Unfailing Love

John Swinton

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.

“So comforting”

Unfailing Love is a 30-day devotional aimed at encouraging the caregivers who suffer as they meet the challenging needs of those suffering with dementia. Often the suffering that a dementia caregiver experiences is fundamentally different than the suffering of the one diagnosed. Robin Thomson has not only encouraged caregivers through biblical texts and personalized stories, but he also speaks from the real depths of grief as he watched his own bride, Shoko, succumb to Alzheimer’s.

Thomson writes with eternity at the forefront and the hope of the gospel undergirding each devotion. Thomson has a rich theology of suffering and recognizes the mysterious duality of real, deep, terrible, tangible pain in Alzheimer’s and the profound goodness within experiencing this kind of affliction. This book would help the reader in any affliction as it shares biblical insights that are bedrock truths for all suffering in a believer’s life.

Thomson walks through the Psalms of lament, shares transparent stories from countless people who have cared for and walked through Alzheimer’s, and is deeply encouraging with promises of God for those in Christ.

I do wish the stories of fellow caregivers were either clearly separated from or clearly integrated into the devotionals. However, the stories are a huge highlight and is what makes this book special—Thomson provides you a moment of entering into someone else’s suffering which takes your eyes off your current struggle and reminds you that you are not alone in walking the road marked with suffering.

This would be a lovely gift to your friends who have inevitably withdrawn from so much in order to care so deeply for their loved one who is no longer who they used to be and not yet as they will be, if they are Christ’s. (113)