This book is well written, encouraging, and uplifting! In the midst of life we are always waiting for something Mark Vroegop helps us work through the multifaceted nature of lives many in-betweens!
Final Rating
5.0

Waiting Isn't a Waste was a very timely read for me. It was encouraging for this season of waiting (on many levels) that I'm in. There were so many impactful moments in this book. I enjoyed the part about expectations and also how waiting can be scary, since we aren't in control.

All in all, Waiting Isn't a Waste was a story, but impactful, read. I highlighted quite a few words and can see reading this again someday.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Mark Vroegop explores how waiting can be more than just a frustrating or anxiety-inducing experience. The book presents a biblical perspective on waiting, portraying it as a time to grow in faith and trust in God’s plan. The book's practical approach, combined with biblical wisdom, provides comfort and encouragement for those struggling with waiting, whether it's for life changes, answers, or clarity in difficult situations. For those interested in deepening their understanding of how to handle life's pauses with grace, this book offers a clear, compassionate guide.

I received this book from Netgalley as an advanced reader copy, and I enjoyed this book.

This is the first book that I have been able to finish that qualifies as a self-help book, especially spiritually. I always struggled to finish these kinds of books, not because I wasn't interested, but because it was difficult to maintain my attention.

While reading this, I was a little nervous at first, but I quickly began to realize that if I had read this months ago, it probably would have significantly changed the way that I had been looking at my struggles or the places in my life where I was waiting.

I found this book to be extremely helpful to my walk with God, and I feel as though I will continue to look back on this book often as a reference for when life has periods of waiting.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crossway Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this book. All views and opinions are my own.

This is a solid, faith-based book on waiting on God to answer prayer. I found it difficult to focus at times, and while I attribute that largely to my own headspace, there is something to be said about the author's style lacking some components of engagement. Still, it's a good book filled with solid truth. Also, the practicality is excellent.

Some of the passages that particularly spoke to me:

Over the last couple years, I have a particular prayer request I've brought to God numerous times. I'd be lying if I didn't say I've wrestled with Him, asking Him, "Why wouldn't You answer this now? It's a good thing that would bring You honor!" This passage was particularly relevant.

"...This kind of waiting doesn't merely involve information or time. It's connected to dreams and hopes. Often they're honorable desires, and that can make waiting even more challenging. In other words, the fact that it's hard doesn't mean it's wrong. However, this can quickly devolve. Wrestling with unfulfilled desires or unmet expectations can be deeply painful- even jarring. You might ask, "Why would God make me wait for something that's good?" Betsy Childs Howard writes, "It's much easier to stop hoping than it is to have your dream deferred again and again." How true. For some, this can lead to hopelessness. Waiting is hard when you've been disappointed."

This was relevatory too! I've questioned why God would allow the manna the Israelites ate to spoil so quickly and not allow them to store it up. God didn't allow storage because they needed to recognize they were wholly dependent on Him to meet their needs every day.

"You can't buy manna in bulk... I think there's something else that makes large quantities appealing. Buying in bulk gives us a sense of security...There's something comforting in reducing any "need gap" that could emerge in our lives. Manna, however, didn't work like that. God designed it that way."

I find that to be true of money, relationships, and so many areas of life. The more we have, the less we're aware of our intense need for God.

This is interesting. I've long known that the Bible can take on a very different meaning if we understand the word originally used rather than its poor English counterpart. "Love" has different meanings depending on the original manuscrupts. "Praise" has different meanings. And apparently, so does "wait."

When the word qavah is used, it indicates looking to God. The author says, [Waiting] feels more like empty space. It seems to be entirely passive, something happening to me. Qavah helps us to start by seeing waiting as purposeful, even productive. But we must fill the tension-filled gaps of life with looking to God... The most common word in the Old Testament is qavah. It's used forty-seven times from Genesis to Malachi, and the meaning is "to look with eager expectation."

...The second most common word is yahal. It's used forty-two times in the Old Testament, and the nuance is more directly tied to confidence or hope. In fact, the translators of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, simply used the Greek word "hope" for this Hebrew word. To "wait" and "hope" are interchangeable in the Bible. That's another unique nuance. Most of my waiting doesn't naturally involve a lot of hope. Rather, my typical response is annoyance at best and anger at worst. You too? Understanding the biblical connection between wait and hope invites us to shift our focus from what's not true about our lives to what is true about God. In other words, waiting biblically is seeing seasons of delay as opportunities to hope in God.

The final word [in the Old Testament] is hakab. It's more connected to spiritual patience than the other Hebrew words. Often it is related to trusting in not thinking this way about our waiting. We're just reacting, emoting, and (usually) sinning.

[In the New Testament, one word is] prosdokao, and it relates to watching. However, it's not a passive word either. The idea is an intentional effort to look for something. Don't think of this word as being like watching a baseball game. It's more like a guard scanning the horizon."

A paractical acronym the author gives for waiting is FAST, which stands for focus, adore, seek, and trust. All steps to apply in a season of waiting.

Another passage I liked was this:

"Patience isn't just about what you do, but it's also about what you choose not to do. Louw and Nida, in their Greek-English Lexicon, identify the way other languages express this: "In a number of languages patience is expressed idiomatically, for example: 'of remain seated in one's heart' or 'to keep one's heart from jumping` or 'to have a waiting heart.' Imagine yourself years in the future with a hard season behind you. What do you hope will be true of you? Dream about what kind of person you'll be because of the lessons learned. It's easy to spend a lot of time thinking about what isn't happening. But patient waiting embraces what could happen in us more than what's happening to us."

I'd rate this book a G.

Original review posted 7/20/24.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC. "Waiting isn't a Waste" is well written, thoroughly researched and pastorally sensitive giving hope and meaning to those who feel they have been stranded in the desert of waiting.

Thank you to Crossway for the chance to read and review this book early.

This is a short and easy read at just about 150 pages, so it could definitely be read in one sitting, but may be better to read a chapter at a time and meditate on each chapter as you go.

Mark does a great job of mixing personal life stories with Biblical truth!

This is my second book by Mark Vroegop and I always find him to be very uplifting and Biblical.

This is out now!

What a wonderful new book by one of my favorite authors. Christians are people who wait for we live in the already, not yet Kingdom of God. He confirms what I’m learning through long years of waiting- it is much easier to wait when I’m meditating on God’s character/attributes and His promises revealed in His word. He’s faithful to provide all He’s promised in His perfect timing.

Waiting is something that almost all of us experience and so I found this book, "Waiting Isn't a Waste: The Surprising Comfort of Trusting God in the Uncertainties of Life" by Mark Vroegop, to be incredibly helpful. According to Vroegop, "waiting on God is living on what I know to be true about God when I don't know what's true about my life." This book consists of 6 chapters, each marked by a characteristic describing how we should wait: honestly, frequently, thoughtfully, patiently, intentionally, and collectively.

I particularly liked the part of the book that explains how waiting is so closely related to hope in Scriptures. It was a good reminder to me, as it is so hard to be hopeful when waiting. I also was convicted by Vroegop's comments about how "disdain for waiting is connected to a desire for control." Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

From the author of the popular (and helpful) "Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy", Mark Vroegop now focuses on the topic of waiting. This small book (152 pages total, including the foreword, endnotes, etc.) briefly covers six traits/characteristics of waiting: waiting is hard, common, biblical, slow, commanded, and relational.

Though I underlined several sentences in this book, and will likely return to a chapter down the road, half the highlights were of Scripture and the book itself felt very repetitive by about half way through. Perhaps it needed more time, to really flesh out the manuscript?

{Thank you to @netgalley and @crosswaybooks for my gifted e-copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.}

“I’m going to point you toward this vision of waiting: living on what you know to be true about God when you don’t know what’s true about your life. When practiced correctly, it means embracing the gaps in life as an opportunity to place our hope in God.”

By the author of “Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy,” “Waiting Isn’t a Waste” is an absolute must-read. I highlighted so much of this book, and I know that what I read in these pages will stay with me.

This book is full of theological truth but also practical, biblical advice. The book explores six different characteristics that waiting has and how to navigate waiting in a way that glorifies God and grabs hold of His peace and rest.

Truly, this book was so wise. I can’t recommend “Waiting Isn’t a Waste” enough.

I loved Mark's book "Weep with Me" and I was really excited to see his upcoming book on waiting. This book is a topic that I feel like is often talked about in the church setting, however I appreciated the authors approach to the topic. He shares stories from scripture where we see the people of God waiting and we can learn from their actions. This book is written as a topic that the author is learning a lot in his personal life and friends lives but also what scripture has taught him about it along the way. It felt a little repetitive but its not too long of a read that it felt like it was dragging on. Overall I think its great for anyone in a waiting season and I have found myself reflecting on the lessons from this often- ex: how to wait more in my day to day and take it slower to build up my tolerance of waiting.

Thank you to the author and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review. Set to release 5/31/24.

This book is phenomenal. I wish I could say to not wait to read it, but it is a book about waiting. This author is a clear communicator and uses language that is kind and encouraging, being full of truth from God’s Word. This challenged me and gave me comfort. This is a must read for all Christians and should go into every biblical counselor’s toolbox.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Waiting is something that we all have to do multiple times in our lives for various reasons and which always seems like a chore, something to be wished away and sped along.

In this book, Mark Vroegop challenges us instead to think about the importance of waiting. Tracing the words translated as "waiting" through both the old and new Testament, Mark encourages us that "to wait is to look with hope."

Mark walks this book with the reader, he too is gaining understanding as to the importance of waiting in the Christian life and how we can practically do so and do it well.

The practical ideas as well as thoughts on how we wait personally on the Lord as well as in community with others has been very thought-provoking and helpful in thinking about this topic and how to meet the gaps in life with faith and hope.

This is a book that I will pick up time and again for reminds and hope as I navigate waiting seasons in my life and do so with expectation.

Thanks to Crossway and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

This is an important book for the present time, and one that I will be referencing again and again for encouragement in my walk and faith. As Mark Vroegop mentions, we live in a world where the speed of information has increased, and our tolerance for the waiting has decreased. As Christians, we wait for Jesus' return and redemption on a big-picture level, and also find ourselves waiting in the day to day, whether it be our families, health, relationships, professions and more. With a humble and empathetic voice, Mark Vroegop provides readers a biblical foundation of what it means to wait and how to do it faithfully. He writes as a fellow traveller on this journey and provides practical tools to encourage and point us to God in our times of wait.

I am grateful to #NetGalley and #Crossway for the opportunity to review an advanced reader copy.

Life is full of many uncertainties and it will make us fear of a lot of things, especially when we don't have control about it. This book reminds me about virtue of waiting the promises of God. Waiting is never been a waste because promises from God is a certainty for us.

My husband and I are always looking for Christian books for our kids to read at night with them. As a mom, I am also always looking for new Christina books, especially devotionals to read through to fill my cup.

This Is Not Forever by Sarah Grace Hollis is full of hope when life is not going as planned, or you’re feeling stuck. It was such a reminder to always turn to the Lord when life gets shaky and the foundation doesn’t feel secure. I loved how deep the devotionals were, but how simple they were. I really was able to reflect on them throughout the day, and had the time and attention to soak into the Bible verses, and the encouragement to see me throughout the day. Release date is August 19.

Comfort and Joy by Gwen Lantz and Sarah-Leigh Gerber is a book I cant wait to reread during the holiday season. It was all about how to slow down and enjoy the moment in the season. It was a wonderful advent to walk through the season, and remember the importance of the holiday. Release date is September 2.

Discovering Christmas by Amanda Jass is one I already told my husband we are purchasing for the holiday season. It’s an advent devotional for kids for the Christmas season to focus on the meaning of the season. I loved the illustrations, the sweet words, and simplicity of this book. My kids will absolutely adore this one. It would make a really sweet gift too! Release date is September 9.

The Easter Lamb by John Greco was told so sweet from a child point of view of the story of Easter. The way he intertwines Easter and the Passover, and so simply but deeply explains it all together with such a gentleness for children was wonderful. Release date is December 16.

I’ve Got the Joy and He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands were absolutely adorable. My two little boys loved reading this before bed. We love to listen to the songs of these, and so it was fun to see them flipping the book and saying all the words. The illustrations are beautiful and so colorful for kids. A perfect gift! Release date is August 12.

Waiting Isn’t a Waste by Mark Vrogop is a book I have in my amazon cart. This is a fantastic book on the Sioux characteristics of waiting.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crossway for the ARC!

Mark Vroegop’s "Waiting Isn’t a Waste" is a slight book, better attuned to day-to-day impatience than it is to deus absconditus, which means that its merit is almost entirely contingent on reader expectations.

I know Vroegop’s previous writing on lament was really resonant for many people, and there’s a possibility that the same will be true here, but it felt fairly insubstantial to me. "Waiting Isn’t a Waste" is not a challenging read, and I mean that both in terms of density and its ability to provoke reflection. Personally, I found it frustrating how rhetorically beholden it is to the format of a 45-minute sermon. Each chapter opens with an anecdote, which then introduces a main point, which is then supported by a few Bible verses and the occasional quote, which is then supplemented with reflection questions. It’s palatable to a fault, and it feels like a missed opportunity to dive deeper.

The following will sound like a harsh critique, but I don’t mean it as such—this is where audience expectations come in. This book feels tailor-made for evangelicals who are so steeped in their subculture that they are at least a little disconnected from the realities of the world. You could only give this to someone who feels comfortably at home in a Baptist/non-denom community because it’s so dependent on that shared lexicon and so disengaged with any concerns outside that demographic. I know a book can’t be all things to all people, but I do wonder if such a strict dichotomy between “sacred” and “secular” audiences promotes an unhealthy insularity. At the very least, the book felt ill-equipped for the existential and spiritual questions that implicitly motivate discomfort with “waiting.”

All that said, I accept that these quibbles are a reflection of me as a reader more than problems with the text. I have relatives who would adore this as a supplement to their morning coffee, and maybe it doesn’t need to inspire thought as much as it needs to be a conversational centerpiece for people who might not otherwise know how to broach its themes. If that’s where you’re at, maybe this is a perfect book for you!