Waiting on God - A Time of Preparation for Service Christian Counselor and author Verna Foster Harvey has created a unique interactive study guide, a balanced combination of instruction and inspiration in her book "The Blessedness of Waiting on God: How to Deal with the Stress of Holding Patterns.
" The book also provides devotional thoughts and prayer meditations.
Harvey writes from her own personal experiences as she describes the holding pattern of waiting on God throughout in various seasons of her own spiritual journey.
She relates how blessedness can develop during this time of preparation for service.
She talks about how this can produce clarity during the training process.
Harvey uses examples from Old and New Testament characters that experienced similar periods of waiting, or being held in a holding pattern as they were being prepared to fulfill God's purpose for their lives.
I found Harvey's applications both practical and relevant.
The chapter titled "Experiencing Holding Patterns in Today's World" resonated with me.
In this chapter Harvey discussed topics including weight loss plateaus, unanswered prayers, and terminal illness.
She also addressed issues of perseverance and focus.
She included important resource tools available to read and reflect on during the waiting period.
Each chapter provided a helpful worksheet with application questions which provided opportunity for introspection and direction for moving forward in readiness for service.
"The Blessedness of Waiting on God" conveys a powerful message of expectation and hope for anyone in the experiencing a dry, seemingly unfruitful season during a holding pattern of uncertainty.
Harvey writing is filled with compassion, empathy, and understanding.
Pleasant Word (a division of WinePress Publishing), 978-1414107943 As reviewed for Midwest Book Review.