Book Review: This Wasn't the Plan

 

Happy Monday, My Lovelies!  How is October treating you so far?  I hope you are enjoying all the wonderful autumn things.  

Today I'm sharing a wonderful Christian nonfiction written by the dynamic duo cohosts of the For the Girl podcast entitled This Wasn't the Plan: How to Surrender Your Stuck and Set Your Soul In Motion.

About This Wasn’t the Plan: How to Surrender Your Stuck and Set Your Soul in Motion

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication date: October 6, 2026

Have you ever looked at your life and thought, I thought my life would look better than this by now. This book is for the woman who feels stuck—in her career, relationships, emotions, or calling. It’s a guidebook for the one who feels like she’s just enduring rather than embracing life to start moving toward the life you really want.

If you’ve ever felt lost between the dreams you had freshly post-grad and the reality you’re living now, you are not alone. Mac Bridges and Kenz Durham get it. They’ve been in your shoes and walked through their own journeys with chronic illness, unanswered longings, and prayers that never seem to be answered in the miraculous way they’d envisioned. But in the midst of those seasons, they’ve also seen transformation.

It begins with a question: What if God is getting you ready? What could He be preparing in you and for you in this season? Readers are invited to imagine the great plans God is setting in motion for them, even when everything around them seems stuck in place. Through quizzes and powerful reflection questions, readers will name the areas in which they feel stuck, identify the root of those feelings, and get honest about the ways those feelings are manifested in their everyday lives.

But Mac and Kenz don’t leave readers there. Using the scaffolding of Jesus’ instructions to “ask, seek, and knock,” they challenge the reader to:

• pray without having an answer in mind;
• seek out clues about what God is up to;
• take bold but faith-filled risks that unlock transformation; and
• believe that your stuck place isn’t your final destination.

It’s time to stop waiting on the sidelines and start moving with God, trusting that He is inviting you to take the next steps into a story where every detail matters.

About the Authors

MacKenzie “Mac” Bridges is the passionate co-founder behind Delight Ministries, an organization that provides Christ-centered community for college women at 200+ universities across the United States. As co-host of the “For The Girl” podcast, Mac, alongside her best friend Kenz, brings warmth, wisdom, and big sister advice to women in their 20s seeking to follow Jesus. She’s also the author of several beloved Bible studies, including “In My Feels” and “The Wild Invitation.”

Mac currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, Tyler, and their daughter Myla. Outside of ministry, Mac is a proud connoisseur of chain restaurants, pickleball, and home decor. She’s never left a TJ Maxx without a knickknack in hand.

Mackenzie “Kenz” Durham is the passionate founder behind Delight Ministries, an organization that provides Christ-centered community for college women at 200+ universities across the United States. As co-host of the “For The Girl” podcast, Kenz, alongside her best friend Mac, brings warmth, wisdom, and big sister advice to women in their 20s seeking to follow Jesus. She’s also the author of several beloved Bible studies, including “In My Feels” and “The Wild Invitation“

Kenz currently lives in Vero Beach, Florida, with her husband, Josh, and their two kids. Outside of ministry, Kenz is health guru, self proclaimed baker, and lover of the sun! Catch her on the beach soaking up the sun 80% of her days!

My Review

This book is definitely for younger women, and would be the perfect gift for a young woman completing her education and/or beginning a career.  The reason I say this is because the advice would work best before becoming stuck in a situation, whether it's in a relationship (or as the Mackenzies say "the lack there of"), or in a vocation that isn't one's calling.  Both authors give their insight, and I like how each is responsible for writing different sections.  However, if you DO have a daughter or granddaughter who's stuck in some aspect of her life, she should appreciate the lessons in this book.  I believe them to be helpful.  Another thing that's helpful is the "Where Am I Stuck?" Quiz on page forty-one.  

At the end of the book there is a handy dandy workbook that has checklists (like Common Warning Signs of Stuck Seasons) and journal prompts.  I really liked the quiet time prompts and tips.  Between the anecdotal examples from the Mackenzies about how young women become stuck from their own lives and their practical approaches for becoming unstuck, I highly recommend this book.  

Disclosure:  I received a free paperback copy of This Wasn't the Plan from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.

TLC review tour schedule:

Monday, October 5th:  The Bookish Dilettante

Wednesday, October 7th: @deannaturnsthepage

Friday, October 9th: @dana.loves.books

Monday, October 12th: @teaandbookstoo and Reading, Writing, and Pondering

Wednesday, October 14th: @oilycaffeinatedmama

Friday, October 16th: @natashasbookshelf on TikTok

Sunday, October 18th: @reading.withrach on TikTok

Monday, October 19th: @terrynelisha

Wednesday, October 21st: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Friday, October 23rd: @readingpastdark.marcia

Monday, October 26th: @danamarielovestoread

Wednesday, October 28th: @daniellehullreads

Monday, November 2nd: @booksaprilreads

Come back tomorrow for the Halloween Tablescape blog hop, except mine isn't Halloween themed.  :P

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill