Jenny Simmons - The Road to Becoming: Rediscovering Your Life in the Not-How-I-Planned-It Moments

2015 by Jenny Simmons

Published by Baker Books

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakerbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-0059-1

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked VOICE are from The Voice Bible Copyright 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice translation 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Jenny is a brave, deep, soulful friend, and her voice comes across these pages with clarity and urgency. You will love this beautiful book.

Shauna Niequist , author of Bread & Wine and Savor

Jenny Simmons gives us a rich, vulnerable glimpse inside her life and soul. The writing is beautiful, the story compelling, and her desire for God contagious. This is a must-read book.

Margaret Feinberg , author of Fight Back with Joy

I can so relate to seasons of change, unmet expectations, feelings of lostness, and those in-between moments when I didnt know which road to take. So many will immediately identify with this book, as Jenny speaks from her heart and from Gods Word to anyone who finds themselves asking, Whats next? and How do I get there? This vulnerable, laugh-out-loud book will help you rediscover the life you desire in Godand what it means to live each day with grace, humor, and courage.

Natalie Grant , Grammy-nominated vocalist, songwriter, and founder of Hope for Justice International

Jenny possesses wisdom far beyond her years, but she has walked through deserts you wouldnt believe in order to obtain it. She knows firsthand that God can take you high as well as take you low, using both to teach and grow you. May her story encourage you in yours.

Francesca Battistelli , performing artist

In an always-online world of Pinterest and Instagram-fueled comparison and disappointment, Jenny Simmons writes with a voice that rings true for many. With The Road to Becoming , she invites her readers to discover their own journey waiting in the journey she has written about; to find the hand of love that reaches down, tears up a life of man-made plans, and replaces them with a life centered on the wild-eyed, boundary-shattering Nazarene who revealed Himself to be the glorious, life-changing Son of God.

Matt Maher , performing artist

To my sweet Annie: If only I could keep you from lifes dead ends and detours; but then you would miss the beauty of being lost and being found. So I will walk every road, detour, and dead end with you for as long as we both shall live.

To my mom, dad, sisters, in-laws, and the many dear friends who have walked these long roads with us: Thank you will never suffice. You were the streams in our desert.

To Ryan: God only knows how many dead ends our marriage has seen, how many detours. But we are still here, still being lost and found together, and I am forever grateful.