What if your waiting isn't wasted time―but sacred ground where God is doing His deepest work?
Waiting is hard. Uncertain. Stretching. Even excruciating at times. There are seasons when waiting feels endless―when prayers seem unanswered, timelines unravel, and hope flickers under the weight of disappointment. You may find yourself wondering, God is good to others, but is He good to me? Does He care about the desires I'm carrying? Kaci Nicole Harlow knows those questions well.
In So Much Better, Kaci vulnerably shares how God has gently met her in seasons of waiting and used them to peel back layers of fear, sin, and self-reliance―revealing His character and reshaping her from the inside out. Through relatable storytelling, faith-based encouragement, and grounded Bible teaching, she shows us how
recognize the deeper work God is doing when everything feels unsettled identify and surrender the heart barriers that waiting can bring to the surface wrestle faithfully with unanswered prayers and God's seeming silence while trusting His goodness see your delays as opportunities for patience and places of discipleship, not defeat God cares deeply about the desires of your heart, but He cares even more about the person you're becoming while you wait. So, if you feel stuck, impatient, or unsure where God is in your story, let Kaci come alongside you as a friend to remind you of the One who makes every season purposeful, beautiful, and ultimately―so much better.
Kaci Nicole Harlow is an author, speaker, Bible teacher, and Christian YouTuber whose heart is to see lives transformed by knowing Jesus Christ.
Through seasons of waiting, stretching, and learning to trust God when His plans looked nothing like hers, God faithfully drew Kaci closer to Himself and cultivated in her a deep love for His Word. Now, she encourages women to know God more through His Word, grow in His likeness, and seek Him in every part of their lives—whether in singleness or marriage, career or motherhood, seasons of joy or sorrow, in life’s big decisions and its small, everyday rhythms—because she believes life with Jesus is of surpassing worth, and the only source of true peace and joy.
Kaci’s favorite roles are wife to her husband, Tyler, and mama to their two young children. Together, they live and serve the Lord in San Diego, California. When she isn’t doing Bible study or filming, Kaci loves spending time with her family, all things home and hosting, and meaningful heart-to-hearts—especially when matcha is involved.
I truly enjoyed this book, and I found it at the perfect time. In this early-20s season of waiting on a career, a Master’s degree, and a relationship, this book helped me to reset my focus on the Giver rather than the gift.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who finds themselves in a similar waiting season, regardless of what you’re waiting on. It’s rooted in Biblical wisdom, and the last chapter offered a great framework if your prayers are answered and you step into the next season of your life. We will never stop desiring things from God, so what does it look like to thank God for where He has already brought you?
“But with God, all things are blessings—both the waiting rooms and the seasons of fulfillment.”
Thank you Tyndale House Publishers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
So Much Better is one of those books that really gets into the heart of what it means to wait on God. You know how waiting can feel like the hardest part of following Jesus? Kaci Nicole Harlow takes that feeling and helps us see it differently. She reminds us that these seasons aren’t just empty space, but actually places where God is doing something special.
The main thing I took away is that waiting isn’t just sitting around. It’s actually a time when God is working on us, even if we can’t see it. Harlow shares her own stories and what she’s learned from the Bible, and she’s really honest about how hard it can be. She helps you see that even when it feels like nothing is happening, God is still moving and growing your faith.
What I really appreciated was how real Harlow is about her struggles. She talks a lot about her desire for marriage, and you can feel the tension between hoping for something and feeling let down. I will say, if you’re not in that same place, some parts might feel a little slow or repetitive. But her honesty makes it easy to connect with her story, even if your waiting looks different.
I found that the book really picks up toward the end. The last few chapters are powerful, especially when Harlow talks about those Christian sayings we hear all the time that might not actually line up with what the Bible says. Her thoughts on the idea that 'if there is no peace, then God is not in it' really made me stop and think. She points us back to Scripture and reminds us that God’s presence isn’t always about feeling comfortable, and sometimes that’s exactly what we need to hear.
In the end, So Much Better is a good reminder that waiting isn’t just about doing nothing. It’s about trusting God, growing, and letting go of our own plans. If you’ve ever felt stuck or wondered where God is in the middle of it all, this book will remind you that He’s right there with you, even when things aren’t working out the way you hoped.
Some parts of the book might hit home more for some people than others, but the main message is something we all need: God hasn’t left you in your waiting. He’s working, even when you can’t see it. And if you let Him, those seasons can make you stronger and bring you closer to Him, maybe even better than you imagined.
This book has been so encouraging and insightful! There are a lot of books out there about finding purpose in the pain, but this one applies that purpose to the season of waiting, and it does so with so much biblical wisdom and so many references. The author does a fantastic job of weaving together stories from the Bible, as examples of God’s faithfulness, throughout her own personal journey through a tough season of waiting. I imagine this book is going to help a lot of people navigate the difficulties of wanting something so bad, but knowing that whatever God has planned for your life will ultimately be “so much better.” I will be sharing this book with all my friends and recommending not only this, but the Bible study companion because I can imagine it’s going to lead to a lot of fruitful conversations!