Somewhere in the Middle- Embracing "The In-Between"

If only…

If only I could get this child potty trained…

If only I could get that promotion or new job…

If only I could get pregnant, so we could start our family…

If only this traffic wasn’t so bad or I could find a parking spot…

If only….

In this season of giving, we wait. We wait for the next big thing we have been planning or to get through the line at the checkout. As Christians, we wait for our Savior’s return. Much of life is waiting. So how do you wait? Are you restless, impatient, even angry … or are you hurting, crying out in your waiting like Job in his trials.

Whatever your circumstance, the waiting is often the hardest part. In his new release, The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing, Jeff Goins examines the journey of waiting and looks to the wait as a time of transformation and growth in our relationship with God.

Goins is an accomplished writer / speaker who gently leads his reader to conclusions that are simple, but thoughtful and poignant. I really liked the personal aspect of his writing.  He writes in a manner that is very readable.  You can imagine him sitting across the table over coffee telling you about these real life experiences and the gleanings reaped from them. He shares that when we embrace the “In-Between”, we learn the lessons of how to:

• Slow Down
• Let Go
• Be Grateful

 

In this season of waiting, consider adding this excellent read to your reading shelf or for someone on your holiday shopping list. And blessings to you in your wait!

Here’s Jeff explaining the idea behind the book.  If you’re not sure about the book and its message, he explains it best!

The Book

We’re an “instant gratification” generation, but the trouble  is, most change happens gradually.

Most of us spend our lives  searching and longing for something more than what is in front of us. Whether it’s  traveling abroad or chasing cheap (or expensive) thrills, we’re all looking for  medicine to satisfy our restlessness. And, so often, we’re looking in the wrong  place.

The In-Between is a call for all of us to accept the importance  that waiting plays in our lives. In this spiritual memoir, Jeff Goins reveals the  unexpected good that came from his times of waiting. And he encourages  us to embrace the extraordinary nature of the ordinary and enjoy the daily mundane,  what lies in between the “major” moments.

Moments of breakthrough are not  where life’s greatest transformation happens; the stuff that God uses to shape us  often lies in the in-between. It’s the bus stops and layovers and DMV lines and  moments of unintentional pause that force us to become better people.

That’s  not to say there aren’t moments of epiphany. There are. It’s just that most of us  find ourselves living somewhere in the in-between. Learning to live in this tension,  to be content in these moments of waiting, may be our greatest struggle…and our  greatest opportunity to grow.

Paperback: 176 pages (also available in e-book and audio formats)
Publisher: Moody Publishers; New Edition edition (July 23, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802407242
ISBN-13: 978-0802407245
Product Dimensions:          0.4 x 5.2 x 8 inches
Retail Price: $13.99

Available for less at these retailers:

Amazon

Christian Audio Books

 

The Book Trailer is great too!

About the Author

Jeff Goins is a blogger, speaker and author. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, Jeff graduated from Illinois College with a degree in Spanish and Religion. Junior year, he  spent a semester in Spain, which opened his eyes to a whole new world. After graduating, Jeff spent a year on the road with a band. Then he moved to Tennessee to chase a girl. In 2008, he married her. Check out his Blog at Goinswriter.com.

Note: We were provided with a complimentary copy of the book through Shaun Tabatt at Cross-Focused Reviews and the publisher for an honest review of this title.