Unfailing Love

I’m delighted to commend these Bible meditations and, at times, heart-rending personal testimonies, not least because my dear father suffered an accident which vastly accelerated the decline of his mind. I watched first-hand as my family and a number of other carers sought to look after him in the midst of dementia. Strikingly, the two best carers he had were sustained by a radiant Christian faith, and it really did make a huge difference in the long hours of caring for my father. So it’s a privilege to recommend this book, which helps to sustain those who are undertaking this incredibly challenging calling. | These 30 devotions, which draw on real-life stories and experiences from dementia caregivers, have been beautifully written. Many of these reflections have moved me to tears, and I can’t recommend Unfailing Love highly enough for anyone that supports and cares for a loved one who is suffering with dementia. | Unfailing Love offers a rich, embodied theology of dementia care rooted in the unwavering presence of God. This collection of devotions doesn’t shy away from the hard realities of dementia; instead, it meets them head-on, interweaving honest expressions of lament with unshakeable hope. Each reflection creates a sacred space where caregivers are invited to find themselves held within God’s steadfast love. This is more than a devotional—it’s a compassionate companion, embracing the complexity of dementia with theological depth and pastoral gentleness. Unfailing Love honours the dignity of all involved, reaffirming that even amid dementia’s fragmentation, the God who knows us fully remains present, steadfast and loving. | This poignant book offers a lifeline of hope and comfort to dementia caregivers. Through its tapestry of bite-sized biblical reflections interwoven with real-life stories, it provides much-needed solace and reminds caregivers that they are not alone. | Unfailing Love combines a deep, personal grasp of the experience of dementia with a wonderful sense of what Scripture has to say about it. Powerful stories and reflections bring to life emotional challenges and spiritual questions with which readers will readily identify. These devotions show readers that they are not alone, that lament and questioning are themes of Scripture and that God’s promises are true and dependable. | I wish this book had been available as I watched my mother become so helpless through her aggressive form of Alzheimer’s (followed by my father’s gentler dementia). It has given me a renewed capacity to engage and empathise with those experiencing dementia, through the range of stories Robin presents. His beautiful simplicity makes this devotional so readable and engaging—a labour of love that will help us love those we care for.  | I’ve learned in my own mother’s Alzheimer’s journey that dementia is (as the author of Ecclesiastes described) a crooked line that can’t be made straight. If you’re exhausted by the failure to problem-solve, wearied by the toll of caregiving, and looking for God in this valley of the shadow of death, take up this book. It will comfort you to remember God carries us as we care.  | Robin Thomson was born in India and spent over twenty years teaching the Bible and training church leaders there, together with his wife Shoko. After she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's he cared for her. He has written about their experience (Living with Alzheimer's—a Love Story) and has been active in raising awareness and equipping church members to help support caregivers.