SEEING THE WHOLE PICTURE
Grad uses educational and ministry experience to write and publish devotional book
The Bible has been a part of Laura (Swetnam) Waymack’s (WC ’05) life for as long as she can remember. Growing up in a Christian home, attending Grace Polaris Church, and studying at Worthington Christian School until she graduated in 2005, were all integral parts of her spiritual and intellectual development. She went on to attend The Ohio State University, where she earned a master’s degree in education. Her degree propelled her into teaching high school. Waymack and her husband Joel currently reside in St. Charles, Missouri, with their three young children.
In every season of her adult life, Waymack has also been involved in teaching and mentoring in a church setting. She is passionate about sharing God’s Word with others and teaching His Truths in a way that helps others gain a deeper understanding. Her passion led her to complete coursework at Gordon-Cornwell Theological Seminary.
In walking alongside other believers on their spiritual journeys over the last several years, she has noticed a consistent theme emerge. It came to her attention that many Christians–whether new to the faith or having long-established church roots—struggle to read or study the Bible as one continuous story. Envisioning the overall story of the Bible, seeing how its various parts fit together, and understanding how it all points to Jesus are all common challenges for even the most earnest reader of the Word.
In recent years, she began developing a Bible study to address these common challenges. In writing and leading this Bible study at Cross City Church in Columbus, she developed an eight-week study that traces the storyline of the Bible from beginning to end. To make this study available more broadly, she decided to publish it as a 40-day Bible study book. Each one of the forty days in the study includes a Bible passage (20 from the Old Testament and 20 from the New Testament), an explanatory commentary, and thoughtful interaction with the text. Her efforts were officially published as the book His Unified Word in August of 2022.
Although Waymack’s university and seminary studies have undoubtedly been instrumental in her development as a teacher and author, Waymack recalls the impact of the spiritual foundation of her youngest years. In her words, “My classes at WC had a significant influence on my growth as a Christian. I remember many of the teachers who made an impression on my life. I still have some of the materials from my high school Bible classes.” Waymack hopes that both individuals and groups will grow in their love for and knowledge of God’s Word through her work.