Waiting with Purpose

Jeannie Ewing's book Waiting with Purpose: Persevering When God Says "Not Yet" was a perfect book for reflecting on my current life as well as better understanding previous years. I ordered the book because it will be featured as a Catholic Mom book club, starting tomorrow.

The book has 7 chapters, exploring topics such as: Why Is Waiting so Difficult?, Hidden Opportunities in Times of Waiting, and Encouragement While You Wait. Throughout is a thread of hoping in God's promises and keeping in mind that there is so much at work during phases of waiting - so many graces to help prepare us for our next steps.

The last couple of years I have had the phrase "do the next thing" in mind when thinking about how God has the big picture and to only desire to know what the next thing is or the trust that God will reveal to me the next step I need to know when and how I need to know it. Rather than longing to know multiple steps ahead, as I tended to, instead, I am learning to delight in the journey of recognizing next steps and acting on them without fully knowing where it will all lead. Through the process I am growing in love and trust, as well as being able to look back with awe at how God pointed out a path. Ewing's ideas affirmed this growth and thinking.

I also loved how she emphasized the concept of cycles, a reminder I needed to hear. It helped me to reframe my thinking and to view life as phases. I have been in a phase of activity, and this year I have been discerning next steps for the next academic/ministry work year. One way or another I know something will change in order to have more time for my family. Whatever I let go of will require detachment and a sense of loss. A lot of different comments and resources have supported me in being at peace with this, and her book gave me another layer of encouragement to embrace this next phase of a different pace of life or having a shift in priorities. It helps me to focus on how this is for a season and God will let me know if there is a time when I am supposed to shift into a different kind of activity. The book is also helping me to wait well for the pieces to click into place for in my current discernment process as this academic/ministry year comes to an end right as we will be welcoming our 5th baby into the family.

I enjoyed Ewing's writing style and how she wove together her own experiences, the lives of others, and Scripture. I am especially grateful that Catholic Mom selected this as a book club book and that I happened to hear about it from them because the publisher is not one that I am as familiar with, so I might not have heard about it otherwise even though it is such a perfect fit for my life right now.