About the Book

Book: The Other 3:16s
Author: Malinda Fugate
Genre: Christian Living
Release Date: May 12, 2020

”For God so loved the world . . . “

Many of us could finish that sentence in our sleep. John 3:16 is a beautiful Scripture that neatly and simply sums up the message of the Gospel. But what do all the other 3:16s in the Bible have to tell us?

The words of the Bible weave a tapestry of love, particularly the love that our Heavenly Father has for His children. But a love so deep and so wide cannot be contained in one memorized phrase. It takes multiple authors of sixty-six individual books to begin to explore the mystery of God’s care for us.

The Other Three Sixteens by Malinda Fugate examines each third chapter and sixteenth verse in the Bible and invites a fresh, new perspective to help readers uncover surprises or remind them of forgotten truths of a faith that has become routine.

Through Genesis to Revelation, we can soak in its depth, wonder at its intricacies, and be moved at how much the Lord truly does lavish upon us. Together, we discover God’s love under the weight of Eve’s sin in the garden. It’s there in front of Moses, burning in a bush that is somehow not consumed. God’s love sits in the dark with Job, rebuilds a wall with Nehemiah, and encourages a young pastor named Timothy. Together we will find a deeper understanding of the way our Heavenly Father cares for each of us today.

My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book. I wasn't expecting it to grab me or move me the way it did but the author did a great job with it. I think John 3:16 was the first verse of the Bible that I learned (I know its the first verse that I taught each of my kids). I guess I just never thought about 'the other 3:16s'.
I'm really glad the author wrote this. It gave me a different perspective on the Bible and what all we can learn from it. She went through old and new Testaments looking at the 3rd chapter and 16th verse. I know this book will stay on my shelf and be referenced frequently.
5/5 for me.

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit. I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Malinda Fugate grew up in children’s ministry. Now, after two decades of dedicated volunteer service, she now serves full-time as the Children’s Education Director at a church in Southern California. Malinda studied communications and theatre at Azusa Pacific University, then worked behind the scenes at the Los Angeles Salem radio stations, including The Fish and KKLA. Her writing includes The Other Three Sixteens, Bible Time for Active Kids, commercial copywriting, various faith-based stage and screen plays, as well as co-producing A Single Girl’s Guide To, a lifestyle blog and web series. Her lifelong study of God’s Word continues to reveal more about the Lord every day. She lives by the beach with her pup, Yoshi.

More from Malinda

It’s the first verse many of us memorized in Sunday School and perhaps the most familiar to any Christian: “For God so loved the world….”
In one sentence, we celebrate the incredible love of God and the amazing gift of salvation that Jesus gave through the cross. John 3:16 is a beautiful Scripture to keep in our hearts and minds.
Of course, John did not assign chapters and verses when he penned his gospel. Those were added later to help us reference as we study. Yet, years of reciting John 3:16 have etched these lines into our brains, making it an easy combo to remember. What if we looked at the other 3:16 verses in each book of the Bible? What treasures would we unearth hidden in our well-worn pages?
We find Adam and Eve in their last days in a garden paradise, dealing with the consequences of a terrible decision.
There is a young boy training to be a priest who suddenly hears the audible voice of God.
A king’s cup-bearer journeys to his homeland to lead a massive construction project despite adversity.
We sit next to Job in his darkest days, crying out to God for answers.
We meet a young pastor named Timothy, experience miraculous healings, and witness the baptism of Jesus Himself.
Most of all, in every verse, we discover the immense love of God. We learn that it cannot be contained simply in one phrase; such a great love is too full of rich detail. Most of all, we find that His love is alive and active in our very own lives, right this minute.