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
Buying for a reading group? Get a carton of 12 at a 20% discount! Only $144 plus $10 shipping. Click on the PayPal link below to activate your order.
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
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
Our House of the Sacred Heart: A Litany of Stories with Art, Prayers, and Reflections by Annabelle Moseley Our House of the Sacred Heart is a groundbreaking collection of 33 true stories of five generations of a family formed in the Sacred Heart of Jesus through their...
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...
The Crisis in the Church
The Crisis in the Church: A Semi-Fictional Dialogue Between a Post-Vatican II-Evolving Catholic James Marley and an Eternal-Doctrine Catholic Ronda Chervin Because of the crisis in the Church, quite a number of books have been written by Catholic thinkers with the...
A Love Letter to Mary – Keith Berube
A Love Letter to Mary By Keith Berubé The Holy Trinity is absolutely enamoured of Mary. The Saints and so many good Catholics not canonized are totally in love with Mary. Both God and man have expressed their hearts for Mary in poetry. When these expressions of love...
Honest Rust and Gold: A Second Collection of Poetry and Prose
Honest Rust and Gold: A Second Collection of Prose and Poetry by Francis Etheredge Honest Rust and Gold: A Second Collection of Prose and Poetry. Rust is the breaking down of metal, owing to water, air and other factors, whereas gold does not deteriorate; and,...
Always a New Beginning!
Always a New Beginning! A Conversation between Broken Catholic Spiritual Warriors By Ronda Chervin, Ph.D., and David E. Dowd RONDA: Life is a broken field of dreams for some of us. Loved ones, experience, accidents, illness, old age... each inflicting pain and...
It is My Soul that Sings: Selected Poems of Charles Gordon Rex
It is My Soul that Sings: Selected Poems of Charles Gordon Rex Ed. by Charles Gordon Rex, Jr. Poet and composer Charles Gordon Rex’s style of writing, finally being published in the 21st Century, is that of a bygone era. He was the product of the first half of the...
Returning Home: A Spirituality of the Christian Journey
Returning Home: A Spirituality of the Christian Journey The spiritual life has often been presented in terms of a journey because it is all about finding our way to God. For Christians, the spiritual journey has to do with following Christ into the mystery of the...
The Holiness of Womanhood by Mary Kloska
Below is a spiritual talk that Mary gave to a group of Polish youth at a retreat center in Babliniec, Poland about the Love that God has for them. It was on September 3, 2005 and is translated by Hania Przybylo. You can listen to this both in my English and Hania's...
Help Dante Help Italy
Help Dante Help Italy A new translation by Daniel Fitzpatrick accompanied by the new sculptures of Timothy Schmalz Donate today!The Inferno is now available in Paperback and Kindle! Click a link below to order your copy today! And, as you're ordering, listen to the...
New Paths to God and the Soul by Roger Skrenes
New Paths to God and the Soul by Roger Skrenes Much of what we receive through media of social communications does not concern itself with either God or the soul. So it is up to each of us to make ourselves aware of the pathways to God and the evidence for...
Sacred Braille: The Rosary as Masterpiece through Art, Poetry, and Reflections
Annabelle Moseley interviews Malachy Fallon, the Executive Director of the Xavier Society for the Blind concerning his apostolate to the blind and the work he did transcribing Annabelle's book into Braille. For more on Malachy, visit his interview on CatholicTV's Our...
Come Alive in Jesus! Solemn Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel by Bishop Robert J. Hermann
Come Alive in Jesus! Solemn Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel By Bishop Robert J. Hermann Bishop Robert J. Hermann, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, delivered nine homilies on the occasion of the Solemn Novena to our Lady of...
At Mass with Jesus on Calvary: Reflections on the Prayers of the Mass and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, authored by Fr. Gene Martens, SJ
At Mass with Jesus on Calvary: Reflections on the Prayers of the Mass and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist by Fr. Gene Martens, SJ For the ordinary Catholic, this book will clarify the teaching of the Catholic Church on the Real Presence of Jesus in the...
What Now?: A Roadmap for 80-Year-Olds and Beyond, authored by Ronda Chervin and Al Hughes
What Now?: A Roadmap for 80-Year-Olds and Beyond by Ronda Chervin and Albert E. Hughes The purpose of this roadmap is to provide Christian insight and inspiration to those 80 years or older. May it be a help to you on your 80-plus journey! Paperback: $14.95 Kindle:...
Ave Maria, authored by Richard Ruesch
Ave Maria by Richard Ruesch The life of our Lord, Jesus Christ, is brought to mind through the contemplation of the mysteries of the Rosary and the recitation of its prayers. The mysteries of the Rosary are those that are Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious, and...
Consecrate Me: Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary and Her Most Blessed Rosary, authored by TJ Burdick
Consecrate Me: Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary and Her Most Blessed 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...
LIFE Runners Daily Devotions, ed. by Dr. Pat Castle and Bernadette Costello
LIFE Runners Daily Devotions Edited by Dr. Patrick Castle and Bernadette Costello All In Christ for Pro-Life! The LIFE Runners apostolate began by sharing these prayer-filled, challenging, one-minute devotions to help end abortion through holy teamwork. May this daily...
Servant of God, Gwen Coniker: God Leads, Faith and Trust Follow by Nancy Martin
Special congratulations to Nancy for her being awarded an honorable mention for first time Catholic author and third place in Marriage and Family Living in the 2020 Catholic Book Awards. Servant of God, Gwen Coniker: God Leads, Faith and Trust Follow by Nancy E....
Mary: the Rosary, the Relationship, and Dragons, authored by Keith Berube
Mary: The Rosary, the Relationship, and Dragons by Keith Berubé Mary: The Rosary, the Relationship, and Dragons reveals intriguing, little known aspects of the Rosary, gently catapulting the reader into a wondrous world of sweet, ardent, ever burgeoning intimacy with...
Simple Holiness, authored by Al Hughes and Ronda Chervin
Simple Holiness by Albert E. Hughes and Ronda Chervin We all are called to holiness, but we may not know what holiness means or how to approach it. Do you really desire to climb the ladder of holiness? Do you seek a life of spiritual joy in union with God,...
Today I Made My First Reconciliation
Today I Made My First Reconciliationby Dianne AhernWonderfully instructional book!Best friends Maria and Riley accidentally break a window then lie to their parents. Their growing discomfort coincides with encounters with their parish priests and teachers and lessons...
Today I Made My First Communion
Today I Made My First Communionby Dianne AhernA favorite gift for First Communion!Join Maria and Riley and their classmates as they offer to help Father Hugo solve the Mystery of the Eucharist. Learn about the Church, the Mass, music and prayer. “Look in the Back of...
Today I Was Baptized
Today I Was Baptized by Dianne Ahern All time best seller! Begins with a children’s story about a baby’s baptism day-told from the baby’s perspective! Includes short essays that explain the sacrament of Baptism. The book becomes a keepsake for this very special day...
The Ways of Love: Transforming the Person, A Guided Hundred Day Journal
The Ways of Love: Transforming the Person, A Guided Hundred Day Journal by Stephen Bujno The desire to change those around us is like willing others to go on a diet. The Ways of Love offers itself as an uncomplicated, yet profound guide to hurdle over the barriers to...
Seeking Christ in the Crosses & Joys of Aging
Seeking Christ in the Crosses & Joys of Aging by Dr. Ronda Chervin Seeking Christ in the Crosses & Joys of Aging is a refreshing and inspiring look at a period of your life ‘en route to eternity’ where Jesus awaits you in a new way. A perfect gift also for...
Healing Meditations from the Gospel of St. John
Healing Meditations from the Gospel of St. John Healing Meditations from the Gospel of St. John is about recovering who we are . . . our true selves. Simply put, the true self is the self that God wants us to be, what Kierkegaard called God’s prophesy for...
Holding Hands with God
Holding Hands with God Edited by Dr. Ronda Chervin Miscarriage, depression, breast cancer, abuse, divorce, addiction, and other specific personal, chronic problems touch the lives of many Catholic women. While expert advice is plentiful, what so many women...
Quotable Saints
Quotable Saints Ed. Dr. Ronda Chervin These memorable quotes of the saints and hundreds more are uniquely organized by theme in this uplifting treasury. In each chapter, you follow a particular theme and journey with the saints as they provide just the right word of...
St. Robert Bellarmine
St. Robert Bellarmine by Shaun McAfee St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) was a prolific author of the Counter Reformation and great defender of the Catholic Church. This book tells the story of the great saint who went from obscure title to become one of...
Today Someone I Love Passed Away
Today Someone I Love Passed Away by Dianne Ahern Danny becomes enraged when he learns he has to give up his room so Grandpa Vernon can come live with his family. However, as time passes, Danny and his siblings develop a deep love for their grandfather who teaches them...
Today We Became Engaged
Today We Became Engaged by Dianne Ahern A thoughtful, romantic, faith-centered, keepsake book for couples discerning marriage. Discusses the power of love, the importance of shared values and more. This is a marriage planner…not a wedding planner! Allows couples to...
Raising Kids with a Healthy Body Image: A Guide for Catholic Parents
Raising Kids with a Healthy Body Image: A Guide for Catholic Parents by Dr. John C. Acquaviva Raising Kids with a Healthy Body Image: A Guide for Catholic Parents is the unique approach to the body image crisis that impacts many children. From a young age, our kids...
Healing of Rejection with the Help of the Lord, A Survivor’s Guide
Healing of Rejection with the Help of the Lord, A Survivor’s Guide by Dr. Ronda Chervin “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.” Psalm 118: 22-23. Dr. Ronda Chervin’s Healing...
Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet
Marrying the Rosary to the Divine Mercy Chaplet by Shane Kapler Discover the rewards of uniting two of the Catholic Church’s most beloved devotions. In this new book, Shane Kapler provides 20 reflections - paired with 40 classic works of art - demonstrating the riches...
The Prayer of Jesus Crucified: A Simple Way to Go Further in Prayer
So Shine is the debut album by brothersister 10 new original Catholic Christian songs Music & Lyrics by Fr. Lawrence Edward Tucker, SOLT“‘So Shine’ strikes an excellent balance between Catholic hymns and classic rock.” – Check out the review at Aleteia.orgThe...
Cry Oneness
Cry Oneness by Joe Avalos I was spiritually dead, despite all the things I was doing with my life. I don’t think there’s a worse death that can happen to any human being. Now I have a Life beyond my dreams. Full of Miracles, Poetry, and Locutions. This book...
Diamonds in the Rough: Homilies and Reflections on the Mystery of Suffering
Diamonds in the Rough: Homilies and Reflections on the Mystery of Suffering Sister Paula J. Miller, FSE, Editor Theologians in their final months at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach, Florida, reflect on the meaning and purpose of human...
Escaping Anxiety: Along the Road to Spiritual Joy
Escaping Anxiety: Along the Road to Spiritual Joy by Albert E. Hughes and Ronda Chervin Escaping Anxiety: Along the Road to Spiritual Joy is not a “simple” book of advice, which could turn out to be ineffective because too “pat.” Instead it evolved into something that...
The Narrative Spirituality of Dante’s Divine Comedy: a hundred-day guided journal
The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri has captivated the imagination of its readers for over seven centuries as Dante, a pilgrim on a journey to God, is called by Our Blessed Mother through the supernatural realms of the afterlife to witness the state of the souls of...
Weeping with Jesus: The Journey from Grief to Hope
Weeping with Jesus: The Journey from Grief to Hope by Dr. Ronda Chervin In the past the word grief was used only to describe the sorrow of loss through death. Nowadays pain coming from other kinds of losses such as rejection and divorce are also seen to...
In Praise of Life
In Praise of Life by Dr. Donald DeMarco This book illustrates how ten different factors can improve our appreciation of life: Evolution prepares it, Meaning justifies it, Love enhances it, Truth directs it, Freedom crowns it, Virtue strengthens it,...
The Jesus Code: In the Beginning was the Word
The Jesus Code: In the Beginning was the Word by Roger Skrenes Jesus is the only person in the history of the world whose biography was known before he was born! He wanted everyone on earth to know of this miraculous Old Testament portrait of himself (Luke...
The Way of Love: The Path of Inner Transformation
The Way of Love: The Path of Inner Transformation by Dr. Ronda Chervin A reprint of Dr. Ronda's The Way of Love: The Battle for Inner Transformation, this new edition under a new subtitle puts back in front of the world the nature of human love alongside...