Off Script: What to Do When God Rewrites Your Life

by Cary Schmidt

We all have a script for our lives. It resides in our minds and hearts—perhaps a good bit in our imaginations. Things are good in our script.But every now and then, God takes our lives off script. He reaches into our circumstances with events we would never choose. These unexpected adventures are often painful, uncomfortable, and scary.Off script times are pivotal, defining moments. If your world has gone awry, if your life is off script, this book will help you discover God’s heart, God’s joy, and God’s truth in the fog of an uncertain reality. If your life hasn’t gone off script, then these pages will prepare you for the moment that it does.

Genres: Christian Living, Christian

245 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Cary Schmidt is the senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Newington, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Paige Cuthbertson| Turning_Every_Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an EXCELLENT book. Schmidt is a great writer, and he tells his personal story with honesty, vulnerability, humor, and faith. He truly depicts Christian joy!
I loved that he used the King James for his scripture portions- it’s a pet peeve of mine. I also loved how applicable he made those Bible truths. He didn’t sugar coat anything; he bluntly and pointedly discussed trials, their purposes, and their remedies. Through his own example and through the Bible, he points the reader to deeper faith in Christ. Excellent resource. Highly recommend!

[Allison Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cary Schmidt gives biblical advice on how to live when the Lord is leading you through a difficult place. He gives Scriptural encouragement while also seeking to keep our eyes on the Lord and how to live rightly before him in this time. We are called to trust the Lord when we don't understand, to be content, to let him work in us, to spend time with him, to walk in the Spirit, to wait for and hope in the Lord, and to continue to obey the Lord in what he has called us to do.

[Natalie]

I found this testimony of Cary Schmidt to be so open and encouraging. About 10 years ago Schmidt found himself in a battle against Lymphoma, and he wrote this book to encourage other Christians when they face difficulties. The entire premise of this book is to provide a basis for how to act when God throws our life entirely off script. We all have a script for our life. This could be something we want to do in the future or even what we plan on doing with our friends this evening. Well, what happens when God majorly changes the script we were following and gives us a trial instead? How do we react in these off script times? This book answers these questions, and Schmidt’s story is truly inspiring!

[gotta read more · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a great book anyhow but if you are going through a trial or know someone who is then you/they need this book. It helped me refocus and put my trust back where it should be. God is good...no matter what!

[Kitsa Eleutheriou · Rating 5 out of 5]

a friend lent me this book when she heard that I have been going through my own “off script” season - it is funny, real, rooted in Scripture, and has been SUCH an encouragement to me during a hard time of life. I will recommend this book to anyone & everyone I can!!

one of my favorite quotes from the book: “So, in the hardship, the right response is to patiently accept the chastening work of God, and to let that work have its way in our hearts and lives. It’s like laying down on the surgeon’s table and saying, ‘Okay, Lord, do what you need to do in me.’ We have nothing but flaws and weakness to lose, and everything in the character of Christ to gain. And God promises that we will emerge more mature—more perfect in Christ.”

[Christopher Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

We often are walking or sprinting down the path of life without a care in the world. No problem there, we are all so good at absorbing God’s blessings. But what happens when our life goes off script, and the road of life leads us down the path of concern, fear, and dread? In “Off Script: What to Do When God Rewrites Your Life” Pastor Cary Schmidt provides helpful instruction from God’s Word about how to profitably get through such trying times.

Schmidt’s life was taken off script even as he was serving the Lord full time in pastoral ministry. But even Pastors are not immune to the vicissitudes of life. Schmidt was diagnosed with cancer, and this book describes his course from pre-cancer to the struggles of chemotherapy, to emerging on the other side of his unexpected diagnosis.

Schmidt is very honest with his struggles, and he brings to bear the truth of God’s Word for all those who are “weary and heavy laden.” This is an immensely practical and readable book. Perhaps this book is exactly what you need as you deal with your off script moment, or perhaps you know of someone whom you would like to encourage as they walk through a difficult time. Either way, you will be rewarded with straightforward teaching and a helpful filter through which to view the unexpected, trying times of life. Happy reading!

[Natalie]

I found this testimony of Cary Schmidt to be so open and encouraging. About ten yeas ago, Schmidt found himself in a battle against Lymphoma, and he wrote this book to encourage other Christians when they face difficulties. The entire premise of this book is to provide a basis for how to act when God throws our lives entirely off script. We all have a script for our life. This could be something we want to do in the future or even what we plan on doing with our friends this evening. Well, what happens when God majorly changes the script we were following and gives us a trial instead? How do we find hope in these off script seasons? This book answers these questions, and Schmidt's story is truly inspiring.

[Kristianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly one of the best Christian books on trials I've ever read. With sensitivity, wisdom, and a refreshing touch of humor, Cary invites us into his journey of battling cancer and reveals ten important lessons we can learn along the way. It was easy to read and made me smile on multiple occasions with his funny witticisms. I highly recommend it to any Christian who is walking through a valley season in their life.

[Jaimie Flack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cary writes in an easy to read style. He writes much about his experience of battling cancer but maintains a sense of humor as he describes these events. Most importantly, he speaks simple yet incredibly practical spiritual truths to the reader which are very helpful when our lives don’t quite match the “script” we had planned for them. Highly recommend!

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was gifted to me because it tells a story of someone battling cancer. Our stories were VERY different.

[Daniel Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Beyond the Title Page Cary W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so helpful! I will definitely be recommending it to people in the future.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off Script by Cary Schmidt is an excellent read! This book was written while the author was struggling with leukemia. Schmidt is open and honest about how his life and the life of his family was thrown "Off Script" when he was diagnosed with cancer. He relates how the decision to trust God kept them going through it all. He gives steps to help you trust God through your trials. No matter your struggle, no matter your trial, no matter what you are facing, you can be blessed by reading Off Script. Schmidt is an excellent writer ( Discover Your Destiny, Just Friends, Hook, Line and Sinker) and Off Script is perhaps his best so far. Life can be painful and ugly. It can make us feel like there is no hope, but with God there is always hope and Cary Schmidt makes that abundantly clear in Off Script. When I began reading Off Script, I honestly thought, "My struggles are nothing like cancer. There is no way I can get anything out of this book." It didn't take more than a few pages for me to see I was wrong. I needed this book. I have been able to heal from my own hurts thanks to Cary Schmidt. I highly recommend Off Script to everyone. This book is a great read, and a Need to Read for so many of us! Thank you Cary Schmidt for sharing your heart with the world in Off Script.

[Marie Carmean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! It was loaned to me by a dear Christian friend, and was so uplifting and inspirational. It gave practical advice for putting God first and understanding His will during times of trial. The author was going through Hodgkins Lymphoma and chemo during the writing of the book, and he dealt with all aspects of his trial with humor, good Biblical examples and the examples of difficulties in coping that he faced in his own life. I recommend this book to all who face trials in life, not just medical ones. It is geared toward the Christian, but also explains God's gift of salvation at one point to those who may be reading and who are not yet saved. I will buy a copy of this book to refer to in times of need, I am sure, and plan to give copies as gifts to those who may need its uplifting message.

[Ryan Rench · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as soon as it was published and determined then that it would be the book I used for encouraging people in the middle of their battles with cancer. Bro. Schmidt wrote it before he knew his cancer was gone. The book is unique in that it is written amidst doctor visits, chemotherapy and big fat question marks like, “Am I going to live or die?” It is most encouraging in that the tone of the writing and the overall message is one of hope, joy, and complete peace in God and His plan.

[Micala · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent advise to help you process the challenge of suffering and maintain the right perspective

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Nicholas Maulucci · Rating 3 out of 5]

good book.

[Alanna Winkelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encouraging and refreshing; a book every Christian should read. Changed my perspective during a hard time, and I could not be more thankful for the biblical truths written in it.

[Neal Dearyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read in a long time. 5 stars!!!