Finally the Bride: Finding Hope While Waiting by Cheryl McKay

Finally the Bride: Finding Hope While Waiting by Cheryl McKay
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 978-1470005931

About the Book:
From the woman behind the screenplay and novel, Never the Bride, comes a roller coaster of a love story with God. Cheryl McKay pulls no punches about what it's really like to be single, with your age creeping up, and no end in sight to the wait for love and marriage.
It seems that many years ago, God asked Cheryl to surrender the pen she was using to write her love story. All He wanted was carte blanche. No problem, right? Cheryl tentatively conceded--that is, until it became apparent that the Almighty had no intention of conforming to her writing schedule, much less the tick of her biological clock. In fact, He blew every deadline she ever attempted to set.
As romance seemed to pass Cheryl by, she couldn't help but question: Could God really be trusted to bring her the love of her life?
Written during a long wait, this book opens up Cheryl's painfully honest, personal journals. She explores what it's like to enlist in God's Marriage Boot Camp, and how to survive singlehood year after solitary year. She wrestles with her Creator over multiple best friends that never see her "that way." Then there are those lists of what she wanted--you know, the ones she revised a billion times then laminated for safekeeping. She watches, bewildered, as much younger women find love that seems to elude her.
Through it all, she falls head over heels for a God who proves Himself to be as resistant to her controls as He is faithful beyond her wildest dreams.
Are you still waiting? Have you lost hope?
Venture to victory with a woman who knows just how hard it is to wait for the day when you are Finally the Bride.
My Review:
The timing of Cheryl asking me to review Finally the Bride was a “God thing”. I’d only been divorced for a month. I wasn’t sure I could relate to the book seeing how I’d been married before, but let me tell you, I was in for quite the surprise.
I’ll try not to add too much of my personal life in this review, but it’ll be hard. Yes, I’ve been married, NO he wasn’t the love of my life. Far from it to be honest. And NO, I shouldn’t have married him, because I specifically got a “no” from God, but did it anyhow thinking I knew best. I suppose it’s not a surprise my life went the direction it did.
I reviewed Cheryl’s book Never the Bride a couple years ago and saw myself in it. Well, I certainly saw myself even more in this book because I could SO relate to the author.
Cheryl is completely honest about her life as she journeys to finding a man to share her life with. And not just any man, the one God has for her. She shares journal entries, thoughts and prayers.
If you were to look at my library, you would see that each book is pristine. There are no dog-eared pages, no writing in them, no creases. This book lasted about 1/4 of the way before I pulled out a pen to start underlining and making notes. The next 3/4 of the book, corners of pages are turned down left and right. It couldn’t be helped. I related too much to what I was reading.
I have only been divorced for a few months, but I have been on my own with my kids for 5 1/2 yrs. I understand what it’s like to do everything alone. Not having married the man God had/has for me has been a struggle. Wondering what has happened to “him” because of my life choices makes me wonder what God has in store for “us”.
Here are a few nuggets from the MANY parts I underlined and circled:
“When God does reveal details to you, don’t fall into the temptation to try to fit someone into what God says. When we’re lonely and impatient, we can fall into the trap of trying to get anyone to be the payoff to this love story God’s writing.”
“Are you ready to want what He wants, rather than what you want? It’s hard. I have to surrender to this every day, especially because in ‘Cheryl’s will,’ today would be the day.”
In Chapter 14 “Another Heartbreak?” I related so well to a part where Cheryl talked about hoping. She’s right, we’re not robots, but are we allowed to hope when we’re not sure if a man is the right one? THE one? Trust me, I’m a girl who hopes…to the very end. It defines me.
Because of this book, I’ve started journaling. I took her advice and wrote down the type of guy who should appeal to me so that if I meet someone I can go back to it and see if he’s lining up what I’m hoping for. I am also going to start praying for my future husband, if God has one for me. I don’t believe God created me to be alone. I’ve been that way for 5+ yrs and I was ok with it.
Cheryl is frank and funny. She holds nothing back and I swear to you, you’ll feel like you’re sitting next to your best friend laughing and crying your way through this book. I know I certainly did.
About Cheryl:
Cheryl McKay is the screenwriter of the award winning film, The Ultimate
Gift, and co-author of the ACFW/Carol Award winning novel, Never the
Bride. She recently penned the film sequel to The Ultimate Gift, called
The Ultimate Life. Cheryl keeps her purple pen busy through Purple
PenWorks.
*I received this book for review. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the author or publisher.