I was pleasantly surprised that this book had both heart and substance. I appreciated the many biblical examples and personal stories that were shared as it really spoke to where I'm at and gave me great hope for the future. I look forward to reading more material from this author.

Have you ever had a dream that just didn’t work out, for whatever reason? Mine was to be God’s gift to the world of speculative fiction. Needless to say, that didn’t pan out — so here I am blogging, usually about Christian books. I have to wonder if that all was a part of God’s master plan for me all along, to speak what I feel are His truths into words. Ambling along here into my life comes Faith Forward Future, a Christian guide to disappointment, basically. The book is about what happens when your dreams get shattered and how to pick yourself up from it … with God’s help. This tome talks about a lot of things, even giving takaways at the end of sections just to get your wheels spinning again, but the end goal is this: to make a new convert to Christ.

Hmmm. Chad Veach does have some practical tips throughout the book, but the end purpose of doing things as God intended for his master plan smacks a little too closely to predestination for me. I believe we all have free will, and are free to do with that as we choose (even if it’s a bad thing). I don’t think that Veach doesn’t believe that, but he does seem to believe that God wants us to be using our own talents, special as they are, in a way that is part of His master plan, which included bringing Jesus to this earth. And I’m not sure what to make of that.

That all said, Veach is clearly a talented writer and you can see that he had training as a youth leader in ministry, because the book is saturated with references to new technologies and things that are trendy. (Try playing a drinking game every time that Veach writes the word CrossFit … or don’t, says the one-year sober writer here). Veach has a very appealing, charismatic, outgoing personality, and I actually imagined that the book was written with teenagers in mind. (As it probably was). You may have heard all of the Bible stories that Veach uses in the book to illustrate his points, but you’ve never heard them told quite like this — brought up in a contemporary frame of reference.

The good thing is that even if you’re wary that this book is just another conversion tool for the evangelical church (as I feel that faith is an individual, personal decision that requires no arm-twisting), Veach does seem to believe in a God that offers correction, but not of the fire and brimstone kind, which sits well with me. Honestly, even with the book’s outcome, I felt that Faith Forward Future is not a harmful text. You know, other religions don’t get snubbed, which is refreshing to read. And I like the way that Veach illustrated each of his chapters by culling examples from his own life. The book is not a spiritual memoir, but it kind of sometimes feels that it is. (I especially appreciated the story of Veach’s mother convincing him to run a half marathon with her).

I guess I’m not sure what to say about this book. Did I enjoy it? Sure. Did I agree with large parts of it? Absolutely. Do I think Veach’s message needs to be heard by some. Yep, yep, and yep. I suppose my slight sense of discomfort is that the book could have been more pointed and prescriptive about what you need to do to surmount disappointment. Yes, the book has those “takeaways” and I’m sure it would be impossible for the author to offer different advice for everyone he wants to include — when we all have walked different roads of heartbreak and have different needs. Veach even admits this to himself. However, I thought that some of the mental exercises seemed weak, and what the book could have been suffused with is a good discussion group questions section to use as a jumping board to a broader conversation in the comfort of the reader’s own church.

Still, Faith Forward Future is pleasant enough. I love the message that God never gives up on us humans, even when we stumble again and again (a message I needed to hear as I now grapple with an addiction to nicotine). The overall effect of the book is soothing, which might be what some readers might need to feel. And I kinda liked Veach’s sense of humor, as contemporary and “hip” as it may be. You get the sense that he’s a straight-shooter and tells it like it is, which, to be truthful, we all need from time to time. Beyond that, I felt the book was lacking a certain je ne sais quoi. It’s intangible and hard to put a finger on, but I think it has to do with the book trying to be everything to everyone.

Perhaps if Veach had narrowed his focus, and only spoke to artsy types (for instance) the book would have packed more of a punch — which is quite a thing to say considering that, by the end, it is a pretty powerful message that it offers (even if you don’t fully agree with it). Still, it’s a good book in that it teach us to put our faith in a power greater than ourselves, something I’ve been working on this past year, and something that has brought true results. So maybe there’s something to what Veach is selling after all. Faith Forward Future is a conversion text, sure, but — as these things go — it’s a pretty good one. It doesn’t offend too much, and swings with a from-the-hip attitude. If that’s something that you feel is lacking in your life, there are worse things you could do than picking up a copy of this book.