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About this item
Highlights
- About the Author: Kristen Clark is married to her best friend, Zack, and is cofounder of GirlDefined Ministries.
- 240 Pages
- Religion + Beliefs, Christian Life
Description
About the Book
Popular authors and YouTubers open up their lives in the most raw and relatable way, sharing firsthand how hard it is to find joy in the midst of unknowns and the simple truths that have radically transformed their lives and given them the hope to thrive in the midst of the what ifs.From the Back Cover
God is still writing your storyWhat happens when life doesn't turn out the way you always imagined? How do you stay hopeful when disappointments, unfulfilled longings, and frustrating detours come knocking on your door? Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal have asked these same questions themselves.
In Not Part of the Plan, they open up their lives in the most raw and relatable way, sharing their own journeys through unexpected seasons of infertility, singleness, loss, and heartbreak. But in the midst of it all, they've learned that true hope doesn't come from getting the life you always dreamed of but from trusting God with the life He has for you and believing that His plans truly are good.
Sister, wherever you are on your journey, your life has purpose and meaning in Christ, and thriving is possible--right now.
"If life has thrown you a curveball and your future feels hard and scary, Not Part of the Plan is the book for you. You'll laugh. You'll cry. But most of all, you'll appreciate the advice of these wise friends as they teach you how to walk through pain and uncertainty and lead you toward a hope-filled tomorrow."--Mary A. Kassian, author of Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild
"Bethany and Kristen address the struggles we face when life takes unwanted detours and show us through Scripture and experience that our ultimate hope is found in Christ. Even in life's disappointments, we can be completely confident in God's greater plan that is for our good and for His glory."--Gretchen Saffles, author of The Well-Watered Woman, founder of Well-Watered Women
About the Author
Kristen Clark is married to her best friend, Zack, and is cofounder of GirlDefined Ministries. She is passionate about promoting the message of God-defined womanhood through blogging, speaking, mentoring young women, and hosting Bible studies in her living room. In the end, she's just a fun-lovin' Texas girl who adores all things outdoors and drinks coffee whenever possible.Bethany Beal is head-over-heels in love with her best friend and husband, David, and is the super-proud mommy of Davey Jr. She is cofounder of GirlDefined Ministries and is passionate about spreading the truth of biblical womanhood through writing, speaking, and mentoring young women. To her family and close friends, she is simply a tall blonde girl who is obsessed with iced lattes and can't get enough of her sweet baby, Davey Jr.
Kristen and Bethany are the authors of Girl Defined; Love Defined; Sex, Purity, and the Longings of a Girl's Heart; and Shine Bright.
Dimensions (Overall): 8.5 Inches (H) x 5.59 Inches (W) x .71 Inches (D)
Weight: .75 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 240
Genre: Religion + Beliefs
Sub-Genre: Christian Life
Publisher: Baker Books
Format: Paperback
Author: Kristen Clark & Bethany Beal
Language: English
Street Date: October 12, 2021
TCIN: 84225400
UPC: 9780801094729
Item Number (DPCI): 247-23-3130
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 0.71 inches length x 5.59 inches width x 8.5 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.75 pounds
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5.0 out of 5 stars with 15 reviews
100% would recommend
6 recommendations
Healing from a Breakup
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Rachel Untalan - 3 years ago
Funnt enough, I bought this book when everything in my life was going according to plan. I had just got into a relationship with my childhood crush and neighbor. Marriage was on the horizon. Until, God closed the door. The Lord knew I absolutely needed this book to gain perspective during this time. Kristen & Bethany share from real life experience, pain, and face the hard questions. i recommend this book as a reminder of God's faithfulness, he is STILL GOOD even when things don't go according to plan. Must read!
Loved the book!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Aly Barber - 3 years ago
Kristen and Bethany did a great job explaining that while, yes hard times will come, God is still good and isn’t done with you yet:)
Raw, Real, Relatable
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Hannah - 3 years ago
This book by Kristen and Bethany (Girl Defined Ministries) was exactly what I needed in this stage of life! So many times we set expectations for ourselves in a timeline that God didn’t have planned for us. This is often influenced by society, the media, and what our peers are going through. Kristen and Bethany get real and raw by sharing their experiences when things in their lives weren’t going as planned. I could see myself/my situation reflected throughout the book in a way that helped me realize I’m not alone in this and God still has an amazing plan for my life.
One of my favorite Girl Defined books
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Pamela - 3 years ago
I really enjoyed “Not Part Of The Plan”, mostly because it was comforting, and because it came at a time in my life where I needed God’s help with dealing with a loss. Even for a heartfelt book, that was sad at times, there was also humor in it and I liked it. Bethany and Kristen were really open in this one. It was nice to get to know them more and get a deeper look into stories they’ve shared in the past, like Kristen’s 3 miscarriages. I needed that. Aside from journaling prompts, there are also pictures at the end of each chapter that look like they would be fun to color. *I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.
Encouraging and Insightful
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Krista B - 3 years ago
I really appreciated the way that Kristen and Bethany shared openly and honestly about some very vulnerable times in their lives and how they choose to accept the path that God had laid out for them. Every person has experienced disappointing times in their lives and they have done a wonderful job of addressing the thoughts and emotions we have during those times. Pretty sure you could have found me bawling at some point in most of the chapters, not because I had experienced those same situations, but because of the work that was being done in my heart. If you have ever been at a low point in your life and didn’t understand why things went that way, you need to read this book. The stories, scripture, and advise it holds will serve as an encouragement and reminder that whatever season you are in, God is always faithful. *I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.
Personal and Practical
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
- 3 years ago
Not Part of the Plan is a profound and beautiful piece written with personal experience at the forefront and practical wisdom at the conclusion. In each chapter, Bethany and Kristen take turns sharing their most personal moments of struggle and the deepened trust and relationship they each gleaned as a result. At the conclusion of each chapter, there is a thought to ponder, highlights from the chapter to reinforce what you read, a prayer you can use to make this a personal moment of commitment between you and Jesus, verses to read and dig deeper with, and questions to journal or discuss from followed by a prompt to solidify what you've learned. I love how practical and personal this book is! If you've ever wanted to take Bethany and Kristen to coffee and hear their encouraging and real testimony, this book is that coffee date you've been longing for! Don't wait any longer! Not Part of the Plan is your next favorite read.
Trust God with the Unpredictable
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
GodIsGood100 - 3 years ago
This book was the reminder I needed at exactly the right time. I’m a planner, just as Kristen describes in her new book, Not Part of the Plan. I always try to plan ahead, and figure out precisely what is going to happen in my life. However, we all know that life doesn’t always happen according to our plan. Things change. People change. Disappointment happens. In those moments, we cannot let the way we feel get the best of us, otherwise we would be constantly going through a rollercoaster of emotions on a daily basis. In these moments, it is best to turn our trust and our faithfulness towards God. In the book Not Part of the Plan, authors Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal each tell their personal stories of unexpected life events: Bethany’s struggle with infertility and Kristen’s struggle with singleness. While both of those situations are definitely difficult, Kristen and Bethany knew that they did not have to face those struggles alone. This book not only focuses on their experiences, but also gives practical advice on how you can rely on God in even the most difficult of times. In each chapter, the authors give discussion questions to ponder, scripture to dive deeper, activities that allow you to reflect, and prayers to give to God. This book is well written, personal, and overall just a beautiful reminder that we don’t need to worry. Always trust God with the twists and turns of your story.
So good!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Rach - 3 years ago
I loved this book! I am currently going through a season of waiting on the Lords perfect timing. I am going through infertility, and hearing Kristen’s story throughout this book has been super encouraging! And Bethany’s story was encouraging also! Waiting on the Lord is hard, but this book is helping me through my “Not Part of the Plan” moment. The stories, the scripture throughout, the written out prayers, it’s all great! I loved it!
A Powerful and Timely Book for Young Women
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
PrincessWorthDyingFor - 3 years ago
In their book Not Part of the Plan, authors Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal dive deep into helping their readers navigate the twists and turns of their story while trusting God fully. Kristen and Bethany open up in a way they never have before about their stories not going according to plan. Through Bethany’s years of unfulfilling longings for marriage and Kristen’s years of struggling with infertility, they discovered that even when life doesn’t go according to plan, God is good, ever-present, and can bring us hope and peace amid heartache and disappointment. Pairing their stories with Scriptural and practical truth, this book is designed to help young women to work through past and present detours in their stories. Each chapter includes prayers, reflection questions, and challenges to help them dive deeper. This book is honest and real in a time in history when everyone has faced challenges due to changes from a worldwide pandemic. This is a book that every young woman needs to read. Get your copy today! *I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review
Loved this book!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
DevinneB - 3 years ago
I highly recommend this book to all readers! It’s so applicable to how life doesn’t always turn out the way we thought. This book has helped me to see that even though my life didn’t turn out how I thought, God’s always in control. This book is fabulous & I would recommend it over and over again! *I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.
AMAZING
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
One Girls Journey - 3 years ago
Kristen and Bethany from Girl Defined Ministries have always written Awesome and Amazing books that woman of all ages can relate to. We often times to look at other peoples lives and think that they have it easy. It is easy to forget that sometimes life has challenges and can be hard until it’s happening to us. But Jesus brings us Hope and faith and with him we can realign our sight and thoughts on what God has for us. I love that they put Bible verses to every topic and also the "Dig deeper" section in the book. Encouraging the reader to reflect and to apply what they have read through. Lastly This book has helped me trust in God's plan for my life in such a deeper way. It has helped me remember that even among times of hardship, and chaos He can still use us for His glory. I so recommend this book as a source of light and happiness amidst the craziness of life. Thank you Girl Defined Ministries so much for helping us!
A must read!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Elisabeth A - 3 years ago
Not Part of the Plan by Kristen Clark and Bethany Beal refreshed and inspired me. I relate to it because life rarely goes the way I plan. However, it was encouraging to be reminded that no matter how crazy life seems, God is still writing my story. This book gave me renewed hope as I continue to trust the Lord even when things seem upside down. God works all things together according to His perfect plan. I am so thankful for a faithful God who walks with me through every aspect of life. This book gives a beautiful glimpse inside Kristen’s and Bethany’s journey of trusting the Lord and leaving their life in His hands. Not only was the book full of solid truth, but I also especially enjoyed the quotes, questions, and reflection area at the end of each chapter. I highly recommend Not Part of the Plan to everyone, young and old. God has a purpose, and I believe He will use this book in your life as He has in mine. Huge thank you to Girl Defined Ministries for faithfully serving the Lord and encouraging other women in the faith. Order your book today!! *I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.
Seriously Life-Changing!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
torchgirl34 - 3 years ago
Amidst the rough seasons I have faced in life, Not Part of the Plan has offered me so much hope. In my 22 years, I have faced a devastating breakup, struggled with anxiety and depression, experienced bullying, struggled with heartbreaking loss, and more. This book has showed me how to embrace these challenges as a part of my story as well as how to find true joy even as I continue to experience disappointments in life. If you are battling to accept the path God has taken you on in life, trying to heal from past wounds, wrestling with comparing yourself to others, or simply striving to enjoy the beautiful journey the Lord has in mind for you, then this is the book for you! DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the sole purpose of an honest and heartfelt review. All opinions are my own.