"Drink From The River of Delight" by Janet S Abadir MD.

There are books that teach. There are books that inspire. And then, every once in a while, there comes a book that feels like an answered prayer. A quiet stream in the wilderness. A lantern in the dark. Drink from the River of Delight by Janet Abadir is one of those books.



From the very first page, I was drawn into something deeper than a study. This is not merely a commentary or a devotional. It is a sacred invitation to slow down, to breathe deeply, and to open the Word of God with reverence and wonder. Janet leads the reader not as a lecturer but as a fellow pilgrim. There is no striving here. No sense of performance. Only the gentle voice of one who has walked through the valleys, stood on the mountaintops, and returned with treasures hidden in Scripture’s folds.



What makes this book so unique is not just the insight, which is rich, nor the structure, which is beautifully clear and thoughtful. It is the posture. Janet models what it means to come to the Word with empty hands and an open heart. She urges us to let go of pretense and pride and to embrace our spiritual hunger. It is in our emptiness, she reminds us, that we are most ready to be filled.

Her reflections are tender, sometimes raw, and always anchored in truth. There is no glossing over the grief she has walked through. No false bravado. Instead, her vulnerability becomes a key that unlocks something in the reader. I found myself encountering familiar Scriptures as if for the first time. Her writing helped me hear the whispers between the lines.

Meeting Janet in person only deepened my appreciation for this work. In many ways, we are kindred. We have both lost our fathers—men who were more than dads, they were steadying pillars, lovers of hymns, faithful worshipers. I like to imagine them meeting in heaven, their spirits somehow nudging ours toward this divine intersection. Perhaps they watched from glory, smiling knowingly as our paths crossed here on earth.

What Janet has written is more than a book. It is a living well. A time capsule of devotion. A milestone in her journey with God and an invitation for others to step more deeply into theirs. I find myself returning to these pages not just to study, but to remember, to reflect, to rest.

This book reminds me that the Bible is not a textbook to master but a table to gather around. A place where tears can fall freely and hearts can be mended. A holy ground where our emptiness is not a problem but a doorway.

Drink from the River of Delight is a gift to the Church. It is a balm for the weary. It is a resource I will treasure, recommend, and return to often. If you are hungry for the presence of God, thirsty for His Word, or longing to hear His voice in a fresh way, this book will not disappoint you. It will lead you gently to the riverbank and remind you how to drink again.



Janet, thank you for your obedience. Thank you for your honesty. Thank you for helping us fall in love with Scripture not just with our minds, but with our hearts.

You can follow Janet's newsletter and podcast at

And here is a reflection we did together a few days back: