Seasons of Waiting by Betsy Childs Howard

Seasons of Waiting by Betsy Childs Howard ISBN-13: 9781433549496 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Crossway Books Released: May 31, 2016

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
We're all waiting for something. For some of us, it's a spouse. For others, it's children. For still others, it's physical healing.

Unfortunately, when things don't go as planned and we end up having to wait, it's often hard to trust God's timing. But while there will always be delays and disappointments in this life, there is still hope; God has a purpose and a plan for every season of our lives, even when it feels like he just keeps saying no.

Betsy Childs Howard points us to examples of waiting from Scripture that teach us to understand our waiting as a parable of God's unfolding kingdom. In the process, she shows us how the gospel informs our response to unmet longings and delayed dreams--directing our attention to the day when Christ will return and all our waiting will be over.


My Review:
Seasons of Waiting looked at why God often asks us to wait for something good and what to do while waiting. While we get some generalized reasons, the author also looked at five specific types of waiting: waiting for a spouse, for a baby, for physical healing, for a stable home, and for the return of a rebellious child or unfaithful spouse.

The author pointed out people or parables in the Bible where waiting was involved and showed how waiting can be a parable for the gospel message. For example, waiting for a rebellious child helps us understand God's love for us and portrays God's love to others. She also explored how God is working during our waiting and what we can do while waiting, like mentoring other people's children while waiting for your own. She doesn't promise the wait will end in this life but rather that the wait has worth and will ultimately be fulfilled when Christ returns.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who are struggling with waiting, especially if you're waiting for one of her five categories.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.