Customer Reviews

Second Guessing God: Hanging on When You Can't See His Plan

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LeRoy Lawson told a Writer's Clinic audience more than 25 years ago, "Dynamic writing follows dynamic living." Brian Jones was just a boy then, but without hearing Lawson's advice, he has followed it. His new book is the testimony of someone who has embraced life with all the energy a young man can muster. Second Guessing God reveals some of what Jones's life has taught him. He tells us story after story about oddballs and everyday people who have given him hope, shed light on his own personal pain or doubt, or forced him to reconsider what he believes about God. I found myself chuckling out loud at some of these stories and then, within pages, hiding tears. I predict every reader will laugh and cry as they identify with the unvarnished truth Brian exposes. Every reader will relate to the questions and the quandaries Brian admits he has faced. He offers hope as he unflinchingly admits his own weaknesses and then takes us to God's word for help. This is no pop-culture, pat-answer panacea for every ill. Brian looks to a wide range of literature and Christian classics for illustrations and insights. He readily admits his only response to some questions is "I don't know." He confesses his struggles and encourages his readers with theirs. As I read, I made a mental list of friends who will be helped by Second Guessing God. All of these could find courage to carry on from this highly readable book. But I know one person it has already helped. I will be stronger because I've read this book. I believe that will be true for everyone who reads it. Mark A. Taylor Copyright 2006 Christian Standard.

Life gets hard, harder, impossible, and we silently (or maybe not so silently) scream, what are you doing God? In Second Guessing God, Brian Jones comes up with some outstanding answers.

Just as Joshua directed the priests to put their feet into the flooding Jordan upstream from the people in order to stop the waters so they could cross into the Promised Land, so does God work beyond our sight and understanding-upstream--in our lives. Here's another of Jones' similes. Want God to work in your life? Think of Jesus like a taxicab driver. You get in the passenger's seat and let Him take over.

Pastor, leader of a support group for the sexually abused, fellow traveler in this world of trouble, Brian Jones draws examples from coping with his own problems as well as a large background of listening to others' problems. He shares a wide scope of problems with the reader from the simple (if there are any such) to the horrific. And through it all he continually shows how God actually is working. Most of us do not receive instantaneous miracles, rather, God gives us perseverance for the long haul.

Second Guessing God majors on how God is intimately involved in all facets of our life, working through others, through circumstances, through our own acceptance of living this flawed life. Jones gives us a strengthening list of what God is actually doing, illustrating each item with Scripture, experiences, and a wide variety of quotes from C. S. Lewis to F. Scott Fitzgerald to Bart Simpson. What is God doing? Working in power and compassion; understanding doubt is real and providing help; imparting insight and help through the very trials we don't want; giving help through others' witness; and, breaking what seems a brass-bound silence with His Word, the Bible. The closing section of this book turns us back to those institutions that help, urging the broken to avail themselves of that help and the rest of us to be really get in there and help. Jones looks at the church, the ministry, and that wonderful promise to all of God's own ones, Heaven.

Second Guessing God arrived for me to review right after a major problem caused me to spiral despairingly downwards. I can vouch for it. This book truly helps. - Donna Eggett, Christian Book Previews.com

Brian's transparent descriptions of his own spiritual journey assist the reader with realistic expectations of a life led for the cause of Christ. This book is a must read for anyone searching for meaning in his life.

I saw this book on someone's wish list and was immediately intrigued by the title and decided to buy it. I am glad that I did. I have a deep respect for pastors, or anyone for that matter, that can share their short comings and their long findings about themself. It's like, "hey those shoes look familiar.... I think I walked in those just the other day!"

The last thing that I want to hear from a pastor is how they were brought up in a Christian home and yada yada yada.... had a supergodly clean life.

Not only is Brian Jones a man after my own soul, but I really dig his writing style. He will have a lump in my throat the size of a Jerusalem artichoke and the next second have me lauging out loud.

Lemme share a part of the book. At one point in his life, while he was second guessing God, he is talking to a friend and says his life is much like standing on the beach and the waves are taking the sand from under his feet, and that scares him.

His friend says, and this is my new fave quote: "In spite of all of this, I promise you can count on one thing: when the last grain of sand is finally gone, you're going to discover that you're standing on a rock"

Peeps have to know this or they will never survive the firey darts of satan. It is my new prayer that I see people as Christ sees them and to have a compassionate heart for the lost.

For the longest time I thought that I had no future as I have not planned my life out well enough. But now, I realize that it was all His plan. I will use my own life as a testimony to others. God has given me talents that will give me an edge to help others.

Thank you to the one who open'd my eyes to this book.

"Zooming down Agape Blvd. with the top down!"

"Second Guessing God" by Brian Jones shows how to live a purpose driven life rather than tell how in "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. Not that I am knocking Rick. However I read Rick's book just prior to Brian's. When reading "Purpose Driven" my wife got mad at me because I would leave her to go downstairs to read in the quiet. With "Second Guessing God" it didn't matter what else was on because it was so engaging. The detailed and funny stories have a purpose and have me wanting to do more to serve God.

I am not sure the title "Second Guessing God" has the pizazz this book deserves. The humble but upbeat style makes this book very engaging. While reading I felt privileged to know Brian from his sermons on Sundays and to have received hugs and handshakes from him.

While looking for materials to teach a spirituality class during the summer of 2008, Fate handed me a gem when I came across SGG. Brian's writing style was instantly engaging, combining theology and practical application in an easy-to-read format that I finished in a week's train ride into work.

While the product description offers the question "Why does God allow bad things to happen," that is not what Brian directly addresses. What he superbly does instead is examine the following: where God is when life is full of struggle; what is God doing in the midst of our pain; and how to hang on to God's promises to be with us.

SGG lends itself well to an in-class format. Brian uses his own faith journey as a roadmap to impart spiritual recovery options that we all can follow, such as getting help from mentors, friends and family, and knowing that God is working upstream. SGG has the "right" mix of applicable Christian and secular references as well as personal and pastoral stories. From the silly to the serious, we laughed and cried along with Brian and those he met on his journey. Pastor Brian's revelation that he had faith challenges too surprised some. Yet, it was exactly that imperfect human aspect that gave them the OK to admit, and thereby work through, theirs.

The class and I debated about my struggle with the book title. The American Heritage dictionary says to "second guess" is to "To criticize or correct after an outcome is known." Brian did not criticize God for doing x or y or ask why God did it, IMHO. Instead, he cried out against what appeared to be God's unfairness and worked through his doubt leaving us with his vision of Heaven and many ways to restore our faith in difficult times.

All in all, a great read and very effective book.

Brian Jones is real and honest. He talks about all types of things people, including himself, go through, trying to understand the bad things that happen in life. He tries to give some reasons why God allows things to happen and some that are unexplainable. Regardless, we need to trust that a loving God knows best, even when we just don't get it.

I used this book and discussion guide as a tool for leading a single parents bible study. I know the Lord used the ideas presented in this book along with scripture to help us grow spirtiually. If you going through life and wondering what God is doing in your life. Please read this book. It is an easy read and gives food for thought.

I personally loved the book and know God is control.

You know I was at Books A Million feeling down with a current problem I had one Sunday and browsing the Christian book section. This book caught my eye and I was immediately hooked. I think Pastor Jones managed to stay so much on message with the novel- he has comedic, but yet tragic examples that are in his family life and his walk during ministry and emphasizes meaningful examples to illustrate in details Jesus love and quotes from C.S. Lewis who is a very influential and remarkable evangelical author. You know I think this book out of all the ones I have read was really up front with what believers are about in their walk with God. In our sorrows we read the word, we study with God, but sometimes we do still feel distant through him through our trials. I really liked what he mentioned about "Providence" and God working for us upstream. Some of the stories were heartbroken and heart wrenching with a lot of the real life examples he uses, but out of the hard stories he manages to laugh with some funny examples to reaching out to those who need. I think his book has a repeated theme that my Church uses- loving God, loving others, serving others. I think Pastor Jones has emphasized that much and carries believers on to know that we all share the same pain- but the prize is always on for Christ. I liked that he uses Psalms and quotes the different context the verses are uses for and breaks them down into the three distinct sections. He also says that the traditional therapy, expensive books and audio doesn't necessarily work but getting off the couch and serving others.

This is one book that most certainly delivers what it promises and then some more. Not for someone who is wanting a quick read; Brain Jones does an artful presentation of seeing the good in trials of life. He shares his personal trials as well as other view points to enlighten you that even though it feels like you can't go on you need to. Only someone who has had his own frustrations could write like this. It is thought provoking and inspiring. Has changed my mentality and thought processes to embrace the trail for the good that will come out of it; even during the difficulties and dark times when it seems as if it will never end. My favorite quotation is "when you think you're sinking down in the sand; you're really going to find that you're standing on a Rock!" This has helped me immensely as I am dealing with a child who has left home and a miscarriage of another. I am encourarged that this is difficult but I need to persevere as there is strength through Christ to carry on and triumph over this difficulty.