In Between Embracing the Tension Between Now & the Next Big Thing

We're an "e;instant gratification"e; generation, but the trouble is, most change happens gradually.

Most of us spend our lives searching and longing for something more than what is in front of us. Whether it's traveling abroad or chasing cheap (or expensive) thrills, we're all looking for medicine to satisfy our restlessness. And, so often, we're looking in the wrong place.

The In-Between is a call for all of us to accept the importance that waiting plays in our lives. In this spiritual memoir, Jeff Goins reveals the unexpected good that came from his times of waiting. And he encourages us to embrace the extraordinary nature of the ordinary and enjoy the daily mundane, what lies in between the "e;major"e; moments.

Moments of breakthrough are not where life's greatest transformation happens; the stuff that God uses to shape us often lies in the in-between. It's the bus stops and layovers and DMV lines and moments of unintentional pause that force us to become better people.

That's not to say there aren't moments of epiphany. There are. It's just that most of us find ourselves living somewhere in the in-between. Learning to live in this tension, to be content in these moments of waiting, may be our greatest struggle...and our greatest opportunity to grow.

Jeff Goins has penned a beautiful reminder that time is sacred, of how even ordinary moments brim with heaven, and that great souls are forged in the crucible of delay. What a delight.

Ian Morgan Cron, bestselling author of Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir…of Sorts and Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale 

If you've ever felt like time waiting is time wasted, it's because you haven't read The In-Between by my brilliant writer friend, Jeff Goins. Capture those in between moments with great purpose and focused presence to manage the tension of waiting for what's next.

Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries

If you find yourself in the quiet valley of waiting, Jeff Goins offers a kind voice in the silence. This gently honest book challenged me to surrender to the waiting moments rather than try to rush ahead to the next thing—a simply lovely read.

Emily P. Freeman, author of A Million Little Ways and Grace for the Good Girl

In the past few years I've had the honor of watching Jeff Goins transition from a writer into a thought leader and one of the most exciting next generation voices. In this book, you'll see why and perhaps even more importantly how he did it.

Jon Acuff, New York Times bestselling author of Start

Jeff Goins is a master wordsmith. And this book is no exception. In it, he uses his personal journey and struggles to paint a poignant picture of what life could be like if you stopped rushing and started embracing each moment—even those seemingly long moments when you're stuck waiting for the next thing. Instead of living life wishing you could jump ahead to the next adventure, these pages will inspire you to slow down and savor the in-between.

Crystal Paine, founder of MoneySavingMom.com 

According to Jeff Goins, life is more about waiting than we’d like. We try to avoid it at all costs. We linger over a past we can’t repeat (or don’t want to) or long for a future we can’t reach. Either way we are not present to what is happening now. And that is precisely where the important stuff is happening. This book is a powerful reminder that we must embrace the ‘long game’ of life, if we are to experience the love, joy, and peace we seek.

Michael Hyatt, New York Times bestselling author, former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers 

The In-Between is a happy little reminder to stop hating the waiting, a lesson I've had to learn over & over again.

Myquillyn Smith, author of The Nesting Place 

I distinctly remember, in second grade, thinking that my life would be perfect once I was a fifth grader—and so my thinking went until I was about 32. Needless to say, Jeff's book resounds clear to me, as a clarion call to live in the moment and make the most of life's waiting room moments. His storytelling is captivating and full of warmth and humor; this book is for anyone who loves to read stories about travel, wisdom, and redemption. I am thankful Jeff put into words the issue so many of us struggle with—how to be content when we live in-between.

Tsh Oxenreider, author and blogger at SimpleMom.net 

Jeff Goins retells his life-so-far story, pointing out the treasures found along the way, and I'm suddenly more aware of the overlooked richness of my own life. Unflinchingly transparent, gentle, moving, smart and instructive but never preachy, The In-Between is a lesson in living deliberately with eyes wide open right where we are.

Shaun Groves, songwriter 

For the adventurous heart, this book is a great reminder that some of the most exciting adventures happen right where you are. If you're anything like me, you feel bored sometimes by life, tired of waiting for the "e;next big thing,"e; and a little too impatient to take things one day, one moment, at a time. The stories Jeff shares do a great job of reminding me to slow down and look around, because some of life's most important lessons, and best memories, happen while we're waiting.

Allison Vesterfelt, author of Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage 

I'm not good at waiting. I'm a traveler, I'm trying to get somewhere, and the "e;waiting"e; gets in my way. Then my friend Jeff emails me his new book, The In-Between. I began reading it on a flight in-between Tennessee and Texas, in-between one concert and the next, in-between busy and busier.  Jeff has inspired me to see the value in what takes place in my life not only at point A and point B, but in the space where there doesn't seem to be a point.  Jeff Goins wrote this book for me, and for anyone else who needs to embrace the waiting and exist in the in-between.

Warren Barfield, singer, songwriter, speaker

We’re an “instant gratification” generation—but most change happens gradually.

Many of us spend our lives searching and longing for something more than what is in front of us. Whether it’s traveling abroad or chasing cheap (or expensive) thrills, we’re all looking for the medicine to satisfy our restlessness. And so often we're looking in the wrong place.

The In-Between is a call to accept the importance that waiting plays in our lives. Can we embrace the extraordinary nature of the ordinary and enjoy the daily mundane—what lies in between the “major” moments? Learning to live in this tension, to be content in these moments of waiting, may be our greatest struggle—and our greatest opportunity to grow.

Foreword by Shauna Niequist

Introduction: Life Between the Panels

Part One: Slow Down

Chapter 1: Siestas Searching for a Breakthrough

Chapter 2: Tracks Finding Your Way Home

Chapter 3: The Road Loving the Journey

Part Two: Worth the Wait

Chapter 4: Calling From Music to Words

Chapter 5: Courtship Love Takes Time

Chapter 6: Expecting The Path to Parenthood

Part Three: When the Waiting Ends

Chapter 7: Bookshelves Where Old Stories End

Chapter 8: Ice Cream What Really Matters

Conclusion

Notes

Acknowledgments