Slow Burn: The Work and Wonder of the Wait

by DawnChere Wilkerson

Waiting isn't a season. Waiting is life. The question is, Will you live in the wait?


We don't ever graduate from waiting. After one prayer is answered, a new one begins, putting us back in the "space between." Are you hoping for an illness to subside, a job to open up, a relationship to develop, or some other heartfelt transformation? This slow burn is the human experience—and the greatest invitation to become intimately acquainted with a faithful God.

Waiting is hard, but it's not a punishment; it's a process. God is not delaying; He's developing. He is not leaving you; He's loving you. He's saying, Come closer. Let me lead you into wonder and show you how you can live wholeheartedly right here, right now.

DawnCheré Wilkerson will speak strength to your soul and give you tools to

live confident that God is working more powerfully than you know;wrestle with the question, What if what I hope for doesn't happen?;find the purpose and life-giving moments he has for you now; andview all of life as a joyful, soul-deepening, intimacy-building wait. 

More strength, expectation, and patience are within your reach, even amid uncertainty and suffering. Lean into the work of the wait—the constant, steady, slow burn of faith and surrender to your ultimate source. And you'll discover the wonder of the wait—glimpses of heaven, a perfect love that changes you, and each step celebrated along the way.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Faith, Spirituality, Christianity, Religion, Christian Non Fiction

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2025

Reviews

[Serena Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for anyone in any season of life!
“We don’t like waiting, but that’s when God does the best work on our soul.”

[Lynne Brecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book, if I was reading it at a significant time of “wait” in my life I think it would be a 5 ⭐️

[Ginny Yurich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book about the value in waiting ❤️

[Annie McArthur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some real gems to hold onto in a season of waiting. Was hoping for more of her story.

[Ansley Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawncheré is one of my greatest role models and reading her story in book form was so beautiful. She writes from a place of authenticity, and every page is full of wisdom and depth from personal experience. This book is encouraging, practical, and full of biblical truth. Loved it!!

[Lauren Wicker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so timely- if you are struggling with questions and doubts in a season where it seems like nothing is happening, this book is a must read. DC shares her journey and the secrets she’s discovered along the way that not only make the wait bearable, but turn it into a sacred journey. would read again!

[Shannon Greiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need a refresher on all of the good God does during your seasons of waiting, read this book. The age we live in encourages us to rush through achievements, seasons, and feelings like they’re to-do lists, whereas, if we tune into what God’s positioning us for each and every moment, we can find lessons and the fine tuning being done during our wait. God’s timing is perfect.

[Nikki Yaste · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t read this anymore.

Ladies, we do not need to accept the overly saccharine, overly written language from these female gospel teachers anymore. This book could be written in a few chapters. I’m five chapters in and it’s just repeating itself with annoyingly singsong stories that are written at such a surface level that I’m having an extremely hard time relating to it. This is why over the years my “church” reading has predominantly consisted of male authors who give us hard hitting truths in a matter a fact way. Females write to us like we’re stupid and like we can’t absorb anything not written to us like a children’s songbook and for goodness sakes, the stories….the overload of the Instagram reel.

I just read a chapter with, of course, another story where the author admits she’s a chronic interrupter and then goes on to describe her babies cries in detail and y’all, there are some cries that she doesn’t understand…but God understands our cries. Every. Single. One.

Jesus meets us where we are.

Five chapters in to repeat that over and over. Yes, I know. But with full faith I ask, HOW DOES THIS HELP ME WITH THE WAIT?! Job’s response in his waiting was raw and emotional as wrestled with doubts, anger, depression, bad friends, etc. It wasn’t this generic.

Disappointing. I’m in a season of waiting and this book was just a sugary shallow example of nothingness. Yet another “lady preacher” who just loves the sound of her own voice.

[Marcia reading past dark · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is not by chance that I was offered the opportunity to read and review SLOWBURN at the very time that I am in my own time of waiting. Reading this heartwarming, encouraging, and scripture-based book is a healing balm. I could instantly connect with the author’s own feelings as she waited for her prayers to be answered.

Dawnchere Wilkerson shares her season of infertility, and her weariness is evident; but her words bring hope and insight to all of us navigating any long journey of waiting, especially when we feel like we are just marking time.

“If we are meant to embrace the wait, what do we do while we wait—especially when it seems we are just burning time?” That’s the phrase that hits me. As we offer our seasons as a sacrifice, as an act of worship, He fulfills His promise—that our pain will be used for a greater purpose.

“C. S. Lewis wrote, “Holy places are dark places. It is life and strength, not knowledge and words, that we get in them.’” Isn’t that so true? It’s a dark place, a lonely place, but not a hopeless place.

This is not a book to be read in a weekend but one that is best absorbed in daily doses. SLOWBURN is a read-again-and-again book. Make sure that you have a copy for reference when it comes your time to wait in that dark, but holy place.

272 pages, Paperback
Published April 29, 2025
Thomas Nelson

[Rianna *Hermione* B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawnchere' wrote this, thinking that her 3rd kid was the last of her (in)fertility journey. But God surprised her again with a 4th kid. God has the timing for His purposes, and trusting that is so difficult. But we know that we have an expected end in Heaven. We need to keep faithful bc God is so faithful. Keep using our lives for His purposes. Live and enjoy during your wait. If you don't, you grow bitter.

My current wait is reuniting with someone after 2 years, but all the examples she used in this book from her life & the bible have encouraged me. Good tears as I read these things and insightful/ spirit-led statements/ revelations pierced my heart. It's not for nothing. Keep the faith. I highlighted and underlined and annotated more than 20 pages of this book. Goodness. Thank you! This is DC's first book, but I have a feeling it's not her last.

[Phoebe Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

“who says the waiting room of your life must be dead and boring? The waiting room is what you make it”. I’ve read A LOT of books on waiting and wilderness seasons, so I fully expected this to be just like the rest. I wasn’t sure it would offer me anything I didn’t already know….and I was wrong. Wilkerson used her personal season of waiting combined with God’s Word to encourage and challenge my heart and perspective in my own waiting. I’ve been challenged to come alive how I can right here in the present, while trusting God with tomorrow/what I cannot do on my own. I’m trusting God with the healing & transformation, while choosing to see His goodness, purpose, and provision right where my feet are.

[Tessa Poyner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written and read book by DawnChere. I found it inspiring, applicable, and could think of a few friends I could send it to. The only challenge I had is at time it felt it lacked the deep authentic vulnerability (which is not a God given right for all of us to experience) of her struggle through her story but I had a hard time seeing myself in her story because she just exuded positivity. My fear for someone who is really really struggling in the waiting is that they may feel this book encouraged spiritual bypassing (although I believe it does not).

[Brittany Crutchfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me feel warm and cozy.

[Annie Balsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t have enough words to describe the gift this book was to me. Wow.

[Emma Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to this so idk if it counts ha BUT just wanted my 6 Goodreads followers to know this is an AWESOME book and am very encouraged to live while I’m waiting on what we are all ultimately waiting on— eternity!

[Courtney Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

When waiting on God feels like nothing is happening, that’s when the slow burn of your faith can quietly kindle inner change.

No one escapes the wait that life brings—whether it’s for a job offer, a life partner, healing, or direction. In Slow Burn, Pastor DawnCheré Wilkerson vulnerably shares her own season of waiting during an eight-year struggle with infertility. She reminds us that waiting is not wasted time, but an invitation to transformation. Through Scripture, stories, and gentle encouragement, she helps readers see how the ache of waiting can actually draw our hearts closer to God’s, offering us strength, surrender, intimacy with Him, and even joy along the way.

Life is a slow burn. Waiting is not a punishment; it’s a process. God is not delaying; He’s developing. He is not leaving you; He’s loving you.

This book was beautifully written, and I loved the message, though I don’t think I was in the right season of life to fully appreciate it.

[Cass · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Lauren Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book forever changed my perspective on living in the “waiting” and how to steward where God has you in the present while sowing in faith, waiting with hope, and leaning in with trust for what God holds for you in the future. I could go on and on about all the lessons that this book has taught me about God’s character and how life as a whole is ultimately a “waiting season” as our hearts long for something that can’t be fulfilled here on earth. A great reminder that our citizenship here is only temporary, and that our home is in our Father���s house in heaven.

[Nicole S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Christian who has experienced waiting and pain in waiting, I really wanted to enjoy this book. However, I feel as if it just missed the mark for me.

I found the voice of the author to be that more of a speaker than of a writer. She does sound like a lovely speaker. After some research, I learned that she is a pastor, which makes a lot of sense. It felt as if I was sitting in a conference or a sermon rather than reading a book. Definitely a unique perspective in her writing.

However, it was difficult for me to decipher the main points per chapter and to connect the dots between each of the topics. I also felt as if the author meandered through topics. It was difficult for me to narrow down exactly what we were talking about. I did end up highlighting and writing down notes as I read the book. However, I felt as if the majority of the notes and main points could be taken at the beginning and end of chapters with the middle of each chapter noted to be more with fillers.

She uses poetic and flowery speech along with a lot of imagery in her writing. However, I feel as if the same topics were repeated over and over again, just in different and beautiful ways. Unfortunately, to that point, I wish that the book went a little bit deeper as well. Instead of repeating topics multiple times, I would have liked for the author to delve deeper into those topics in a more biblical sense.

I did enjoy reading about the author’s testimony. It felt as if I was invited into her life and world. Seeing how God worked in her and in the people around her was encouraging. To me, this book read more like a testimony.

Overall, I believe the concept of the slow burn, and the purpose of faith in the wait are important and powerful moments in our lives that God uses to shape us and bring honor to Him. I also respect the author’s experiences and the pain that she had during her time of wait. I guess I was just hoping for a little bit more.

[Alycia Bini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeply grateful for the vulnerability and authenticity of this book! Dawnchere does a beautiful job of tying together Biblical truth, personal experiences, and Christ-centered wisdom all throughout. She shares from her eight year journey of infertility, but writes in a way that is applicable for any season of waiting.

I read this book in a season of praying for contentment in singleness and trust in the Lord’s timing. I’ve read a couple of books on the topic and listened to many sermons and podcasts. I started this book thinking I would just hear more of the same, but she really brings new insights and fresh beautiful perspective on the topic. I definitely will be recommending this to anyone desiring to find peace and joy while they wait on the Lord’s provision and timing.

[Renée · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Dawncheré’s heart. I’ve enjoyed many sermons by her and you can tell she loves God so much. This book reflects her love and passion for the Gospel and people. She uses the Bible as well as her personal story to teach the reader how to walk through seasons of waiting. It’s not shallow, it’s deep and lived-through. It doesn’t feel heavy; The book is easy to get through and leaves you feeling uplifted.

I think it will be a very helpful book for most people in a season of waiting. I had hoped it would give me new insights to navigate my long journey of the decline of my health, but it didn’t do that. And that’s ok. I’m still grateful to be reminded to fix my eyes on God and to trust that He’s got me. And I’m also grateful this book will likely help so many people.

If you want to read another helpful book for a season of waiting, I highly recommend Anonymous by Alicia Britt Chole. There’s a lot of overlap with the message of Dawncheré’s book, but it digs a bit deeper.

Landing somewhere between 4 and 4.5 stars.

[Macy Kovarik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow Burn is a thoughtful, encouraging reminder that waiting isn’t wasted. While it touches on many familiar themes found in other books about seasons of waiting, DawnCheré Wilkerson brings warmth, relatability and a few fresh insights that made it worth the read.

One thing that really stuck with me was when she recalled God saying, “What I’m creating for you is custom, and custom takes a bit more time.” That simple truth reframed so much for me.

The writing is accessible and personal, and I appreciated how she wove in her own stories and reflections without sounding preachy or formulaic. It may not break new ground, but it speaks with heart and hope. A solid, grace-filled read for anyone feeling stuck in the waiting.

[Merritt Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow Burn was deeply impactful, one of the most applicable and timely reads I’ve picked up in a long while. I read the paperback while listening to the audiobook, and the combination was such a gift. The format of this work is phenomenal: thoughtful structure, intentional pacing, and a writing style that invites slow reflection rather than quick consumption that continues to compound together as you journey through the pages.

DawnCheré’s words have truly marked me. This book shifted my perspective on what it means to wait as a Christian, not as a season to rush through, but as a sacred space where God forms and refines. I’ll be meditating on the truths in these pages with the Lord for a long time, and you better believe I’ll be waving!!

Highly, highly recommend ❤️‍🔥

[Ivanna Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories that DC weaves throughout this book about finding the wonder in the wait will not only pull at your heart strings but build your faith and give you hope. This book redefined and reshapes the perspective about the wait and how to do it well. Truly a beautiful book that has been lived through years of personal experience. A book you read but can go back to as a refresher no matter what kind of wait we find ourselves in.

[Stephanie Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw a comment that this book was a book to read part by part and I couldn’t agree more!

Every message is specific to a time of either hardship or celebration. Sometimes both. It’s good to note what chapters relay what message so you can jump back in and re-read it or share it with someone.

Her words are so well beautiful and thought provoking. She explains concepts in details, over all, this was a beautiful heart warming book.

[Elizabeth Barroso · Rating 5 out of 5]

DawnCheres heart in this book shines through to everything their ministry is! I loved this book and it’s helping me find my own peace and joy in the wait. The wait of that next adventure, the wait of that promotion, that milestone, the next phase of life, our next baby. This will be a book I read again and again. I listened to this on audiobook (DawnChere herself narrated it) and I loved!! But def want a hard copy to keep and read through whenever needed. Would recommend!

[Carine Umuhumuza · Rating 2 out of 5]

In an attempt to be creative, the writing style oscillates between stories and chirpy messages on truths she learned from her marriage, life and God. Some entries are more stream of thoughts than the raw insights, prayers, etc from nearly eight years of infertility.

Dawn Cheré has an incredible testimony, but it didn’t shine through this book. If you’re looking for a book on waiting that’s Biblical AND practical to daily life, read “Waiting Isn’t A Waste” by Mark Vroegop instead.

[Jamie Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing insight & inspiration on how to view your circumstances and God and how to worship in the wait. Read this one via audio book and it's so good I'm listening to it a second time to make sure I didn't miss anything the first time around.
Also, in this version, there's a fun discussion with DawnCherie and her husband, Rich, at the end - nice added insight to the seasons they went through described in the book.
Still digesting it all but I can already tell, this book will stay with me.

[Chandrese Colebrooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminds me of Chicken Soup for the Soul (the first and only edition I read in 5th grade). Reading a little at a time each day has been so heartwarming and peace promoting. As someone who lives a very scatterbrained life, l appreciate the way it has anchored me, even if it’s for 30 minutes out of the day.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely written by a preacher! She writes like a sermon - very beautiful, poetic prose and such true, actionable bulleted points in each chapter (also a book for everyone as we are all in waiting seasons constantly). Would have loved to hear more of her story in order too instead of just small pieces and tidbits throughout as examples.