Making Peace with Change: Navigating Life's Messy Transitions with Honesty and Grace

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!

My family and I serve overseas and have been walking through a major life transition. This book was recommended in an online group I'm a part of. I immediately loved the cover and was drawn to it visually. It was such a beautifully written book and helped me to process through the changes we were and would be going through as a family. Thank you Gina for your wisdom and insight! This is a must read and one that I'll go back to again and again.

I appreciated the author’s familiar writing style, and while I didn’t find anything earth-shattering, I did find some encouragement, and several moments to reminisce over events of my own life. Her research and resources were first-rate, and I added a couple of new books to my reading list.

I greatly enjoyed and benefited from Making Peace with Change: Navigating Life's Messy Transitions with Honesty and Grace by Gina Butz! It allowed me to "feel" when transitions happen, as I often discount my feelings when a transition is "good", yet feels difficult. This book beautifully named transitions that WE ALL deal with and allowed for time, and truth and the grace of God to guide. I underlined so much, shared with others and 'journelled' my way through this timely read!

This book put into words so many of the feelings and God-centered discoveries I also experienced through many transitions related to working in other cultures than my own. Thank you for a wonderful tool to help others through their transitional times.

This was an excellent book and exactly what I needed at this time! Gina described my thoughts, feelings, struggles, and experiences to a T! I highly recommend this book to anyone going through the re-entry process after having lived and served overseas. This is a must-read! Thanks, Gina, for being so vulnerable and for bringing healing to others in the midst of transition! Thanks also to all the grace givers! What a gift and great blessing!!

Gina speaks with wisdom gained from walking with God through many transitions. Her gentle, personal and understanding tone invites us into the fullness of honest emotion and walking by faith. Don't minimize the pain; lament and grieve; cling to God in faith. This book is a faithful companion for you if you are in the midst of transition, and a wonderful preparation for facing it in the future.

No one is exempt from transition in life. In Making Peace with Change, Gina beautifully and practically guides readers through what it looks like to lean on God and trust him through transition—and be real at the same time. I’m super grateful for a resource like this and the work that God did in my heart through this book. Can’t wait to read it again!

So helpful as a missionary ending her first year overseas and entering the second! So thankful for this book, especially during a world pandemic ;)

Making Peace with Change by Gina Butz is a very timely book. Although not written because of the pandemic, it is so appropriate for everyone as we all face changes this year. I found it to be very practical, with many good recommendations. It is so inspiring and is such a pleasure to read. Even without the pandemic this book is helpful for everyone going through all kinds of changes. I highly recommend this book!!

It seems like we're in transition more than we expect - I bought this book 9 months ago and I'm already reading it again. So glad I have it!

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!

Such a wonderful book! I love that Gina gives language to the feelings and emotions we all go through as we process change and transitions in our life. The day it arrived I was so excited I couldn't put it down, I finished it in one sitting. I have recommended this great book to others since reading and will continue to share. Thank you Gina for sharing your stories and helping others navigate life's transitions!

Absolutely love this book so far. My family just moved overseas for international missions and are experiencing so much change. Gina provides stories, biblical truth and practical ways to ride the waves of crazy transitions with easy to read and apply chapters. I HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who is in the midst of great change.

Gina has shared openly her life and the challenges that come with change. Her book shows her love for God's word and His guidance. I heartily recommend this book.

Making Peace with Change is a helpful read for those (like me) going through a transition. It's well-written and full of heartwarming stories and practical advice anchored in biblical wisdom. I plan to read it again more slowly and take notes to help me make the most of this time of change in my life.

I am someone who has NEVER liked change, nor dealt with it well, and I’m a believer! So this book was so encouraging to someone who loves Jesus and wants to trust Him in all areas, even the hard ones. I would highly recommend this book - a beautiful read and good for my soul.

Gina has written a book that is hitting me where I live. We are moving to a new city, and modifying our job roles, and looking at being more in the senior status. Thank you, Gina

Having just moved back from loving overseas for 6 years, Gina's insights gave me a space for timely reflection on the process and challenges of transition. I really appreciated the honest and vulnerable way Gina shared some of her own story.

God’s extravagant grace has met Gina Brenna Butz in her messy seasons of transition. In sharing her experiences, Making Peace with Change has become the breadcrumb trail Gina has left behind, leading the way toward peace and wholeheartedness in the midst of the challenge of change. Admitting that it was hard and then bringing her heart full of doubt and resistance to God was her first step toward peace. I’ve harvested several valuable principles from her work that I wish I’d had in place twenty-six years ago, and, given that change is inevitable, I am certain that you, too, will benefit from these anchors in truth: 1. Your season of change is an assignment from God. Lord, You have assigned my portion and my cup, and have made my lot secure” (Psalm 16:5). Elisabeth Elliot found peace in this truth as well during a season of upheaval: “It is in our acceptance of what is given that God gives Himself.” 2. God is good, even if we do not see it. If you believe in his sovereignty, take the next step and embrace his goodness. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.” (Nahum 1:7) 3. Feelings of loss are real. The losses that come with transition are God’s way of “calling us to find ourselves in a deeper place, on the solid ground of who He is and who we are in Him.” (47) You are greater than the sum of your accomplishments, but it is also true that you should not ignore your grief. The Bible models lament when our own words won’t come, and, often, true acceptance and peace lie on the other side of grieving what has been lost. 4. Pay attention to your desires. The desires that bubble to the surface during times of transition will reveal your true heart. Are you responding with anger? Are you tempted to escape present circumstances by checking out mentally or self-medicating with NetFlix (or worse!)? Pay attention to your responses, give them a name, and bring them into the light. If you are currently walking through a season of transition, embrace the unknown. Making Peace with Change requires a faith-based leaning in to the process of growth God has initiated. Realizing (and admitting) your weakness is the doorway to discovering God’s strength. He longs to make all things new, and he has begun that process right here, right now as you trust him for today’s assignment with today’s grace. Many thanks to Our Daily Bread Publishing for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.

Making Peace with Change: Navigating Life’s Messy Transitions with Honesty and Grace by Gina Brenna Butz 3 stars “A friend of mine told me that when you move a plant, even from one room to another, it’s bound to wilt. It needs time to acclimate to its new surroundings. And so do we.” Change is a given in life. Everyday you wake up, there is a new change to adjust to. However, there are also transitions. Huge life changes where your world is shaken up and everything you were planning doesn’t happen or you realize you were the planner and not God. Things fall apart or they come together. Transitions bring sorrow and joy. They can feel bad, but they are always for your own personal good. I am entering a huge season of transition. In all honesty, I feel like last semester and this current semester of college has been nothing, but major transitions. My first transition happened last semester when I started teaching twelve hours a week in a classroom with a mentor teacher while still being a full-time student. My second transition happened when I finished my last season of color guard and it’s weird after eight years to finally have closure while at the same time feeling like I had overstayed my welcome. My third transition has been teaching full-time this semester and barely being on my university campus which is hard for me because I don’t see my friends during the day or have autonomy anymore. I follow a strict and regimented schedule. These changes have been hard. Sometimes they have straight up sucked, but there has been more joy than I can even comprehend. God has been so good and loving to me while I struggle through these transitions. When I saw that there was a new Christian Living book coming out about finding peace with the transitions and changes in life, I jumped on the opportunity to pick it up. I read the opening introduction and thought I had found a new favorite book. My heart soared as Butz discussed change and growth while comparing it to flowers because that’s my Jesus jam and it will always make me giddy with excitement. It’s how God speaks to me. I hear His whisper in the flowers. However, most of the chapters in this book are mediocre chapters laced and buttered with sweet white girl Christianity. There are some beautiful sentences and great statements of encouragement, but I never really felt like Butz was calling me out and calling me to action. She was placating my already quiet soul and I was hungry for something besides what she provided. I would equate this book to eating a vanilla cupcake after you’ve eaten the icing. Once you lick it all off, it’s kind of sad while still being satisfying enough to finish eating. You just aren’t thrilled and you will probably forget that you even ate the cupcake by the end of the day. That was my experience, but it may not be yours. For that reason alone, if you feel an urge to pick this book up then DO IT. “In choosing to grieve, we learn to worship the God who grieves with us.” Betz really does have some great points on navigating hard situations and why staying in them can be beneficial as well as numbing and choosing to feel numb instead of processing emotions. My personal favorite chapter and why I truly believe God wanted me to read this book was Chapter 9: Navigating Grief. This chapter wrecked me and helped me process situations in my life where I had grieved, but refused to acknowledge that they were moments of grief. I would suggest picking this book up for that chapter alone because it was just that powerful. Betz is still a developing writer, but she has moments where she shines. I look forward to reading something else from her in the future. Whimsical Writing Scale: 3 Plotastic Scale: 3 Cover Thoughts: I love this cover so much! I love the striking yellow leaf with a teal background. It automatically caught my eye when I first saw it. Thank you, Netgalley and Our Daily Bread Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Making Peace with Change takes us through the often hidden parts of transition: hard, loss, desire, expectations, and grief. Butz weaves God’s truth throughout her personal story of expected and unexpected change raising a family in Asia. The chapter titles themselves speak to the way the book gives us anchor points to hold to throughout the changing tides of life (ex, Chapter 1: Navigating the Hard, Chapter 2: Anchored in His Goodness). I worry people will discount Butz’s story as having little impact on their own lives if they say, “but I’ve lived in the same place my whole life.” While the circumstances of our lives may be drastically different, the feelings we undergo in times of change, loss, and new life are universal. There is much to be learned from someone who has navigated so much change and brought vital lessons to light for the rest of us. I think people might not pick up this book if they don’t see themselves going through a transition. Everything seems fine (or you can pretend well that it is). Life may feel mundane and tedious, even. You may be screaming, “Yeah, I wish something would change already!” I read and listened to a lot about change over the past year. The one thing I appreciated most about Butz’s story was that she doesn’t just point us to self-reflection but deeper into relationship with God. “Transition is an invitation to experience the gospel. The gospel shows us that we cannot captain our own ships. We were never meant to,” says Butz. It tells us that there is despair, but there is hope. Something must die to make way for new life. The good news is that God uses transition to move us away from ourselves, away from our idols and false substitutes for life, and toward a greater dependence and rootedness in Him.” The anchors Butz gives us to cling to are fixed points (for what else is stable in this world but God?). Anchoring ourselves on the truth, whether life seems to be stagnant or shifting all around us, is a good practice. Whether you are currently going through a major transition or waiting for things to change, I think having this book on your shelf, and these truths in your back pocket, will help steady you for whatever life brings. I received a copy of the book from the publisher and this is my honest review.

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!

I received an early advanced copy of this book and wanted to review it. First, I have to say, that while the book is directed toward missionaries and the inevitable transition of the missionary life, I found it to be very applicable to my life, as a mom who has raised four daughters and who can say that life is, so far, full of more change than I thought I could handle. The story of change, after all, is the story of all of our lives.Gina Butz writes with a calm, thoughtful voice and I found myself highlighting passage after passage. She shows her own journey of growth through her own stories of many moves, loss of friendships, and the rugged way of finding her own path when motherhood and new changes beyond that happened. Ultimately, she discusses well the way in which we, as Christians, live out what it means to trust God. I loved the book. I was challenged to open up my clenched fists and let God work his way, trusting that he is good and that this life is in fact, hard. I will return to this book again to remind myself that change is not easy but it is also an opportunity to relinquish control to God and rely on him more and more.

Where was this book when I was going through... There was a time when I didn't do so well with change (good or bad). Okay, sometimes I still don't. However, reading this book put a finger on my sore spots (in a good way) to help highlight exactly what it was about change that had the potential to completely unravel me. While the entire book is worth a read, Chapter 5 was a standout for me. I drank it in from the very first sentence. . "I hate messes..." Running after a life, career, relationship etc apart from God resonated deeply with me. I appreciate the author's honesty with her struggles ( in a world full of pretense) and how she managed them. This would be a great book to work through with an intimate group of friends. I don't usually give feedback on covers but this cover really drew me in. The yellow leaf... signifies a time of change, but trees don't fight it because somehow spring always returns. Thank you Our Daily Bread Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

In this thoughtful, practical, spiritually grounded book, author Gina Butz helps us to navigate through seasons of change. Few of us embrace change. It's too vulnerable, too messy, too out of control. Gina gets this and rather than spiritualize or offer weak platitudes, she gets down into the mess with us so that we can make it through with grace and some measure of peace. Her premise is that "transition isn't something to endure; it's one of the greatest gifts for our spiritual growth that God can give us."

[edit] I had an opportunity to read Gina's book as part of pre-release launch team. As others have noted, while the circumstances may not be identical, we all experience transitions in every part of our lives. Gina brings life to those transitions and gives us permission to not only survive them, but to grow through those experiences. Her chapter on navigating grief is particularly insightful. As she pointed out, while our American culture tends to "allow" grief when mourning the passing of a loved one, it is critically important to our soul to identify, mourn and grow through other areas of loss in our life. Thank you Gina!

Are you in a season of change? It sometimes feels like death, doesn’t it? Author Gina Brenna Butz acknowledges both the losses and the gains from life transitions in her new book “Making Peace with Change.” Having moved her family overseas several times and then back to America, she developed practical ways to navigate the turbulence of unchartered waters. Beginning by acknowledging that change is hard. But instead of leaving us flailing, she spends the rest of the book offering God’s biblical and doable choices for moving forward into a new life. “The more we make peace with change and learn to make God our anchor, the more we… will be people of grace and compassion, people who invite others on a path of freedom and restoration.” Interspersed with personal stories and quotes from all my favorite wise people, this book is a valuable tool to facilitate our own growth in grace amidst difficult times.

We rarely look forward to change with open hearts and open minds. Butz does a masterful job of giving practical tools to help you in whatever new normal you might be facing. Making Peace with Change is a guidebook for those of us who are approaching change in the form of an empty-nest, new job, or new city. I am looking forward to sharing her words with many who are stuck in the past and not ready to embrace the future. Butz's writing style is easy to read and approachable which is encouraging.

Whether you resist change or seek it out, Gina Butz will lead you through it with peace and grace and some great stories. Firmly rooted in God's Word and Gina's personal experiences, this book will provide strong lifelines for your journey.

Gina does a great job of sharing her own experience of multiple life transitions, explaining the connection of transitions to our deeper heart desires and stories, and also offering encouragement and hope in this undesirable and inevitable part of life. Personally, I don't like transitions, but Gina has given me a glimpse of the valuable purpose they play in my life. I like transitions even less when they cause pain to the ones I love, but Gina's book gave me some insights into how to come alongside and offer support with grace. I didn't find all the answers I am looking for regarding transitions in this book, but it is full of authenticity, empathy, and truth, and very worth the read. I hope you'll buy the book for your own transitions... and maybe some extra copies for others you care about too.

I am not currently in a transition in my life, but I have been and I'm sure I will be again. But I know a lot of people who could use the wisdom and grace in this book. Gina Butz speaks from experience and does so with so much compassion. I love her writing style and the many stories she tells, which lets you know that she knows what she's talking about. I highly recommend this for anyone in transition, facing transition, or who knows someone in transition. Well worth the read.

Five years ago, I experienced a sudden and unwelcome life transition. As I read Gina's book, I found myself resonating with many of the feelings and emotions she relates of her own past experiences of transition--going into the mission field, becoming a mother, and then returning to the United States. She honestly shares her own struggles in each of those transition points, and the wisdom she gained from her own experiences, the wise counsel of others, and from reading a wide variety of authors who have written on the subject. If you are looking for sappy, pop-culture, feel-good platitudes, this book is maybe not the book for you. If you want real, honest conversation about how unpleasant life-transitions can be, and sage advice on how to successfully navigate those seasons of change, then I highly recommend this book to you. One particularly challenging quote for me was, "God's desired outcome for our life is not our comfort but our character, not our happiness but our transformation." (p.29) I'll be thinking about that concept for a long time, and seeking to live it out in my life. It's a very helpful little book, full of great stories and illustrations.

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!

This book was incredibly timely for me as I am currently re-entering America after serving overseas. The perspective of change not being something merely we have to endure but can be a gift to our spiritual growth was both comforting and refreshing. The ability to recognize the hard while also leaning into God's goodness as our anchor was a helpful reminder. Sometimes in the midst of change you just need to know that you are not alone but also have a "friend" speak the truth in love...this book was that friend for me. Thank you Gina Brenna Butz! *I was provided an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased honest review*

I received an advanced copy of this book to review, and I'm so glad I did. I've gone through so many times of transition and change in my life and I wish I had read this book years ago. Gina's writing is engaging, biblically-sound, and full of hope. She leads her readers towards a more authentic relationship with the Lord through giving them permission to be honest about how hard change can be. I really enjoyed this book and the truth it offers.

An emotionally-intelligent guide to navigating the phases of transition from a thoughtful Christian perspective. This book is useful preemptively before a transition - and also something that will also help you understand transition in hindsight. This book will resonate with those who are tired of hearing cliches and simplistic solutions. Gina shares relatable experiences and perspective to help us locate God’s goodness when we are in the throes of change.

I had the privilege of reading a pre-release copy of this book and loved every page of if. Gina's writing is conversational and humorous while delivering some deep truths. If you are currently going through a transition and desire to cling to God though it, this book is for you. But even if it's been a few years since you've had a major transition, as is for me, the book still can be a wonderful help as you look back at how you have handled previous transitions. And it can certainly be helpful in preparing for future transition.

Full disclosure—Gina is a friend. That written, reading Making Peace with Change was as if we were sitting together over a cup of coffee having a chat. Each chapter was a new conversation. A next step in knowing her experience and life. And often, a next step in knowing myself. Many times I either laughed out loud or groaned audibly as her stories amused me, touched me and, occasionally, revealed me. Thanks, Gina, for letting us in to see your heart and your process. Mine might be different, but seeing yours and your example of vulnerability might just help me discover and appreciate my own.

Gina Butz does a wonderful job of taking her readers through the messy in's and out's of transition. As a missionary in transition, I found myself relating to so much of what she shared. Her transparency, humor and deep scriptural insights helped me reflect on the many aspects of my own transitions and God's hand in them. I just wish I had found this book sooner! I definitely recommend it!

Gina Butz does a great job of sharing biblical based practical wisdom for people experiencing change in their lives. Her many international moves are the backdrop, providing the opportunities to learn, grow, and trust the Lord to guide, comfort, give wisdom, and provide perspective. You don't have to be moving internationally to learn from this book. She tells great stories with humility through the lens of reality. Beyond the stories however, is the wisdom, borne out of experience and based on the Bible. This book is great for anyone dealing with change in their lives.

At this moment in my life, reading Gina’s book was very fitting. She has been through some challenging transitions herself and shares them with the reader in a way that feels like a friend coming alongside to encourage you to look to God in the midst of the chaos. This book has been such an encouragement to me, a good reminder that we don’t have to face these things in our life alone because God is right here to carry us through.

Can’t speak highly enough of this book- it is a short, concise read that really gets to the depths of what is so hard about transition. Gina Butz writes of how we can not just get through transition but come out stronger, and more soft-hearted... attune to our own emotions. She has been through many jolting transitions herself, and as she weaves her story, she masterfully reminds us of the importance of soul care and how God will meet us in our most vulnerable moments if we let Him.

Making Peace with Change has helped me navigate my hardest year in a healthy manner. Gina helps you live in the reality of your mess, helps you realize it's okay to say this is hard, but then gives you steps on how to move forward. This needs to be a "must give" gift to anyone who is moving, changing jobs, lost a job, having a child, entering the empty nest stage, has struggled with their health. Any change at all!

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!

Change is hard, and Gina’s approach to making peace with it is realistic and hopeful. She doesn’t shy away from addressing our raw emotions and thoughts, the very things that make us human, in the midst of change. In telling her story she is refreshingly honest and shares helpful practices I plan to adapt in my own life during transition. Her work is grounded in scripture and a faithful love for Christ. It’s definitely a very wise and practical read!

Having been through a few transitions and facing more in the future, this book was super helpful. Reading it made me feel like I was having a conversation over coffee with a trusted friend. Great things to think about and apply!

I loved this book! Gina's honesty and real life examples teach how she faced the difficulty of change and transition by allowing God to change her heart and perspective on change. The most meaningful teaching was how to stay anchored to and with God through change. Thank you, Gina, for this book!

I had the privilege of receiving an advance copy of Making Peace with Change. If life transitions are a struggle for you, as they often are for me, this grace-filled book is an honest and insightful look at both the challenge of change and the sanctifying presence of God in the midst of it. Well worth a read!

I had the privilege of reading an early copy of Gina's book, "Making Peace with Change". Gina shares insights from her own life experiences and the lessons she learned on navigating change well. Whether you love change or despise it, Gina's book will both encourage and challenge you. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!

It is hard to navigate change - whether it is good or bad. Gina Butz understands this and shares vulnerably from her own experiences. Along with that she brings wisdom to help us journey through change and experience the ways God wants to transform our lives. This is an excellent book that speaks a timely message for us today.

If you are an expat or honestly, have dealt with change in your life in any way, I promise this book will resonate with you. It’s an amazing easy and enjoyable read and the stories Gina shares are relatable and great examples. I was encouraged reading this and would definitely recommend!

This book is so needed in our hurried paced life. We often just want to get through changes and get everything back to "normal." But, this book challenged me to consider that change is to be embraced and we can learn from those moments of transition as well.

I purchased this book as Gina is the daughter of a friend of mine. I kept somewhat up to date with the Butz family as they served the Lord in Asia and then in Singapore and followed their "adventures." God has gifted Gina with the ability to take some difficult challenging life experiences and give us a blueprint for walking through life circumstances with peace. I so appreciated her honesty and yet the Bible is the foundation on which she builds her relationship with God. The Scriptures she used I will come back to time and again to remind me who God is and how I can connect with Him on a deeper level, trusting in His goodness through ups and downs. She touched me spiritually as I read this book.

No life is stagnant. All of us will be challenged by change -- some of it unwanted, much of it for the better. How we respond to change and can make all the difference. Gina Butz gives great encouragement and vulnerable examples for navigating the impact change has in our lives. This small volume offers practical, biblical instruction for meeting change head on and welcoming the unexpected blessings in the process.

This book feels like you’re meeting with a friend over coffee, having a heart-to-heart. I appreciated the author’s raw honesty in sharing about her struggles amidst her years of constant transition. The most impactful concepts of the book for me were the sections on grief, loss, and navigating desire. I liked the way the author encourages us to lean on God’s character in the midst of transitions and uncertainty. This book is especially applicable to those who have spent time overseas as the author is familiar with that life, but also for anyone who has undergone any significant transitions or losses, whether big, small, or cumulative.

I had no idea at the time I began reading, was what a HUGE role this would play in my life. Change has always been a part of my life, and I thought I would read this and say yep, true, I agree.... I never dreamed my husband and I would find ourselves facing a new normal, a change that was unfathomable. Each chapter has given me truths and encouragement to face these new challenges with the knowledge that God is here, in the messiness. We have acknowledged that "This is hard". And I am praying that I can accept "Every part of transition - every moment, interaction, emotion, challenge, surprise - is from the hands of a loving Father." Thank you, Gina for opening up your heart and sharing the tough stuff.

This book gives me hope as I follow the Lord in day by day transitions of life. Trusting God with your life is a terrific thing, however it leads to places where we have to get on our knees for the solutions to the calling he has placed on our life. I'm thankful for Gina's book that covers topics of anchoring ourselves to God in the midst of the messiness of this world. Not only for those moving international, but so applicable to other changes in our lives. "It's only when we are lost enough to let go of our feeble attempts to make life work, when we feel the reality of our smallness in the world, that we can grasp God's greatness in contrast." Thanks Gina!

This book came into my awareness at the same time that I am finding myself going through transitions that I didn't want or seek.... I didn't really know what to expect as I started reading the book. The book is deceptive! It looks like a fast read. Quickly I discovered that while it appears to be an easy read, there is depth there--wisdom born from experience with the subject and while the words may seem simple, I found myself needing to close the book, close my eyes....then open the book and re-read a section again to soak it in. That is not my normal way of operating! When something is hard, I tend to strap on my steel toed boots (figuratively of course) and hard hat and just push through to the end. Through Gina's writing, I am learning the importance of acknowledging the hard...and remembering God's goodness in it. Taking the time through the transitions to process them. A must read book for anyone who has ever gone through any change, is going through any change or thinks that change may happen at some point.....

I am familiar with Gina Butz's writing from following her blog and I received an advance copy of Making Peace with Change for review via Net Galley. Making Peace with Change is not merely a compilation of her previous blog posts. It is an in-depth look at the topic of life's transitions and how to navigate them with God. There are many nuggets of encouragement to be found and much to chew on in this slim volume. I highlighted many passages and plan to go back for a second helping.

Two weeks ago I started reading Making Peace with Change for the second time. Just about every page has a gem that feels like a gift just for me. I have spent the past 20 years teaching about transition and have experienced it myself multiple times. Most recently my husband and I moved to a new state. For me this has meant a completely new job, a new and different style of home, new friends (well I am still working on that one!), and a completely new environment. In this recent move I have been reminded countless times that teaching about transition and going through it personally are too very different things! I have read a number of books on transition and change and find this one to be the best as far as giving strong spiritual encouragement that is not the rose colored glasses sort. I am being challenged to accept this transition as God's assignment for me. I am being reminded to admit where it is really hard and at the same time, walk by faith knowing that HE has not forgotten me. I highly recommend this book to anyone going through a change.

Change is hard. Admitting that fact and not trying to hold it all together for appearances sake is just the start of the wisdom in Gina's book. I began highlighting in the Introduction! Whether you've endured many transitions in your life before now, or you're just facing the toughest one yet, this book is a must read for honest perspective on what we have to learn and how we can benefit from the changes the Lord has for us on our journey.

Challenging, encouraging, applicable, and faith deepening! HighIy recommend this book! I initially got this book to process a move between countries and ministries. I found this book challenged and encouraged me during a time of job change and health change for my aging father. I bought copies of this book for my sister during a job loss, my mom as she cared for my dad's declining health, and my high school nieces as they moved to a new city and school. We have all been ministered to by the words of this book! Thank you, Gina! This book gave me permission to release the pressure to only acknowledge the positive opportunities in transition and to admit "this is hard". I love her quote, "In calling it hard there's this wild trust that God can work." (p21) So thankful for this book and the invitation for God to meet me at a deeper place by being honest about all aspects of transitions!