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40 Days Through the Bible: The Answers to Your Deepest Longings

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Find the better you've been longing for in the pages of God's Word.

Lysa TerKeurst and the Proverbs 31 ministry team have come together to write a Bible study that will show you how God's promises fulfill our deepest longings.

We know the Bible is a big book and can oftentimes feel overwhelming. Lysa and Proverbs 31 team have created an eight-week study that will help you understand the story of the Bible, from start to finish, along with its amazing promises.

In 40 Days Through the The Answers to Your Deepest Longings, you

Take a journey through the storyline of the Bible in 40 days so you can see major themes, how they are all connected and what that means for us as we read the Bible today.Discover the eight major things humanity longs for and how Jesus fulfills all of them for us.Stop the endless cycle of seeking and searching for satisfaction and find the answers to your deepest longings. 

"For the next 40 days, we'll be feasting on the very thing Jesus used to defeat the enemy at the end of His 40 days of the Word of God." —Lysa TerKeurst

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2022

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About the author

Lysa TerKeurst

143 books32.8k followers
Lysa TerKeurst is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the New York Times best-selling author of Univited, The Best Yes, Unglued, Made to Crave, and 18 other books. Her newest book, It’s Not Supposed to be This Way, is scheduled for release in November of 2018. Lysa was recently awarded the Champions of Faith Author Award and has been published in multiple publications such as CNN and Fox News online. Additionally, she has appeared on the Today Show as one of the leading voices in the Christian community.

Each year, Lysa is a featured keynote presenter at more than 40 events across North America, including the Women of Joy Conferences and the Catalyst Leadership Conference. She has a passion for equipping women to share their stories for God's glory through Proverbs 31 Ministries' annual She Speaks Conference and writer training program, COMPEL: Words That Move People.

Connect with Lysa on social media @lysaterkeurst or at http://lysaterkeurst.com/.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
Profile Image for Sarah.
Author 12 books152 followers
September 20, 2020
I am loving this Bible study that leads you through the entire Bible in 40 days. Right now (September - November 2020), there is an online Bible study component you can join at the Proverbs 31 Ministries website. I appreciate the study on its own, and when layering it with the videos and blog posts, I get so much more out of it.

Though I've read the entire Bible through every year since 2003, I have been blown away with new insights into God's Word through this study. Such as, thinking about the unity that may have been possible had the Tower of Babel event not occurred. Also, that God predicted that the Israelites would be enslaved when he revealed his promise to Abraham, so enslavement was actually part of God's plan of redemption. Very thought-provoking truths.

This study is a collaborative effort from the entire team at Proverbs 31 Ministries. As a member of the devotional writing team, I highly recommend it to you. It's a deep, thoughtful, affirming study like no other. Join now to be blessed by the online study component too!

I received a preview copy of The Answer to Your Deepest Longings from the publisher.
Profile Image for Lila Diller.
Author 11 books47 followers
November 7, 2020
I adored the visuals – the colors, graphs, and timelines – but the actual content was lacking to me. I know they couldn't get in-depth in an overview of the entire Bible, but I was hoping for more application. There were only two or three questions to answer each day, and usually, they were a list of questions all put into one (which made it hard to fit my answers in and also made it hard to see where the focus of the questions was) or were very vague.

I wish the focus had been more on the longings rather than highlighting the history of Biblical events. I felt that having two goals like this prevented them from really accomplishing either one. They tried to tie in each week with a longing, but the Bible isn't strictly chronological in spiritual lessons.

And having gone to a Bible college, I felt there were a few inaccuracies in the timelines and even a couple of contradictions between different writers' teachings. The different voices of the different writers were hard to get used to, as well. When they wrote in first-person, I needed to flip back to the Table of Contents to figure out who was speaking. I wish they could have put the writers' names at the top of each page.

I also didn't like how the font was so small in the daily work! Maybe my eyes are getting old, but even with my progressive bifocals, it was tough to read.

Favorite quotes:
“Their prideful ambition led them to fulfill the longing of their hearts in things of the world rather than God... Like the tower builders, we too often fail to find our fulfillment in God. We seek after the things of this world to satisfy us. Things like recognition, popularity, and acceptance by our peers.” (Wendy Blight, p. 20)

“Without any change of circumstances, Scripture says Abram believed the Lord. He believed God would do what He said He would do. That is faith.” (Wendy Blight, p. 22)

“When the lies of the enemy – fear, doubt, anxiety, unbelief, discouragement – rush in, we must immediately take those thoughts captive. Captive to the Truth of God's Word.” (Wendy Blight, p. 24)

“Pastor Levi Lusko says, throughout Scripture, wherever we see God saying, 'Don't,' we should read it as, 'Don't hurt yourself.'” (Joel Muddamalle, p. 32)

“To live in freedom with Christ is to have freedom from the law … freedom from sin … And … freedom from death.” (Joel Muddamalle, p. 32)

“[T]hroughout Scripture, God presents fire as purifying and refining. It separates the impurities and leaves what is valuable. Friend, when God brings or allows the fiery furnace of discomfort in our lives, it does not burn indiscriminately. It burns intentionally, to make us more like Him.” (Wendy Blight, p. 39)

“[W]ho we are is not nearly as important as who God is.” (Wendy Blight, p. 40)

“He spoke the Ten Commandments. God's moral law, setting a new and holy standard for His people to live by. Remember, God created us with longings. He knew circumstances would arise that would lead His people astray into misplaced longings and affections. So, He set down these commands to steer His children's hearts back to Him.” (Wendy Blight, p. 44)

“The physical rest promised to Israel in the Promised Land is a picture of the spiritual rest we find in Jesus when we give our lives to Him.” (Wendy Blight, p. 56)

“He is still loving, patient, faithful and trustworthy. But, we make the journey so much easier when we walk closely with Jesus, aligning our hearts, our longings and our dreams with His.” (Wendy Blight, p. 70)

“Sometimes He remains silent because we are walking outside His will... It can serve as a warning to us. To stop and listen.” (Eric Gagnon, p. 98)

“One scholar said it [the Beatitudes] can also be understood as giving a believer 'be-attitudes.' These are the attitudes he or she should be … or have.” (Hannah Schindler, quoting
enduringword.com/bible-commentary, p. 119)

“My kids are the promise police. They have a very special gift to recall every promise I've ever made them and then call me out on any promise that I don't follow through on – especially when it comes to dessert.” (Joel Muddamalle, p. 127)

“The disunity of Babel in Genesis 11 is reversed in Acts 2.” (Joel Muddamalle, p. 128)

“Genesis reminds us that our identity is wrapped up in the will and wisdom of God who created us equal in value and worth, and yet distinct and diverse.” (Joel Muddamalle, p. 149)

“... the interconnected reality of our personal life with the lives of others. Our identity is not simply about us; it is about our relationship with God Who rewrites our story into His story. Our new story is to be lived out in order to invite others into the beautiful story of God who makes all things new and restores beauty from chaos.” (Joel Muddamalle, p. 151)

“We know God answered Stephen's last prayer of forgiveness. Because Saul, who stood near and watched Stephen's stoning, soon encountered Jesus in a personal and powerful way that forever transformed his heart. St. Augustine concluded that we owe the conversion of Saul to the prayers of Stephen.” (Wendy Blight, p. 156)

“Sometimes God uses our hardest, most trying circumstances to lead us to His assignments. Sometimes He shakes us up to take us out of our comfort zones and into His perfect will.” (Wendy Blight, p. 157)

“The tender-hearted, faithful obedience of Cornelius and Peter ushered in a new era for the church... God is most glorified when the church reflects the Kingdom – when it reflects His mosaic culturally, racially and socially.” (Wendy Blight, p. 165)

“So, while we wait for the final return and rescue of Jesus, we live filled with hope and courage, empowered by the Spirit!” (Joel Muddamalle, p. 174)

“God not only used His Spirit to inspire the writings, God the Spirit sits in the pages of Scripture, waiting for us to open it so He can meet us there and minister to us and speak to us.” (Eric Gagnon, p. 183)

“Though not indictment-worthy, the gospel was offensive then and still is today... Paul knew he was sharing more than a religion. He was offering a powerful, life-transforming message he himself had experienced: new life and good news that offered the hope of forgiveness, redemption, resurrection and eternal life.” (Eric Gagnon, p. 190)

(I received a copy for free as a small group study leader. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own, as was the decision to write this review.)
Profile Image for Morgan Giesbrecht.
Author 2 books186 followers
January 11, 2025
A straightforward overview of big picture biblical events.

I appreciated this snapshot into the timeline of the Bible. It wasn’t extremely deep, especially if you’re already familiar with the Bible. But even the most familiar of us need to be reminded of the wonder & power of the Scriptures.

My only qualm was the emphasis on some of the study questions about “what does this passage/verse mean for you”? Of course we can draw personal appreciation from scripture, but the more important question is, “what is God saying here? What are His intents? What is the context?”

That aside, it was a simple refreshing read on the major themes & events of the Bible!
Profile Image for Bailey Clark.
28 reviews1 follower
April 20, 2024
I have previously enjoyed Terkeurst’s work, and think that the composition of this book is appealing for anyone who is wanting to use it in the form of a devotional guide.

I especially liked the guided reading suggested for every day of the book.

My expectation was that this would take me back to Bible college days, and it didn’t. While it certainly captured the meta-narrative of Scripture, it didn’t go especially deep. There were parts that I hoped the writers would touch on (specifically Paul’s epistles) that were hardly mentioned.

I also wrestled with the idea that the book reflects on our “deepest longings”, sometimes more than it prioritizes the mission of God.

All in all, it was a pleasant read, but I had hoped for more. I anticipate that the purpose of the text was to serve as a daily devotional, which it served well. However, if one is wanting to take a deeper look into the cohesion of the Bible, this might not be the best place to start.
Profile Image for Tres Tucker.
21 reviews
September 20, 2025
A good foundational bible study that I would recommend for high schoolers/newer believers! Definitely not as deep or rich in knowledge as I'd hoped, but I loved the timelines!
Profile Image for Lisa Ramsey.
30 reviews3 followers
November 24, 2025
This has probably been one of my favorite Bible studies. Highly recommend with a group or on your own!!
Profile Image for Rachel.
233 reviews1 follower
May 10, 2022
This study takes you through the Bible chronologically in 40 days, focusing each week on a different human longing that God fulfills. I love the idea of going through the Bible in 40 days and taking the journey from the beginning to the end. It was amazing to see all of the connections and to watch as prophesy was fulfilled. The timing of the study was absolutely perfect, as I ended up reading about Jesus' resurrection the week of Easter.

There was a lot of good content in here, but some of the focusing questions left me longing. Each week had different authors writing questions, and while some of the passages had thought-provoking analytical questions, other weeks had questions that literally made me roll my eyes.

Overall: A fun, cute study, but not as in-depth as I would have liked it to be.

I was very grateful to receive a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway!
Profile Image for Turquoise Brennan.
622 reviews1 follower
February 24, 2023
8 weeks of taking you through 16 books in the bible with by week topics to think about along with probing questions for journaling. Did this with a friend who didn't know where to restart her conversation with God so it allowed us to do this together while having a daily conversation and learn more about each other through God. Powerful study.
Profile Image for Tyrean.
Author 65 books96 followers
June 28, 2023
I liked the idea of this Bible study and some parts were very good, but other parts were disjointed and the study felt oddly mixed between a "active" study and a passive one in which all questions were answered.
I did two other studies between starting this one and finishing it, so I definitely didn't do it in the 40 day time frame suggested.
5 reviews
April 4, 2023
This was a good light study but not truly in depth or thought provoking. Good for young adults or new Christian’s as a simple overview of the Bible.
Profile Image for Kate Gantner.
45 reviews1 follower
October 30, 2024
Absolutely LOVED this study. Did this with my women’s ministry through my Church, having others to chat about it with was a bonus. There are a lot of references quoted in each day and then summarized to an explanation. I really felt like my faith grew while reading this along with Gods Word!
Profile Image for Ellen Spes.
1,088 reviews7 followers
December 16, 2022
This would be a great resource for new Christians and good refresher for all.
Profile Image for Heather.
105 reviews
June 27, 2022
An excellent “survey” of the Bible and a wonderful Study! The authors have done a marvelous job of showing how Christ and God’s mission of salvation is intertwined throughout the entire Bible. Wendy Blight was my favorite of the various writers but they’re all good!
Profile Image for Tina Crabb.
2 reviews
November 7, 2020
I loved this study, I learned so much! Somehow in all my previous studying I missed the fact that the Bible tells one unified story of Jesus. He was there in the very beginning (not just in the New Testament!) and He will be there waiting for us in the new city of God.
This was my first Proverbs 31 OBS (First5) study, I will definitely do more in the future. I loved their collaborations and the range of study options available to the participants!
Profile Image for Sarah Kelbel.
8 reviews2 followers
February 7, 2024
A great quick trip through the Bible.

A nice way to see the Bible as a whole, unified story from start to finish about Gods mission for us and Jesus’ gift to us. Not the deepest and most thought provoking devotional I’ve read, but a good reminder daily that this Bible we study is all we need. All the answers are in it. All of humanity’s history - follies and triumphs - are part of Gods story, my story, and the story to come.
Profile Image for Meg.
298 reviews6 followers
July 21, 2024
Meh. 3 stars is generous, but I feel bad dissing books that get you into the scriptures. But, this was pretty unmoving. There were some decent days and the timelines were nice, but there was no depth. This isn’t a study I would recommend.
Profile Image for Madeline Mize.
15 reviews
August 4, 2024
There were a few gold nuggets but overall I didn't love this study. It took way longer than 40 days for me to finish because it drug on. But the nuggets were really good. Just not enough in my opinion.
Profile Image for Beverly.
183 reviews5 followers
November 7, 2020
I really enjoyed this study, especially doing it along with the P31 OBS blogs! I enjoy having the overview of all of Scripture and the timelines included in this study book were extremely helpful!
Profile Image for Jess Bohm.
6 reviews
May 8, 2023
It probably a better fit for people who are newer in the faith just because it doesn’t go very deep but it was a good reminder 🙂
Profile Image for Jana.
169 reviews
November 7, 2023
An easy daily read. I’m sure you could dig deep on your own from this. But in and of itself, it was just a simple daily devotional.
Profile Image for Chantel.
185 reviews2 followers
March 20, 2025
DNF.

I just couldn’t.

The premise is good but out of 30 min videos you’re watching 10 mins of them tote about the development of the study over and over and over again. And instead of really giving biblical content it was all self seeking application of the scripture and prosperity soaked misgivings about how your longings will be met HERE on EARTH always by following Christ. Did anyone in the Bible ever have all THEIR longings met earth side? The theological undercurrent gave me red flags. In this world we will have troubles and the heart is deceitful and wickedly sick should be to verses the ladies developing this study should have memorized first…

Timeline overview - check.

But actual BIBLE STUDY? I would say not. More like a self study within the context of the Biblical timeline.
Profile Image for Macy Kovarik.
27 reviews
July 11, 2025
I started this study with the intention of finishing it during Lent, but.. life happened. Still, I ended up reading it during a really difficult season, and in hindsight, the timing was exactly what I needed.

The first few weeks/first half was my favorite! Full of fresh insight, powerful Scripture connections, and steady reminders of who God is. Toward the end, it started to feel a little repetitive, like the same message on loop, and I found myself craving more depth or new revelation. But maybe that’s just me.

Even so, the study delivered on what matters most: pointing me back to truth. Again and again, I felt God whisper, “Life may be uncertain, but I’m not. And I’m going with you.” That message alone made it worth it. Just another reason I’ll always appreciate Lysa’s heart and voice.
Profile Image for Ashton.
347 reviews4 followers
January 3, 2025
Just finished today and I really enjoyed this Bible study! It’s divided into 8 weeks with 5 days per week plus a weekend reflection + prayer. You follow along digging deeper into different selected Bible stories each day. Not all of the “significant” stories are included, but a good amount are, and you get a lot of timelines with mini blurbs to show how the other stories that weren’t included as part of the daily lessons fit into the overall story. Each day’s lesson takes about 10-15 minutes and I liked doing them in the morning before work. I got this off pango for 50 cents after seeing it on a tiktok and I’m so glad I picked it up!
Profile Image for Cheyanne Joy.
151 reviews
June 13, 2024
As some one who is just beginning a genuine journey into the Word, this was a great bible study to do so. Each day was short enough to keep my short attention span but in depth enough that each study left me feeling closer to God. I definitely recommend this for anyone who has felt intimidated when they think about reading the bible. It will help not only your confidence grow, but most importantly, will help your relationship with Him grow.

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things shall me added to you -Matthew 6:33
Profile Image for Ashley Tunnell .
8 reviews
August 2, 2025
If you are looking for a start to finish study of the Bible this is a great place to start! I learned to much during this study and it all kinda just clicked for me. I really love how they take our deepest longings and relate them back to people/events in the Bible. Really makes you understand how important Gods love is for us. If he can do it for Moses and Elijah, King David and Peter I know he will show his faithfulness us to us too!!! Praise be to God!!! I look forward to many more studies by this team!
226 reviews2 followers
April 5, 2022
I received this book from the Goodreads and publisher give away. I am grateful for this gift. It is a devotional booklet that requires some thought and invites the reader to respond, research the bible a little further. This is an outline of the history of the bible beginning with Genesis and is intended to serve as a devotional book for 40 days. It is generic and not for a specific Christian faith. It is simple in outline and helped to keep me on track as I follow the bible story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews

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