cover image The Bumpy Road to Better: Unlocking the Hidden Power in Hard Things

The Bumpy Road to Better: Unlocking the Hidden Power in Hard Things

Tim Timberlake. Thomas Nelson, $19.99 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-1-4003-4603-5

Pastor Timberlake (The Art of Overcoming) reminds Christians in this upbeat guide that facing life’s roadblocks can help fortify one’s faith. He explains how asking for help can grow one’s community (“Remember, you weren’t designed by God to do life alone”), how sacrificing time or money for a long-term goal is often part of God’s plan (he recalls being approached by a TV network about hosting a show but choosing instead to follow “God’s call” to pastor full-time), and how enduring “difficult seasons” can encourage readers to shed a false sense of control and lean on their faith. (Biblical characters who endured hardships—Paul was “persecuted endlessly, despite being called and gifted by God as an apostle”—were driven “to find their hope in God, not in their own resources, connections, circumstances, or cleverness,” Timberlake notes.) The author’s targeted guidance and streamlined presentation (numbered key points, reflection questions, and helpful acronyms appear throughout) make the advice easily digestible, and his knack for pithy phrasing will ensure these lessons stick in readers’ minds (of sacrificing for the sake of long-term objectives, he writes: “You’re not losing. You’re choosing. And your future self will thank you”). The result is an optimistic, hands-on testament to the notion that challenges build character. (Sept.)