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So Much Better: Daring to Trust God When You're Waiting, Impatient, and Expectant
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.
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.
- GenresChristian
Audible Audio
Published September 29, 2026
About the author
Kaci Nicole Harlow
2 books22 followersKaci 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 14, 2026
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Special thanks to Tyndale Hill Publishers, the author and NetGalley for this arc.
Where do I even begin about this book!? This was such an incredible and encouraging read. Kaci does such an incredible job sharing her story of waiting on God’s timing while also seamlessly incorporating Biblical truths and scriptures. I was so comforted by the very vulnerable stories Kaci shared about her desire for a godly husband and the journey that entailed, and while I don’t personally relate in this season of life, I know that so many will. Kaci is very well-researched about the context and meaning of the different scriptures she shares, and I gained so many new insights about Bible stories I’ve heard dozens of times (ex: Jesus turning water to wine). I’ve highlighted SO many things throughout this book that I want to go back and reflect/journal about. Beyond all this, reading this feels like a discussion with a godly mentor.. I finished the book feeling encouraged, seen, and most importantly with a better understanding of God. Thank you, Kaci, for writing this incredibly encouraging book.
I would recommend this book to Christian young(er) women who find themselves in a season of waiting and are desiring godly encouragement and wisdom.
❝𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬❞
"If you live for the applause of the audience, you’ll also live bound by the applause of the audience.”
“Scripture tells story after story of people who faced confusion, fear, anxiety, doubt, distress, and yes, even a lack of peace when God called them to do something.”
"It's only when God moves our knowledge of Him from conceptual to experiential, from head knowledge to heart knowledge, that we are truly transformed."
"Could it be that we're prone to miss the good gifts God has for us simply because they look different from what we expect?"
Where do I even begin about this book!? This was such an incredible and encouraging read. Kaci does such an incredible job sharing her story of waiting on God’s timing while also seamlessly incorporating Biblical truths and scriptures. I was so comforted by the very vulnerable stories Kaci shared about her desire for a godly husband and the journey that entailed, and while I don’t personally relate in this season of life, I know that so many will. Kaci is very well-researched about the context and meaning of the different scriptures she shares, and I gained so many new insights about Bible stories I’ve heard dozens of times (ex: Jesus turning water to wine). I’ve highlighted SO many things throughout this book that I want to go back and reflect/journal about. Beyond all this, reading this feels like a discussion with a godly mentor.. I finished the book feeling encouraged, seen, and most importantly with a better understanding of God. Thank you, Kaci, for writing this incredibly encouraging book.
I would recommend this book to Christian young(er) women who find themselves in a season of waiting and are desiring godly encouragement and wisdom.
❝𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬❞
"If you live for the applause of the audience, you’ll also live bound by the applause of the audience.”
“Scripture tells story after story of people who faced confusion, fear, anxiety, doubt, distress, and yes, even a lack of peace when God called them to do something.”
"It's only when God moves our knowledge of Him from conceptual to experiential, from head knowledge to heart knowledge, that we are truly transformed."
"Could it be that we're prone to miss the good gifts God has for us simply because they look different from what we expect?"
September 30, 2026
Waiting is something everyone goes through, but not everyone talks about through the lens of Christ. Kaci so beautifully reveals, through personal stories and scripture, how God is actually loving us in those waiting and painful seasons. She captures both the heartache and the glory of God that is present in the in-between💗
September 29, 2026
So Much better is a gift to the college grad waiting on what God has in store for their future and the newly empty nesters anxious to see what’s next.
Kaci Harlow shared her experience through beautiful narrative storytelling and writes so that you feel like you’re having coffee with a friend.
Her prayer over this book is evident and it is a great read for everyone as we walk with Jesus.
Kaci Harlow shared her experience through beautiful narrative storytelling and writes so that you feel like you’re having coffee with a friend.
Her prayer over this book is evident and it is a great read for everyone as we walk with Jesus.
Review of advance copy received from Author
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!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kaci wrote this book truly from the depths of her heart. She shares her life with us to help us overcome some of the same grief she went through. She answers questions that a lot of us wondered, but never asked out loud. I would highly recommend this book. It definitely walks you through some emotion so be prepared for whatever may be lurking. Tears, laughs, or just quiet moments will definitely happen while reading. This review was possible courtesy of an advance reader copy given by NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews