The Bumpy Road to Better
Unlocking the Hidden Power in Hard Things
-
-
5.0 • 2 Ratings
-
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
Life is not easy, but it's more difficult when we just put our head down, ignore everything and everyone around us, and try to push through till we get to the other side. Identifying the reasons we don't ask for help is the first step toward making real change and experiencing all that God has for us.
In The Bumpy Road to Better bestselling author and senior pastor of Celebration Church, Tim Timberlake, confronts head-on the human tendency to dodge the difficult and hide from the hard. He explains how an obsession with quick fixes, instant gratification, and a trouble-free existence holds us back from gaining wisdom and experiencing transformation. There is great power hidden in the things we are trying to avoid.
The road to growth and greatness is rarely smooth or easy, but it's taking us where we need to go. Tim takes a practical approach to the topic by unpacking thirty unique "hard things" that everyone must face and opening our eyes to the positive results they can bring. With his characteristic blend of storytelling, biblical principles, and down-to-earth applications, Tim walks readers through the intricacies of each of these challenging realities, including
difficult conversations,uncomfortable delays,hurtful criticism, andpainful sacrifices.
The goal is not to simply grit our teeth and survive the discomfort. It's to embrace the challenges, be changed by them, and receive the gifts they offer. What we really want in life is usually found on the other side of obstacles we'd rather avoid. On the other side of pain is progress, and on the other side of bumps is something better. If we're going to live freely in Christ and experience the abundant life He promises, we must be willing to be uncomfortable. There is no other way.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
