Skip to main content

Review: Now and Not Yet


This is a title that I've been excited about ever since I saw others sharing about it, so I'm thrilled that I was able to read it before it was released yesterday.

Many thanks to Nelson Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of Now and Not Yet by Ruth Chou Simons for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Book Synopsis

Bestselling author Ruth Chou Simons guides readers who are restless in their current circumstances on a journey of growth, purpose, and pressing in.

Too often, we feel disappointed with our "right now"--our life circumstances, our relationships, our progress, our daily grind. We want to do so many things--good, godly things--but our situations don't allow us to step into them. Are we missing out on our own lives? Why does right now seem so far from where we really long to be?

Bestselling author Ruth Chou Simons reminds us that it's okay to not like the right now we've been given, but we don't have to like it to lean in. In Now and Not Yet, Ruth shows us how to.. .

  • embrace the biblical truth that someday is made up of thousands of right nows;
  • discern how the difficult parts of our lives are actually a unique gift by discovering five ways to flip the script on a hard season;
  • stop feeling trapped when we are not where we want to be with guided liturgies for what we are facing today; and
  • live faithfully in the tension between what is and what is not yet.

Your right now matters. And you can choose to press in and not check out. To know God is at work even when you don't see the progress you're looking for. To start where you are in this very moment. Because he's not through with you yet.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This is my first title by Ruth Chou Simons, and it won't be my last. The author has such a way with words that the entire book felt like a visual feast, especially paired with her beautiful artwork and poetry. She is an artist, through and through. I love how she is able to write in such an approachable manner while getting at some meaty topics such as waiting on God, having our character refined through difficulties, and surrendering our plans. The questions she offers provide a good balance between reflection and meditation on God's Word, such that we don't allow our thoughts and circumstances to consume us.

My favourite sections are definitely The Theological Framework of the Now and Not Yet and the Scriptures, where all of the verses are compiled together. I appreciate how much this book is grounded in the Bible and how it takes the emphasis off our emotions. The author captures the theological tension of the already and not yet and applies it to how we can respond and worship God in the in-between. Infused with encouraging messages of hope and laced with the promises of God, readers will find Now and Not Yet to be a gentle and truthful book that can offer joy in the waiting.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Call of Living Water - Refuge #1

Be still, my missions-loving heart! This is hands-down, one of the best fictional books I've read on this theme, and I cannot gush enough about it. The Call of Living Water by Alexis M. Melvin is a new book that will be released on August 23, 2025 and  if I had to suggest a Christian fiction title that could make a difference in your walk with God this summer, it would be this one. Many thanks to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : tribal sacrifices, martyrdom Book Synopsis When the God of Living Water calls, will Suái be willing to risk her life and the lives of everyone she loves to answer? Deep in the jungle of Paraguay, Suái’s tribe worships indifferent gods who withhold the life-giving rain unless their worshippers make costly sacrifices. However, when a missionary arrives speaking of the loving God of Living Water, Suái’s curiosity leads her down a dangerous path. Thrust into a new life with p...

All the Cheese

I've been coming across content within the past several weeks that has stereotyped Christian books (and other mediums) as being cheesy on Christian accounts. While this isn't a new label or even a new topic, what has surprised me somewhat has been seeing more Christian authors jump into this conversation who wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Although some authors will name others whom they believe are writing non-cheesy fiction, I feel as though the damage has been done by repeating this blanket statement. While readers have freely been engaging in this type of commentary for some time, it's been interesting to see authors chime in, where in some cases, there seems to be an emphasis on self-promotion over reflection. I'm not stereotyping and saying that all authors or even the authors I'm connected to respond with this tactic (because I really don't think they do!), but there are a few out there from my limited experience who seem to respond to this disc...

Review: No Stone Unturned - The Bluestocking Society #1

Seeing so many glowing reviews about No Stone Unturned by Jenelle Hovde after it was released, I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to still read a copy while it was available. Not only did the cover captivate me, I'm thrilled that its content was just as engaging as I envisioned it would be. Many thanks to  Tyndale House Publishers  and  NetGalley  for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. In this Regency romance set in rolling hills of West Sussex, two opposing wills discover their fate may lie in the common ground. Miss Bridget Littleton’s passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman r...