Waiting with Purpose: Persevering When God Says ‘Not Yet’
by Jeannie Ewing
All of life involves waiting. We wait at stoplights. We are caught in traffic jams. We agonize over medical test results. We hang on to a much-anticipated getaway. Sometimes, we wait to finish a project, welcome a new relationship, or open our hearts to the work God has begun in us. Regardless of how often we wait or upon what, Jeannie Ewing explains with clarity and encouragement how we can use the moments of waiting in our lives to grow spiritually. Waiting with Purpose will show you why God asks you to wait and how He is speaking to you in the times when nothing seems to be happening.
Hardback $19.99 | Paperback $14.99 | Kindle $9.99
AWARDS
Catholic Press Association 2018 Award – Honorable Mention SPIRITUALITY: Hard Cover
“The quote from the Hebrew Scriptures: “Be Patient and wait on the Lord” is very relevant to this book. The author leads us to discover the hidden spiritual jewel in the task of waiting. This is a good spiritual reading book for all those who wonder and wait.”
INTERVIEWS
Listen to “Episode 69: Approaching Motherhood with Authenticity with Jeannie Ewing (November 10, 2019)” on Spreaker. With Al Kresta on the Kresta in the Afternoon Show (February 23, 2018) concerning her book Waiting with Purpose. https://enroutebooksandmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Kresta-in-the-Afternoon-–-February-23-2018-–-Hour-1.mp3 With Kyle Heimann on the Kyle Heimann Show 390 (February 20, 2018) concerning her book Waiting with Purpose. https://soundcloud.com/kyleheimannshow/khs-390-welcome-them-back-gary-michuta-waiting-with-purpose-jeannie-ewing-lent-suggestions-quiz With Cyrus Simcoe on Morning Air on Relevant Radio (February 9, 2018) concerning her book Waiting with Purpose. https://relevantradio.com/2018/02/morning-air-feb-09-2018-hour-1/ With Cynthia Gniadek on “I Thought You’d Like to Know” on WCAT Radio (January 22, 2018) concerning her book Waiting with Purpose. Listen to “Prof. Cynthia Gniadek interviews Jeannie Ewing, editor of “Waiting with Purpose”” on Spreaker.
With Mary Schwarz on “Rivers of Living Water” on WCAT Radio (May 4, 2017) concerning her book From Grief to Grace: The Journey from Tragedy to Triumph
Listen to “Episode 21: An Interview with Catholic Author Jeannie Ewing (May 4, 2017)” on Spreaker.
Journey Home on October 16, 2017.
- Why do you think a book about the spirituality of waiting is important in our modern age? In our modern age, many people have lost the sense of waiting with God and instead think they must attain everything through their own merit. They often think that waiting is nothing more than stillness and boredom–perhaps even frustration–but for Christians, waiting is much more than that; it’s an experience that becomes spiritual when done with God. It entails hope and faith, and it can help perfect us spiritually as we prepare for the next step in God’s mission for us.
- What did you benefit from most by reading Waiting with Purpose? This book helped me see how God was with me during times of desert waiting. I also was inspired to be more grateful for all the small ways God works in my life. Applying one of Jeannie’s stories to my own life, my husband and I started a gratitude jar after reading about Jeannie’s experience with one. This gratitude jar has helped us see God working in our daily lives.
- What makes Waiting with Purpose stand out among similar books on the market today? No author has taken up the topic of waiting like Jeannie. Her writing style is inspirational and engaging, and she knows how to connect with her audience by allowing them to share in her life through stories and insights that they can relate to. By the end of the book, readers can feel like they’ve caught a glimpse into the life of Jeannie Ewing, and at the same time, they can feel inspired to go out and live their own lives with God in a deeper, more meaningful way. Thanks to Jeannie, they are ready and eager to find out how God will work next in their lives.
- How can readers apply the principles in the book to their own busy lives? Earnest readers will take the time to stop and ponder their lives in light of the insights about waiting they receive as they make their way through the book. These readers will find themselves ready to listen, ponder, pray, prepare, and act during times of waiting.
- What’s the primary reason you would recommend this book to readers? This book helps us see why waiting is not a bad thing. In fact. it’s a good thing for those of us who care about spiritual perfection. This book helps us see God during those times of waiting when we otherwise would see only darkness and desolation. This book brings hope and consolation.
- What people, saints, or devotions inspired you while writing this book? My spiritual director had mentioned Henri Nouwen’s “The Spirituality of Waiting,” which was a document she had in PDF form. After reading it, I was intrigued about the concept of a spirituality of waiting and wanted to know more. Truthfully, I got a lot of good substance from this short essay alone, but I did end up reading W.H. Vanstone’s The Stature of Waiting, which was also a philosophical gem during the process of gathering information about what God may want to teach us during times of seeming nothingness. I think it was Providential that I started this process of thinking, praying about, and organizing information about waiting during Advent. There was so much in daily Scripture about waiting with joyful hope, waiting for God’s timing, etc. It was just a theme that kept coming to me over and over, everywhere I looked.
- How has writing the book changed your life? I’ve written four books to date and am in the process of working on two more. Most of my books deal with the theme of grief and suffering, which is an important topic but also an arduous one to write about. Waiting with Purpose was a joy to write, probably my favorite book I’ve written to date, because it was so revealing. I felt excited that the Lord showed me so much about waiting – enough to comprise a book – and knew He wanted the message to be shared with others. Somehow, I knew I had stumbled upon a rare gem of knowledge with the book’s content.
- How can this book help readers overcome the fear that they might fail if they choose the path of waiting? I think a lot of our waiting experiences are not chosen. They simply happen to us. That’s something I learned while writing the book. We can’t control most of life. We can choose how we respond to life, but we can’t control everything that happens to us. Waiting with Purpose will encourage the reader when s/he is in a place of struggle where nothing seems to be moving forward, where life seems stagnant, or even during the mundane drudgery of waiting in exam rooms, standing in a long line at a retailer or grocer, etc. We can use our times of waiting to be spiritually productive, to elevate our minds and hearts to God through silent prayer.
- What did you enjoy most about writing the book? I enjoyed knowing that nothing like this book had ever been written before, believing that it is a timeless message that people generations from now will still find relevant.
- What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing? I am an avid reader. I also love spending time outdoors with my dog and girls. My husband and I enjoy visiting wineries when we go on the occasional weekend getaway. And I scrap book about twice per year, accessing the more visually creative side of me. But writing comprises most of my free time. It is both a gift I’ve been given and one I love to share with others.
- I will stand at my guard post, and station myself upon the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what answer he will give to my complaint.
- Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision; Make it plain upon tablets, so that the one who reads it may run.
- For the vision is a witness for the appointed time, a testimony to the end; it will not disappoint. If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.
- See, the rash have no integrity; but the just one who is righteous because of faith shall live.
TESTIMONIALS
In this culturally relevant work, Jeannie Ewing teaches readers the meaning of waiting and how waiting for a spouse chosen by God involves a journey with God in the spiritual life. If God’s timing is perfect, why not wait? Jeannie helps us to see why waiting for God’s time is a time worth waiting for—a time of both hardship and blessings as we chase God’s dream for us. – Cynthia Gniadek, adjunct faculty, Holy Apostles College & Seminary, Cromwell, CT
“With beautiful prose, Ewing has crafted one of the most personal and insightful works of spirituality in recent memory. Prepare yourself to be both challenged and deeply consoled.” – Shane Kapler, author of Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Through, With, and In Him
“Winter waiting, desert waiting, active waiting, passive waiting, missional loneliness, and more – this book presents a theology of waiting that can turn everything from annoying moments in some line or traffic jam to decades of anticipation of God’s plan for your life into matchless opportunities for ongoing spiritual renewal and growth. Please pardon the paradox, but don’t wait to absorb the beautiful, practical lessons of Jeannie Ewing’s Waiting With Purpose: When God Says ‘Not Yet.’” – Kevin Vost, Psy.D, author of Memorize the Mass! and The Catholic Guide to Loneliness
There is much to say about Ewing’s book–that it is, for example, wise, insightful, and manages to say ancient truths of the spiritual life with sweet, new light–but it is most important to say that it is a book that has been decisively helpful for me in my own season of difficult waiting. Many will enjoy and benefit from the calm, steady wisdom found in Waiting With Purpose. – Kathleen Wolfe, post-graduate student at Holy Apostles College and Seminary, Cromwell, CT
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeannie Ewing believes the world ignores and rejects the value of the Cross. She writes about the hidden value of suffering and even discovering joy in the midst of grief.
As a disability advocate, Jeannie shares her heart as a mom of two girls with special needs in Navigating Deep Waters and is the author of From Grief to Grace , A Sea Without A Shore , and Waiting with Purpose.
Jeannie is a frequent guest on Catholic radio and contributes to several online and print Catholic magazines.
She, her husband, and three daughters live in northern Indiana.
For more information, please visit her website lovealonecreates.com.
OTHER POPULAR SPIRITUALITY BOOKS
77 Soundbytes of Love
77 Soundbytes of Love: The Philosophical Spirituality of Ronda Chervin By Ronda Chervin This book is an anthology of soundbytes -- 77 to be exact -- drawn from almost one hundred philosophical works of Ronda Chervin written over the past half century. Why 77? It's a...
Mark on the Line
Mark on the Line: On the sinking of the Marques, June 4, 1984 by Lawrence Hopperton Mark on the Line is centred on the grief author Larry Hopperton endured – endures – in the aftermath of the devastating 1984 loss of the sailing ship Marques, a vessel whose doomed...
Awake with Christ: Living the Catholic Holy Hour in Your Home
Awake with Christ: Living the Catholic Holy Hour in Your Home by Annabelle Moseley We are about to undertake an exhilarating journey together. Throughout this book, we will travel to the Mount of Olives implementing the tools of the garden as we keep the Holy Gardener...
Into the Heart of St. Joseph
Into the Heart of Saint Joseph by Jason Schreder What was on St. Joseph’s heart and mind when he held Jesus for the first time? What would it have been like to be the head of the Holy Family? Into the Heart of St. Joseph immerses the reader into St. Joseph’s interior...
Talkaholics: Fate or Work-in-Process?
Talkaholics: Fate or Work-in-Progress By Ronda Chervin Why would I ever think I talk too much? Here are some tiny stories to show you why: “Ronda,” asked my spiritual director, “what would it be like if you joined a table (at the seminary where I was teaching and took...
Charles Rich: Give Me Your Heart–Preparing for Eternal Life by Charles Rich
Charles Rich: Give Me Your Heart--Preparing for Eternal Life Ed. by Ronda Chervin How about a book for the elderly by a sage who was still making disciples in his nineties? Who was this Charles Rich, anyhow? One of the most fascinating Hebrew-Catholics of all times...
Lord, do you mean me? A father-Catechist?
Lord, Do You Mean Me? A father-Catechist! by Francis Etheredge Reflecting on the reality of childhood, Francis Etheredge explores what is entailed in being a parent who wants to take up the vocation, as widely and as specifically as possible, of helping to found the...
Purgatory in the Words of Jesus
Purgatory in the Words of Jesus by Roger Skrenes In this book, Roger Skrenes explains how the teaching that only two possible realms exist after death, that of Heaven and Hell, as argued by many non-Catholic Christians, is not correct. Christ actually spoke of a third...
The Sea Lord’s Bookshelf by Vincent Salamoni, M.S.A.
All profits go to the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles (M.S.A.) LORD, HAVE MERCY. The oceans are big; our boat is small.The Sea Lord's Bookshelf by Reverend Vincent A. Salamoni, M.S.A. This book is a catalyst, of a beginning voyage. Here it is a short one, yet a long...
For the Love of God: The Sacred Heart and the Divine Mercy
For the Love of God: The Sacred Heart and the Divine Mercy Kristina R. Olsen The purpose of this book is to invite you into the Sacred Heart of Jesus to experience his love, and to introduce you to the Divine Mercy devotion to encounter God's limitless forgiveness. We...
The Book of Love: Brief Meditations
Cover design by Sophia ClementsWhen given the chance to submit cover designs, four out of five of Richard Clements' children submitted drawings. The one selected is from among those four submissions. The other three submissions are featured here above.The Book of...
Les deux principales sources de la prière de Marie de l’Incarnation
Les deux principales sources de la prière de Marie de l'Incarnation par Fr. Michel Legault, MSA Le 28 octobre 1999, l'Église catholique a célébré le 400e anniversaire de la naissance de Marie Guyard, connue aujourd'hui sous le nom de Sainte Marie de l'Incarnation,...
Target Heaven: What You Didn’t Know about Father Benedict Groeschel
Originally published as Father Benedict Groeschel: A Conversational Biography, © Good Counsel Homes, 2014.Target Heaven: What You Didn't Know About Father Benedict Groeschel by Good Counsel, Inc. Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, SV, opens this book by proclaiming Fr....
Devociones Diarias de LIFE Runners
Devociones Diarias de LIFE Runners Editado por Dr. Patrick Castle and Bernadette Costello ¡DIOS primero, VIDA siempre, EQUIPO para siempre! Corredores de VIDA es el equipo Pro-Vida más grande del mundo, correr es opcional, se requiere camiseta y se necesita fe. Nos...
Nuggets of Wisdom
Nuggets of Wisdom By Bob Sizemore with Ronda Chervin In this handy volume, Bob Sizemore and Ronda Chervin engage in a dialogue intended to deliver nuggets of life's wisdom, offering both specific and general insights on navigating one's way through this world and into...
Rosary Consecration: Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary and Her Most Holy Rosary, authored by TJ Burdick
Rosary Consecration: Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary and Her Most Holy Rosary by T.J. Burdick What if you knew what God’s will was for your life right now? What if you had the ability to destroy vice, decrease sin, and cause good works and...
Rekindling Wonder: Touching Heaven in a Screen Saturated World
Rekindling Wonder: Touching Heaven in a Screen Saturated World by Fr. Chris Seith Our screens are not morally neutral. The devices that we are so attached to affect our perception of the world. Unless we use them in a way contrary to the way in which they are intended...
No Longer I: Sharing Christ’s Gospel Narrative
No Longer I: Sharing Christ's Gospel Narrative by Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R. Christ entered our world and gave himself completely to us to the point of dying for us, to become nourishment for us and a source of hope. In this book, Fr. Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R., demonstrates...
His Divine Presence
His Divine Presence by Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R. Poetry of praise for the grace that God freely provides at every moment of our lives. Paperback: $9.99 | Kindle: $9.99 TESTIMONIALS "A dancer took off her makeup and costume and asked, "What more is there to life?" A woman...
The Blessings of the Beatitudes
The Blessings of the Beatitudes by Dennis Billy, C.Ss.R. This book is about the vision Jesus sets before his hearers of a world ruled by justice and love. The eight beatitudes provide hope to all who listen to and follow the call of the kingdom in their hearts....
Jesus Christ: A Man of Prayer by Fr. Paul Ezinando
Jesus Christ: A Man of Prayer by Fr. Paul Ezinando In this work, Fr. Paul Ezinando demonstrates that though we have knowledge of Jesus Christ from various perspectives, we cannot know Him enough. To help us come to a better knowledge of Jesus Christ, Fr Ezinando...
Such Common Stories by Lawrence Hopperton
Such Common Stories by Lawrence Hopperton There is one story only. It’s woven out of personal experiences and memories, the worlds that we have actually known and loved. The poems in Such Common Stories connect to our individual stories, so that the experiences they...
A Spiritual Plan for Families by Fr. Jacob Dankasa
A Spiritual Plan for Families: Preparing your Home for a Life of Faith following the Examples of Saints who Raised Families by Fr. Jacob Dankasa Considering the challenges that many Christian families face today in building faith-based homes, it’s essential that every...
Dear Mr Putin: An Epistolary Inquiry by Peter Breen
Dear Mr Putin: An Epistolary Inquiry | Уважаемый господин Путин! by Peter Breen An epistolary exhortation in monthly installments to Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, that asks: "Are you sure about waging war and brandishing a cross against the woman who...
House of Gold by Mary Elizabeth Anne Kloska, Fiat+
House of Gold by Mary Elizabeth Anne Kloska, Fiat+ Our Lady has spent my entire lifetime blessing me with Her friendship –and so I rejoice today to offer Her this little gift of a book, which I hope brings many more souls into Her humble, Motherly embrace. Paperback:...
Faith, Not Convenience: 17 Reflections for Spiritual Consistency
Faith, Not Convenience: 17 Reflections for Spiritual Consistency by Fr. Jacob Dankasa It’s difficult to remain a committed Christian in our today’s society where social, moral and political views are often in conflict with the standards of the teachings of Christ. The...
Living as Long as I Can as Well as I Can by James Pomeroy
Living as Long as I Can as Well as I Can by James Pomeroy This is a book that will be helpful to health care providers, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, chaplains, and their patients, because it offers a spiritual foundation for living well,...
A La Sombra de Nuestra Señora
Mary Kloska speaks to a 'Seven Sisters' Group about her book In Our Lady's Shadow (May 21, 2021)A La Sombra de Nuestra Señora: La Espiritualidad de la Oración por los Sacerdotes by Mary Kloska A la Sombra de Nuestra Señora: ‘La Espiritualidad de Rezar por los...
Voices from the Upper Room
Voices from the Upper Room by Father Dominic Lenk, O.S.B. Just who were those people gathered together in the Upper Room during those three days between the crucifixion and the resurrection? Imagine with the author all those people gathered in the Upper Room during...
The Holy Heart
The Holy Heart by Holly Garman “My Father will love you so deeply that We willcome to you and make you Our dwelling place.”~ Jesus (Jn. 14:32, TPT) The Scriptural truths of The Holy Heart help us to let God become fully at home in us, as we become fully at home in...
Raising ‘Children of the Cross’ (the Spiritual Formation of Children)
Raising 'Children of the Cross' (the Spiritual Formation of Children) by Mary Kloska Each human soul is knitted together in his or her mother's womb and given the breath of life for one single purpose: to be who God created him or her to be (the saint that God created...
Mornings with Mary (A Rosary Prayer Book)
Mornings with Mary (A Rosary Prayer Book) by Mary Kloska Sometimes gathering as few as a few hundred people, sometimes as many as 100,000 people a day, Mary Kloska has led spiritual warriors each morning on social media in prayer for myriads of intentions. Following...
The Mercy Ocean
All profits go to the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles (M.S.A.)LORD, HAVE MERCY. The oceans are big; our boat is small.The Mercy Ocean by Reverend Vincent A. Salamoni, M.S.A. Simply described as a collection of information, which perhaps will be USEFUL TO YOU AND/OR...
Shared Miracle Stories
Shared Miracle Stories of the Dominican Community of Mary Mother of Dominic and Friends of Cedaredge Ed. by Mrs. Helen R. Hawkins, OP This is a book that invites us to share our miracles with one another. Why does God use or allow miracles? First, a miracle is an...
The Fourteen Holy Helpers
The Fourteen Holy Helpers Authored by Allison Lunsford and Illustrated by Joan Bennett Saint Acacius, Saint Barbara, Saint Blaise, Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Christopher, Saint Cyriacus, Saint Denis, Saint Erasmus, Saint Eustace, Saint George, Saint Giles,...
Led by the Spirit
Led by the Spirit: Into the Consciousness of Christ by Dennis J. Billy, C.Ss.R. Following Jesus means being open to and led by his Spirit. This book explores the meaning of this phrase by looking at the larger picture of why God entered our world and became one of us...
Manning Up! Lessons from St. Joseph and Jesus by Fr. Michael Nixon
This book will be published by the end of July, 2021. Pre-Order your copy today and get a free copy of Ronda Chervin's Feminine, Free & Faithful to give to someone you love.Manning Up! Lessons from St. Joseph and Jesus by Fr. Michael Nixon Today's world is...
Experiencing God: Thoughts and Testimonies
Experiencing God: Thoughts and Testimonies by Robin Arthur In this thoughtful reflection, Robin Arthur presents his perspectives on the God experience, addressing the conundrum of faith in Christ crucified, which St. Paul has told us is "a stumbling block to Jews and...
The Two Main Sources of Marie de l’Incarnation’s Prayer by Fr. Michel Legault, MSA
The Two Main Sources of Marie de l'Incarnation's Prayer by Fr. Michel Legault, MSA On October 28, 1999, the Catholic Church celebrated the 400th anniversary of the birth of Marie Guyard, known now as Saint Marie de l'Incarnation (canonized 3 April 2014 at the...
Within Reach of You: A Book of Prose and Prayers by Francis Etheredge
Within Reach of You: A Book of Prose and Prayers by Francis Etheredge Prayer is immediate because God is present; therefore, there is no nearer, quicker more “in touch” contact than prayer. Prayer is personal – because it arises out of each person’s life; and prayer...
Fuera de las Tinieblas… por Mary Kloska
Fuera de las Tinieblas por Mary Kloska Aquí, al principio de este libro, no quiero explicar mucho sobre mí (quien soy, o dónde vivo, o dónde estudié), en su lugar, me gustaría simplemente presentarlo como es: una colección de tesoros que Jesús ha compartido con mi...
Z ciemności…
Z Ciemności... Mary Kloska (tłumaczenie: Agata Wesołowska) Ta książka to kolekcja skarbów, których Pan Jezus zechciał udzielić sercu autorki ‒ Mary Kloska. Dzieląc swoje refleksje z czytelnikiem, pragnie ona jak najlepiej zaświadczyć o wielkiej mocy, jaką zawiera w...
A Philosopher Reflects on the Rosary by Raymond Dennehy
A Philosopher Reflects on the Rosary by Raymond Dennehy In this book, Catholic philosopher Raymond Dennehy demonstrates to the reader that besides being a powerful source of God's grace and, as Father Garrigou-Lagrange observed, "a school of contemplation," the Rosary...
In Our Lady’s Shadow, authored by Mary Kloska
Mary Kloska speaks to a 'Seven Sisters' Group about her book In Our Lady's Shadow (May 21, 2021)In Our Lady's Shadow: The Spirituality of Praying for Priests by Mary Kloska In Our Lady’s Shadow–the Spirituality of Praying for Priests is a guide for women, taking them...
Table for Three by Larry Hopperton
Private Chapel Picture someone like a popein prayer, a tiny chapel.Altar servers murmur latin robes raised in personal praise.We did that in choir school.We recited the responses didn’t know what they meantbut could participate at the feetof the meditative...
33 Days … with St. Joseph by Fr. Nicholas Cachia
33 Days . . . with Saint Joseph by Fr. Nicholas Cachia This book is a resource for meditative prayer based on excerpts taken from the Apostolic Letter Patris Corde of Pope Francis (December 8, 2020). It is a prayerful journey into the attitudes and sentiments of St....
Out of the Darkness by Mary Kloska
Out of the Darkness by Mary Kloska This work is a collection of treasures Jesus has shared with Mary Kloska's heart. In offering this to the reader, Mary hopes to witness to the great power Jesus’ Cross contains in itself. Her heart cringes at the thought of her...
Our House of the Sacred Heart
When you join, you’ll get: for each day of the Consecration: a daily reflection sent to your inbox. You will be guided in beautiful prayer, contemplation or story, great works of Catholic art, and reflection for that day. Each day will prepare your own heart for...
La Santidad de la Mujer by Mary Kloska
La Santidad de la Mujer por Mary Kloska, traducido por Alicia Izaguirre La Santidad de la Mujer es un libro de retiro para mujeres. Hay un gran misterio rodeando el don de la femineidad que Dios quiere que la gente atesore y proteja. Este libro describe los varios...
ŚWIĘTOŚĆ KOBIECOŚCI by Mary Kloska
Poniżej znajduje się konferencja, którą Mary wygłosiła w ośrodku rekolekcyjnym w Bąblińcu (w Polsce) do grupy młodych Polaków, poruszając temat Miłości Boga do nich. Konferencja miała miejsce 3 września 2005 r. i była tłumaczona przez Hanię Przybyło. Możecie jej...