Knowing God—really knowing God—often seems like an impossible endeavor, especially when we hardly know ourselves. Jayne Patton saw that truth firsthand after ministering to women at a maximum-security prison. And soon she realized that women everywhere—even sitting in the church pew next to her—were living in emotional, spiritual, and mental prisons within their own hearts and minds.

Truly Known invites women of all ages and stages to discover the life-altering freedom that God richly provides them, so that they no longer have to live within their own prisons but can be transformed in the presence of Jesus. Readers will be asking “So now what?” as they are empowered to snatch each moment and each day that God gives them to make a difference in the lives of others.

All proceeds from Truly Known will be donated to Samuel’s House, an orphanage in Venezuela that seeks to feed, shelter, educate, and evangelize children, bringing life to their souls.

My thoughts: This is an excellent devotional that you can go through quickly or take your time to read through and soak in the different subjects. I thought that the variety was good and appreciated the thoughts the author has to share on knowing God. I think the one that spoke the most to be was the one on God qualifying those He calls, since I needed the reminder that He prepares the way when He calls us. The whole book was well done and I look forward to going through it a second time and taking my time.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

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About the Author

Jayne Patton loves crossing over denominational divides to bring the gospel to others in a way that is powerful and relevant. With over twenty years in women’s ministry, she has previously served as a women’s ministry director, worked with government officials in the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide, ministered to women behind prison walls, and more. Jayne is a popular speaker at churches, women’s events, and MOPS groups. She and her husband, Mike, have three children. Jayne loves to read in her spare time, can always be bribed with Mexican food, and never turns down a double-stuffed Oreo. Learn more about her at www.alteredministries.com.

More from Jayne

Let’s be real, prison ministry was never on my women’s ministry vision board. I didn’t lay in bed as a little girl and dream of going behind bars. I didn’t grow up knowing a single incarcerated person, my modern-day world didn’t include those who had been incarcerated, and I never thought it would be the thing that would change my entire life. Until 2017. In the fall of that year, I was given the opportunity to begin ministering weekly at a maximum security women’s prison in Missouri and remember thinking at the time how much it would bless those inmates if I would teach them the word of God. I couldn’t have gone in with the worst motivation. You see, it was the Lord who was bringing me there to be blessed and taught by them!

I soon discovered that Jesus was working hard in the hearts of those women and they were being transformed into Christ’s likeness unlike anything I had ever experienced within the church walls. In fact, I was so dramatically impacted by what I was experiencing, the Lord prompted me to launch a women’s conference style ministry entitled “Altered Ministries”. My ministry team and I began hosting women’s events at local churches sharing the same messages we were bringing to the women in prison. It was remarkable what God began doing! Lives were being restored, addictions were being shed, and relationships were being renewed!

As Altered was moving full speed ahead, I began writing short and pointed daily devotionals for those just beginning their walk with Jesus. Those short devotionals are what soon became my devotional book entitled “Truly Known”. Why that name? Because God is the One who truly knows all the parts of us that we try to hide, and yet still desires that we draw close to Him. I could see His heart for not just the women sitting in church pews often held captive in prisons of their own making, but for the ones that were held behind very real bars. Jesus came to set all of us free. My prayer is that “Truly Known” serves as daily encouragement that is easy to understand for the beginner and serves as a sweet reminder for the scholar.