When Your Way Isn't Working: Finding Purpose and Contentment Through Deep Connection with Jesus
When you are worn-out, when you feel discouraged, when you think you don't have what it takes, what is the one thing that Jesus wants you to never forget? When Your Way Isn't Working equips you to discover authentic connection to God and others so you are free to live the life you long for.
In some of his final words to his closest friends, Jesus didn't suggest a five-year plan for success or a checklist of things to do. Instead, he offered a metaphor about what the good life really looks like: I am the vine. You are the branches. Abide in me. In other words, No matter what happens next, the most important thing is to stay connected to me.
In When Your Way Isn't Working, pastor and bestselling author Kyle Idleman offers a unique exploration of John 15 for all of us who are going through the motions and feel frustrated. Idleman reminds us that it's connection, not production, that leads to a fruitful life--relationships, not circumstances, that bring joy. He offers his distinctive, biblical perspective on how to:
- Find greater rest, depth, and connection in your life
- Embrace freedom from the pressures of performance and production
- Recognize what you can't do makes room for what God can do
- Step out of isolation even when it feels scary
- Discover the top distractions that keep you from connecting to God--and how to counter them
In the end, the fruit of your life won't have to do with what you accomplished but with whom you stayed connected. Because no matter what happens next in this uncertain world, what matters most, lasts the longest, and brings the greatest joy is staying connected to the God who never leaves you.
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Kyle Idleman is the senior pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, one of the largest churches in America. On a normal weekend, he speaks to more than thirty thousand people spread across fourteen campuses.
More than anything else, Kyle enjoys unearthing the teachings of Jesus and making them relevant in people's lives. He is a frequent speaker for national conventions and influential churches across the country.
Kyle and his wife, DesiRae, have been married for over twenty-five years. They have four children, two sons-in-law, and recently welcomed their third grandchild. They live on a farm in Kentucky, where he doesn't do any actual farming.
When Your Way Isn't Working is a clarion call to cling to the Vine. Let's be honest, we all need that. It's not necessarily that Kyle Idleman's exegesis is revolutionary; it's that his own transparency is convicting. He's not a megachurch pastor who pontificates but a beleaguered pilgrim who is vexed by his own longing to reconnect with Jesus. I'm in, Kyle. Mark E. Moore, PhD, teaching pastor at Christ's Church of the Valley, Phoenix, Arizona
Kyle Idleman nailed it. This book is going to be foundational for people. This is the way to contentment. Brant Hansen, radio host, author of Unoffendable and The Men We Need, and advocate for CURE International Children's Hospitals
In John 15, Jesus uses the imagery of a vine and branches to illustrate our need to be intimately connected to Him. In When Your Way Isn't Working, my friend Kyle Idleman unpacks this rich section of Scripture and explains how being connected to Jesus gives us purpose, perspective, and freedom. Jim Daly, president, Focus on the Family
We go to great lengths to manage our lives and control our emotions. But our coping mechanisms only take us so far. When the stresses of life press in, our well-constructed ideas start to crumble. We react instead of respond; we feel annoyed instead of compassionate; we tend to isolate ourselves instead of engaging with our community. What's the answer? Deepening our connection with Jesus. Kyle Idleman has written a brilliant, honest book about life, Jesus, and how to abide more deeply in him. Jesus is the answer to every question and the solution to every problem. The words on these pages are funny, accessible, and wonderfully insightful. You'll love this book. Susie Larson, bestselling author, national speaker, and talk radio host
