Now and Not Yet is a heartfelt and inspiring read that really resonates! 💖 Ruth Chou Simons dives deep into the struggle many of us face when our present moment feels far from our dreams and aspirations. Instead of pushing us to ignore our current struggles, Ruth encourages us to embrace them, reminding us that it's okay to feel restless and dissatisfied.

With her signature blend of biblical truth and personal reflection, she shares how the challenges we face can actually be gifts from God, helping us grow and learn. ✨ Her practical guidance, including five transformative ways to change our perspective on tough seasons, is incredibly uplifting.

Through guided liturgies and compassionate insights, Ruth helps us understand that our "right now" matters and encourages us to lean into it rather than check out. If you’re feeling stuck or anxious about your future, this book is a beautiful reminder that you’re not alone and that God is present in every moment. A must-read for anyone seeking hope and encouragement in their current season! 📖🙏

This is my first time reading anything by Ruth Chou Simon’s and I can say, this book is amazing. I recommend this book to everyone, no matter their season. But I will say I’m in my wilderness right not and this book puts things in such great perspective!

You definitely can use this book like a devotional or with a book club. Don’t simply read it….. Apply it!

I am a young mom with a baby and a toddler, so I’m right in the season to read this book. Maybe it’s because I read a different book on contentment that resonated with me more, but to be honest I found this book to be a bit repetitive and lacking a certain amount of depth. Most moms need to read a book like this, but maybe this one isn’t a necessity in itself. It’s fine, and I appreciate the author putting herself out there. I personally just didn’t find it to be greatly helpful.

I enjoyed this book. It is a great read for anyone who feels the pull of feeling in the middle of their circumstances. Wanting more but not being there yet. Whether it’s longing for a family, a new place, a new job, or some other circumstance, this book will resonate with you. The practical application questions along with the prayers at the end of each chapter are helpful in applying the knowledge to your every day life.
Woven with stories of the Bible, as well as snippets from the authors own life, this book serves as a reminder that God is with us and is writing a story for our good, even if it is not the one you planned.

A wise book that really helps us to remember that God's promises are coming. She uses personal life experiences and biblical wisdom to teach this lessson.

“𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦.”

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for providing an advanced readers copy earlier this year! The audiobook is also narrated by Ruth Chou Simons. I am a huge fan of her. I love her art and her words, often deeply connecting with the messages she shares. This book is no different; it is so timely for me and the season of life I’ve been going through the last almost two years now.

“𝘋𝘰 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸? 𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵?”

How often have you found yourself asking these? They become more and more frequent as the last two years have unfolded for me (I was diagnosed with cancer last April and exactly seven months later when I returned to work I was brutally assaulted, which has resulted in incurable conditions and chronic struggles and has ongoing legal issues with how everything has been handled). I want to skip this. I don’t want to be in constant pain, struggling, confused, isolated, and having to wait on people and entities who I don’t trust who have such huge says over my present and future. I want to feel healed and hopeful, to be purposeful in my days and have friends who aren’t going to vanish when things get hard. I want to be seen and known and loved and valued. I don’t want to coast by just trying to survive each day; I want to finally thrive.

Can you see why a book like this might be timely?

Ruth talks about restlessness, self-worth, challenges and difficulties, provision, perspective, being present, remaining rooted in the Word and with God, and more in such authentic and relatable ways while compassionately validating the dry and dark seasons we find ourselves in. Any believer will find comfort in her words and the Truth she simply reminds us of. So much was highlighted and jotted down!

I loved this book. I received a free copy of this from Net Galley post publication, and didn't allow enough time for myself to really sit and take in what RCS has written. I felt this book has so much that is applicable to people who are in a space of waiting, wanting or restless for more. With chapters titled "hidden doesn't mean forgotten", "someday is made up of thousands of right now" or "when it's not just a season" Ruth walks through with us why we think we shouldn't or can't be doing something, and then reminds us that we need to to be doing in the now.
I loved what RCS said in her introduction:
"I want to lead you to something more powerful: the truth about what God says about our unwanted and not-yet-wonderful circumstances and how he works in and through them, even now.
If we were having coffee (yep, if you know me, you know how much l'd rather share all these things during a coffee date), l'd tell you ...
It's okay not to like the right now you've been given.
You don't have to like it to lean into it.
Your right now really matters.
I've learned again and again, in season after season, that God is purposeful about what happens between today and tomorrow, between right now and someday. And I truly believe your current season is not wasted.
The journey we're entering together is an honest one. It will require facing the unwanted realities of right now and choosing to press in and not check out."
I loved that at the end of each chapter there is a truth to press into, and a liturgy for pressing in. I felt like I was having weekly mentoring sessions with Ruth where she walked me through how to flip the script on waiting, wanting or restless for more. This is a book that will be picked up time and time again.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was so beautifully written. I was highlighting several verses and lines. Ruth is such a great Christian writer.

I was given an advanced copy of this from @netgalley past the publication date, so I had to squeeze it in. Plus, this type of book needs time and thought, to fully appreciate it!
I've only read one other @ruthchousimons book, but have followed her on social media for a long time. I'll definitely need a hard copy of this because I didn't get all the gorgeous artwork on the digital ARC.
This is a great book for anyone struggling with the season of life they are in, and honestly who isn't at some point! But anyone and everyone can get something out of it, learning to trust God and becoming content in all circumstances! I'm doing a study on both James and Hebrews and getting lots of meat (not milk), and this definitely worked well with both of those. It was meaty and had a lot of truth to learn from.
As stated I was approved after publication, so it's already available for you to purchase, for yourself, your friend, your neighbor, and anyone else you can think of! ☺️
#NetGalley #NowAndNotYet

“When we stop thinking about someday like a mirage of unmet hopes and dreams and instead acknowledge the true finish line of God’s work in and through us, we’ll begin to see every right now as an opportunity to train for victory.”

This beautiful book is full of truth and hope for those struggling in the not yet stages of life. The author does a wonderful job interviewing God’s Word and truths into her stories of waiting in the not yet. I absolutely loved the liturgies she added at the end of each chapters. ❤️

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the first book I have read by Ruth Chou Simons, and I was not disappointed. I had seen her books in my local Christian book shop for a while now and always intended to read her books eventually. I am so glad that Now and Not Yet was the first of hers that I read. It was exactly what I needed to hear at this time in my life.

I loved her voice, and she expressed her ideas in a clear and relatable way. She was honest and open about her own journey. She wants to, and does, lead us in a better way- ‘the truth about what God says about our unwanted and not-yet-wonderful circumstances and how he works in and through them, even now.’

Ruth’s wisdom resonated deeply with me. From the introduction to the end, Ruth encouraged me with what I needed to hear. We seem to be always longing for more, instead of enjoying what we have. In our waiting, wanting and restlessness, Ruth encourages us to seek Jesus. This whole book was a beautiful reminder that we can enjoy these ‘not-yet’ days too. What I was not expecting, and pleasantly surprised to find, were the liturgies at the end of each chapter. I loved praying each one.

Besides the wisdom and encouragement, this was such an aesthetically pleasing book. Ruth is a talented artist. I am looking forward to reading more of Ruth Chou Simons, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this. This is one book I will return to again. I highly recommend it.

As a Christian woman with 6 kids this helped me so much. I thought this book was about something but was pleasantly surprised that it was just what I needed! Making space to be in the moment even if the moment is hard to be in.

I struggled to get through this one a little bit. Ruth's points were solid and full of Biblical wisdom. So much thought and good information for those in the waiting seasons. It's so hard to be in that middle where you just aren't where you want to be yet or haven't received the answer you want yet. While it was full of great tidbits, it did feel a little repetitive at times, and it was slow going for me. Thank you to Net Galley and the author for this advanced copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley, Nelson Books, and Ruth Chou Simons for the ARC!

This is a book I will recommend time and time again. I absolutely loved it!

I’ve been walking a very long, excruciating season of waiting. And as soon as I saw this book title, I knew I needed to immediately read it.

Ruth helps to readjust the mindset in your waiting season. Through scripture, she provides detailed accounts of others who were in a season of “not yet’s” and how God was there in the midst of it all, paving a way.

And through her own accounts, she shares vulnerable life stories that will leave you feeling seen. Which is something I’ve struggled with in my waiting season.

Ruth encourages us to live in the now, even in our waiting seasons. Because God is showing up right here and right now.

If you’re in a season of waiting, struggling to feel seen, or feeling like your life has no meaning, I encourage you to grab a copy of this book. Each chapter becomes a new favorite and I could not put this book down. So much goodness within these pages!

This was a gentle, encouraging yet challenging book about how to lean more into Jesus in hard seasons. It was the exact book I needed. I would highly recommend this one to anyone who is seeking to go deeper with Jesus, while finding true purpose in any season.

"I want to be there, not here.
And what exactly do I imagine the Good Life to be? She's unburdened, joyful, confident, and free. She's moved past her pain, troubles, and obstacles. She's purposeful, skilled, and using her gifts exactly the way she hopes. And, perhaps most of all, she feels unhurried and at home exactly where she is - today, right now, in this very moment. Every day, I think I'll finally catch up with the Good Life, only to find she's eluded me yet again."

Ever feel like you are stuck? Do you wish you could move past circumstances? Are you tired of waiting? If so, this book is for you.

This title is crammed full of Scripture, practical advice and examples of times when feeling stuck is the normal. We are always waiting for something. This book provides coping skills for managing then enjoying whatever season you are in.

The chapter titles explain the focus of the book. "Hidden Doesn't Mean Forgotten." "You Don't Have to be Blooming to Be Growing." "Chaos Produces Character." "God's Callings are His Enablings." One chapter title really resonated with me: "Someday is made up a thousand right nows." So much wisdom is contained in this book.

I did get access to an early copy through NetGalley. But I ended up listening to the audiobook because it was read by the author. I loved hearing her voice read her words - so much power in that. I highly recommend this book. All opinions are my own.

I love Ruth Chou Simmons. I think personally this book was hard for me to read only because what I’ve been waiting for is a family and her story is about being in that season and wanting to be in a different one. I just think it should be more advertised to moms. It seems like all of her prayers have been answered and for those of us still in a waiting season that can feel discouraging. I think she had great tips, seems very kind, empathetic, and caring and made a beautiful book.

A great concept and overall topic to cover in a season of life where you're running 100 miles an hour. For me, the liturgy sold me. It is beautiful, from the heart and causes you to pause and press in. Beautifully poetic and would make an excellent gift! My only reasoning for not 5 stars is nothing blew me away - I was simply refreshed and filled.

This is my first time reading Ruth Chou Simons and I am already a fan! I can’t wait to dive into more of her books. I found myself deeply connecting with Now and Not Yet. It truly captures the essence of life. We all go through those "unwanted" and "not yet" moments when life doesn't go as we planned, and the outcomes we hope for seem distant or delayed. But what resonated with me is how she reminded us that even in those challenging times, there is a divine purpose at work. God’s timing, though sometimes mysterious, is always perfect, even when we can’t fully understand it. Netgalley, thank you for the opportunity to discover a new author and read an amazing book.

Now and Not Yet: Pressing in When You’re Waiting, Wanting, and Restless for More by Ruth Chou Simons is a deeply moving, encouraging book. I’ve always enjoyed this author’s books, but this one is honestly special. It is deeply personal and touched me deeply. I think most of us can relate to being in transition or periods of waiting. Ms Chou encourages you through those times and directs you towards more. I highly recommend this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.