Still Waiting


I couldn't wait (no pun intended, ha ha) to read Still Waiting: Hope For When God Doesn't Give You What You Want by Ann Swindell. I have several things in my life that I'm waiting on God for - some for a decade or more. These things have caused me stress, pain, anxiety, doubt, depression, and even doubting, wondering if God hears my prayers and if He will ever answer them. Still Waiting sounded just like what I needed to hear. The back cover says:

"What if God wants you to wait?
Most of us know what it’s like to wait for God to change our circumstances. But, whether we’re waiting for physical healing, emotional breakthrough, or better relationships, waiting is something we usually try to avoid. Why? Because waiting is painful and hard. The truth is, it’s also inevitable.

In Still Waiting, Ann Swindell explores the depths of why God wants us to wait by chronicling her own compelling story of waiting for healing from an incurable condition. She offers a vibrant retelling of the biblical account of the Bleeding Woman that parallels her story―and yours, too.

Let Ann help you see the promise that is hidden in the ache of waiting and the hope of what God can―and will―do as you wait on him."

As soon as I opened the book, I was ministered to by this wonderful quote in the Foreword (written by Jess Connolly): "God's people are a waiting people because He is an on-time God, not an on-demand one." This one quote pretty much sums up the book into one sentence. I loved, loved, loved how Ann used the story of the bleeding woman in the Bible as the basis of this book. I've always enjoyed her story and wanted to know more about her. Although the Bible doesn't give us much information about her, Ann uses a blend of historical sources, Scripture, and her rich imagination to flesh out the portrait of the bleeding woman. She breathes life into the story we've read so many times in Scriptures and applies it to all women who are waiting for healing, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. I have to say, I was extremely surprised when Ann revealed her own health struggle she's been praying for release from since she was 11 years old - trichotillomania (the compulsive pulling of eyelash and eyebrow hair). It was honestly the last thing I expected - it's such a rare, little-heard-of disorder. However, I loved that she gave us such an intimate look at this aspect of her life and really brought us into her struggle. I could really relate to her because, while I don't have trichotillomania, I do have obsessive compulsive personality disorder and do different things to satisfy my compulsions in order to relieve my anxiety. Disorders like these often aren't spoken of in the Christian world, and I love that Ann was brave enough to share her experiences with the world. I highly, highly recommend this book to any Christian woman who is in a season (or perhaps even a lifetime) of waiting.

I received a copy of this book from Tyndale in order to provide an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

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