My review for Wilson's book is colored by a variety of other factors. Having just read Loving What Is by Byron Katie, definitely influenced my take on this title. Neither Wilson or Katie write with particular skill, but content and approach differ greatly. Katie's thesis and approach resonated while I felt that Wilson's work was written for someone else. Perhaps reading it at another time would change my take. ( )

Many of us have dreams. Some dream of finding the love of their life, while others dream of starting a family, or maybe climbing the corporate ladder. Dreams, like prayers, come in many different forms and often, dreams, like prayers, do not work out the way that we had hoped. Some become reality, some just don't happen, and unfortunately some become nightmares. Many of us plan our lives in such a way that we can make our dreams come true. What seems to hurt the most is that just when we are doing everything right, the rug gets pulled right from under our feet. We are left feeling empty, alone, sad, angry and many of these emotions are directed towards God.

Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn't Show Up the Way You Thought He Would?, is a book written by a pastor by the name of Pete Wilson, who discusses how our lives often follow different paths than we expect. Wilson uses disappointing situations that he has experienced as a pastor, along with Biblical stories of people who faced disappointment to bridge a common theme of how to deal with hardship and loss. Wilson's use of common language appeals to both young and old and with each case discussed he links stories such as Joseph, Abraham, and others to make his point. That point ultimately being that our plans and God's plans for us often do not parallel each other. It is this change of plans that causes the negative emotions that arise from a sense of loss, but through the understanding that God's plan for us is mightier than our own and that God is indeed with us that our own healing can begin.

At the root of Plan B is the ultimate truth that God sent his only Son Jesus Christ to our world to save us, to let us know that he loves us so much that he gave his only Son for us, and that through Him we can do His will...even if that plan is not the plan that we had hoped or envisioned. It can help people face their losses and turn negative emotions into positive light. It helps the reader realize that God is indeed with us and that faith in Him can help us heal and be better people.

In my own personal life, after reading this story, I took my personal illness and reflected upon my faith and my path that I have taken since my diagnosis. I have no doubt that this illness has made me a better person and that ultimately there is a much larger goal for all of us as Christians. We must do His work, spread the Good News, and look forward to the day that we will be with the One who loves us.

I've been following Pete Wilson for about a year now, both on Twitter and through his blog, Without Wax. I've been very inspired by his approach to preaching God's word - he's not preachy, he's real. He doesn't put himself up on a pedestal; he admits to having the same faults as you and I. He doesn't condemn you for making mistakes; he shows you the path to correcting them and avoiding them in the future. And he makes the Bible accessible by relating Scripture to current real life situations.All of those things carried through in his first book, Plan B. He took real life stories of tragedy and related them to stories from the Bible, showing in both situations how God works through pain and heartache to bring about peace and healing. I must have grabbed my Bible at least 20 times while I was reading Plan B so I could read the passages Pete was referring to.Plan B is a fresh approach to the old idea that you're not the first person to go through what you're going through. In fact, someone has not only been through this before, but their situation was much worse. And yet, they got through it, with God's help. And so will you.I've already passed on my copy of Plan B and I know you will do the same. It's just one of those books that leaves you feeling so good, you'll want to share the love. ( )

Trying to answer the question about why your life isn't turning out how you thought. However, in the end it appears there are no firm answers. Put your hope in God is all I learned from this book. But I didn't always feel like he explained exactly how to do that. ( )

Plan B is “one of those books”… the kind you pick up when you’re in the midst of struggling with a circumstance in your life, or if you know a friend or relative who’s struggling and you’re looking for some way to help comfort them… only to find more packed inside the pages than you expected. The author is speaking to you, and you’re amazed at the truth behind the words.

All of us have something in our lives that didn’t go the way we planned, and I’d be willing to take bets on the chances that we think about it and wonder “what if?” or “why me?” from time to time.

Wilson’s book speaks to those longings and wonderings, and helps us understand what to do when it’s time to turn to Plan B. Or, how to keep on going if you’ve been stuck on Plan B for awhile now.

I honestly don’t want to say much else about it, because I think the book trailer says enough for you to know whether or not this is the kind of book you want or need (or that someone you know wants or needs). But I’ll also say that Wilson doesn’t let you off easy, either — there are no pat answers, trite responses, or cliched phrases of comfort.

He hits readers with biblical wisdom, logical thinking, and the hard truth that you need to hear. I was skeptical of the book at first, I’ll admit (but that’s not unusual for me) and was impressed with what I came away with. It may not be easy to read if you’re struggling with life not turning out how you’d planned, but I think you’ll come away a stronger person for it.

After all, life never goes the way we expect — that’s why it’s called living and not coasting.

My verdict? This is one for the bookshelves. Re-read as necessary. Pass on where you see need. ( )