tools: Observation, Interpretation, and Application.

While these tools were not new to me, Melissa Kruger really helped to go deeper in my understanding of God's word. I especially liked the devotional at the end of each chapter. I feel like the devotional help solidify the previous chapter. One of my favorite quotes in the book is, "Prayer is God's means for giving us unshakeable inner joy even when we're surrounded by external struggles and hardships" (pp. 184-185). I loved this book! I have gained such valuable insights about Philippians by reading this book. Get it - you won't be disappointed! I had the privilege of receiving this book as part of Goodreads giveaway and the opinions listed here are my own.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

In All Things Is an inspirational Bible study - it says it is a Bible study on Philippians but it also spent a good amount of time on Acts as well. What I love is that it gives you Scripture to read and it writes it for you. Then they ask you questions about what you just read - they do that so you learn/ retain what you just learned or are learning. It goes a step further - if you use a computer/ tablet/phone - copy of the study - you have the ability to write or type the answers to the questions as you go along - it's awesome. I received a copy of this book from the Publisher and Netgalley; all the opinions expressed in this review are my own..

if you would like to read more of my Christian book reviews go to christianlybookreviewers.blogspot.com

[Ashley Setterlind · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible Bible study on the book of Philippians that our whole group enjoyed & resulted in very fruitful discussion. If you’re struggling with finding joy in your current season of life, this book is excellent. It’s engaging, theologically rich, and most importantly pushes you to dive DEEPLY into the Word. It’s more scripture-heavy than the author’s commentary, and that’s a beautiful thing! Highly recommend.

[Linsey Hydrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite bible studies I have ever participated in. I have gone back through this book time and time again just to revisit the quotes and prayers. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to deepen their walk with the Lord and take a deep dive into Paul's letter to the Philippians. Riveting from start to finish! Thank you Melissa for sharing your God given wisdom and insight with others. What a blessing this has been for me!

[Lauren Fee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed walking through this 9-week study with women from my church. I found her prompting questions really helpful to dig into the text for oneself and allow the spirit to speak, convict, encourage etc. This was the first devotional Bible study I have been apart of in a while and I found my study of Philippians to be very fruitful with the help of this book.

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a challenging devotional study . Every morning I read and meditated on the Words given me. The book of Philippians is observed and interpreted. The reader is left to reflect upon the Word and the thought provoking questions. I look forward to the next study. And yes, my life has changed and I share the Word .

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent study on the book of Philippians! Focuses on interpretation, application, and devotion to Paul’s exhortations to believers. Very challenging and encouraging. I did this at my own pace, can be clearly understood and worked through in more than a 9 week time frame, which is great for busy moms like myself.

[Shania Pol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used this study for personal study and I absolutely loved it. I loved the way she set up each week into 5 days of different methods to dig into the text. She has great questions and insight. I feel like I truly know Philippians well and also gained so much in regards to my faith and knowledge of God.

[Ana Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a joy it was to immerse ourselves in the book of Philippians. Week after week we read the whole book and then focused on a portion of it. Melissa Kruger gives us the right questions to be able to Observe, Interpret and Apply these truths in our lives.

I hope to find more Bible studies like these! 🩵

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Brittany Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This study through Philippians was so edifying and timely. I really appreciated how Kruger broke each week out into observation, interpretation, application, and devotional days. It helped me really keep up with getting into the Word daily and diving deeper into the passage with each day that I read it.

[Lindsey Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are no words to describe the impact this study had on my life. Each and every week, I was trained to really think through hard topics on circumstances and challenged to only put hope in Christ alone. Thankful for my church for doing this study!!

[Jeannette · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent devotion to do with a group. Loved the pacing and the way this book took you from the scripture to application and then into an in-depth, often uncomfortable look at one’s self- pre-conceptions, misunderstandings, and weaknesses.

[Lynette Karg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this to prepare for a study I lead on Philippians. It would be a great, inductive study to go through with a group of ladies. The daily homework is not overwhelming and it moves you through the process to application nicely.

[Korey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent! I love the format (great for busy women; scripture and questions together, divided into 5 day sections) and the content was thought provoking, convicting and enjoyable to read! It is more application based but I have been doing lots of deep text studies so this was a nice change of pace.