The Road to Becoming: Rediscovering Your Life in the Not-How-I-Planned-It Moments

by Jenny Simmons

Wake up each new day and say yes.

There is a moment in all of our lives when leaning into the unknown becomes our only viable pathway forward. This is the moment you must ask, “Do I believe the Storyteller knows better than anyone else my part in the story?” If the answer is yes, pack your bags and get ready to follow God into the unknown.

In this vulnerable, laugh-out-loud book, Jenny Simmons shares her own journey through seasons of change and lostness, dead ends and detours, and finally into the terrifying, unknown, God-designed future. The road to becoming is not easy, but it is here you'll begin to discover that new life—life abundant—is always, ever among us. Dancing on the horizon.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Christian Living, Self Help, Spirituality, Inspirational, Memoir

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2014

About the author

Jenny Simmons is a dynamic storyteller who champions self-transformation in students and adults. She is an accomplished singer/songwriter, the author of two books on personal growth and grief, and serves as a Chaplain working alongside students every day. Jenny has been traveling the country for two decades performing and teaching students and adults how to cultivate a life of hope, resiliency and creativity. A former people-pleaser and mom of two daughters, Jenny is passionate about equipping and empowering children to use their voices in ways that establish honest, compassionate boundaries. She lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you remember what it's like when a book really surprises you? When you agree to read it because someone asks you to, but honestly, you just read Jen Hatmaker, so how good can this book possibly be?

And then. Well, let's just say you nearly forgot Jen Hatmaker. Because this one was SO good.

In both content and technique, this is one of the superior books I have read in 2015. Jenny Simmons brings truth and beauty to a subject we have all experienced - the death of a dream, and the fear of what happens next. So many times in the course of reading, though our experiences are nothing alike, I could relate so completely with the words on the page. Jenny Simmons is honest and funny and lyrical and breathtakingly real as she tells her story, which feels in the strangest way like mine.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. One of the best parts about being a reader, for me, is finding that hidden gem - the title you didn't know, the book you didn't expect, the author you can't wait to follow for their entire career. This is one of those moments of thrilling discovery for me, and I would be surprised if this wasn't one of my favorite books of the year.

[Heather Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ADORE this book. I have loaned it out to more people than any other book I own, I think.
If you have ever lost a dream, found yourself needing a new plan, grieving a loss or searching for direction you will find yourself in this book. Jenny’s words are raw, authentic, and soothing all at once. Read this book!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in about 48 hours (binge reading is not so possible with a teething, 9 month old baby in the house). And I could hardly put it down. Jenny (I feel like we're friends and on a first name basis now) writes from a place of such honesty and transparency that you feel like you are walking down The Road to Becoming with her. I connected with each section of her story, from The Dreaming and Destruction, to the Burying, the Lostness, the Waiting, and finally the Becoming. This book will easily relate to any person experiencing any kind of loss in life, the loss of a dream, a career, a loved one, all because Jenny experienced it all and learned how to walk through the grief that life hands us and to be able to come to the other side recognizing that it is God who got her through and God who positioned Himself in her life in order to help her use the tragedy to be blessed by Himself and others and to in turn pass that blessing on to others.

[Clarissa Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not that the book wasn't good......I just have trouble getting into these types of books because they don't grab me. It has a great message about letting yourself be lost in the seasons where you have no idea where God is taking your life and I think that is important to remember in a world that prizes direction.

[Shantelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I really, really enjoyed reading The Road to Becoming. It's a crazy, heart-rending, raw, beautiful, soul-stirring look at Jenny Simmons's (lead singer in the former band, Addison Road) road to becoming ... her journey through disaster, broken dreams, and seasons of deserts and waiting.

It was interesting and easy to read. Many a chapter touched my heart and made me ponder my own life, and season of waiting, and how I see God. And do I see His Hand at work in my life? Am I looking for it? Or shutting my eyes to His daily grace and guidance?

This book was a beautiful, though tough at times, read. It impacted me, and I truly look forward to reading Jenny Simmons's next book.

I don't need a map anymore, which is good, because the road to becoming is mapless. All I need is a guide who knows the way to the other side. No matter how many times the road changes. How many times it veers and turns, switches and cuts back. If I am still in the middle of this unknown, messy, redemptive journey alongside Jesus then my becoming is bearable - beautiful, even." (pg. 210)

[Tina Langlois · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book. It’s just not my typical book choice & it was hard for me to stay engaged in it. I actually bought this book from Jenny when it was released & it is even autographed to me. I have had it for years. I believe I bought it when I was more hopeless in that season of life but I wasn’t a reader. I am in a different season of life now, however I could appreciate her story telling & her Godly testimony. It’s nice to read how God impacted her life in the hard days & good days.

[Callie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I am not up on Christian pop culture.

This doesn't really bother me, most of the time, and I think it can actually be an advantage when it comes to reviewing current Christian books. My mind is not already made up about the author, and my opinion is not biased by previous fandom.

I recently read The Road To Becoming by Jenny Simmons, who was a member of the band Addison Road. I had heard of Addison Road before, but I can't tell you any of their songs (though I imagine I have heard some on the radio). I just picked up the book because the back cover description sounded interesting.




Positives

The Road To Becoming is Simmons account of the breaking up of her band, and the subsequent journey she has traveled to become okay with an unknown future. I thought she had a lot of thoughts in this book that might be encouraging to someone who is finding themselves on an unfamiliar road. Her writing is very engaging - she is a great storyteller. I love it when authors don't just tell a story but paint a picture, one that includes all five senses, and I think Simmons has a talent for that. The writing itself was enjoyable to read, and generally encouraging.

Sort Of Negatives

I am not going to say straight-up negatives, because overall I thought this book was alright. But to me, the ending was too inconclusive. On the one hand that is real-life, but on the other hand it was a bit disappointing. Yes, real life doesn't always tie up in neat little bows, but I kind of feel like books should.

I was confused on the purpose of the book. Is it supposed to be on Christian Living, or is it a memoir? I wasn't really expecting a memoir, but that's the category into which I would put this book. Sometimes I think publishers need to stamp "memoir" on the side of the book so I know what I am getting into, or maybe I just need to read between the lines of the back cover description a little more. I think if I was a big Addison Road fan before reading this book, I'd find it much more interesting. I was expecting less memoir, more practical advice, so it threw me for a loop.

My Opinion

I have mixed feelings.

The writing was engaging and overall enjoyable to read, but that said, after finishing the book it wasn't my favorite.

Keep in mind that I was reading this at nine months pregnant, when I am more apt to be irritable in general, but in some ways her style of communicating rubbed me the wrong way. Even when I am not pregnant, using the words "freaking" or "frigging" as adjectives is a pet peeve of mine. Really skilled writers can communicate frustrations without pseudo-cussing, so while it might make her writing relatable to some, it annoys me like pet peeves do. I thought she could have had more beautiful lines/paragraphs if she took those words out.

I also feel my inner tension rising when an author keeps touching on the gospel but not out-and-out explaining it at any point. I can tell Simmons is mostly writing to people who are already believers, but I think if a book is going to keep referencing elements of the gospel, it probably would be beneficial to also explain it in full for anyone reading who might not know what the gospel is.

This probably wouldn't have bothered me so much except for her suggestion in the last chapter that Jesus doesn't promise to give us answers. I think that is definitely true when it comes to our own personal stories, but I disagree with that in a general sense. The Bible (God's Word, and Jesus is God, so it's His Word too) gives us plenty of answers to life's questions, and to the question of how to be saved (believing that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rose again).

This line in particular bothered me: "These days I get the feeling that the way of the cross is less concerned with answers and more concerned with Jesus" (pg. 224). I am really not sure what she is getting at with that line. Jesus is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). If we want the truth (which I equate with answers), we need to look to Jesus and His Word, and He will guide us into truth.

We may not know the answer to every question, but I think it is a mistake to imply that we can't know the answers to any questions. I have a problem with Christian authors downplaying the importance of truth and playing up a mystical version of Christianity where no one really knows anything for sure. I am not saying that's necessarily what Simmons was trying to communicate, but it all came across wrong to me.

Bottom line: Overall, I enjoyed this book alright, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting and wouldn't make my must-read list. The indefinite ending, both in the storytelling and theology, kind of ruined it for me.

Note: I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
- See more at: http://www.throughcloudedglass.com/20...

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny Simmons is a born storyteller. I've known that since discovering her blog several years ago, and The Road to Becoming is as fresh, witty, and encouraging as her blog--perhaps and then some. Through sharing stories of learned life-lessons, Jenny reflects on even what were likely among her darkest moments with humour and lightness (and, with that, I warn you that if you read parts of this on public transportation, as I did, wear earphones so that you can pretend to not hear the I am trying not to laugh out loud on a bus sounds you are making). The Road to Becoming will be a book I read more than once, and I anticipate, will be one that teaches me different lessons in different seasons of my life.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES. Yes yes yes.

Ever stumble upon a book in just the right season of your life? That was this book for me. Learning to let go of what you had always dreamed, to grieve and bury it, and wait for the future you never imagined. So much truth in this book.

This book was like a balm to my soul. I cried and laughed. Watching Jenny go through her seasons helped me see them in my own life and realize that even if my dreams were/are noble and God-serving, he may have smaller, just as noble and God-serving dreams in mind for me. That the waiting, quiet times are just as special.

I need to process this a little more so I can clearly tell you my thoughts, but just know, this book is amazing.

[Sage · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. It's obvious most people have really loved this book, I realize I'm in the minority that didn't. It just wasn't for me. I think it was more a memoir of her life than a helpful Christian living type of book. I didn't find that I took anything helpful away from it. Her language sometimes grated on me.
I found it confusing at times, rambling on about irrelevant things however I was reading it as a Christian living type of book which is what my problem may have been. I didn't agree with everything she said either. So all up it's not one I'll be recommending but appreciate and am happy that others have enjoyed it.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being in the spotlight doesn't always mean everything is perfect and pristine. We are all human. Each of us experience adversity and hardships. Jenny opens her heart with words every living person needs to hear and receive. They flow like milk and honey, soothing to a soul. She expresses a healing process while being completely transparent. We need more transparency. We need more honesty. Thank you for sharing your story.

[Rosemond Cates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I cried my way through it and absolutely loved the story that unfolded. Highly recommend this book!!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the past few years I've had my ear attuned to the word Wilderness.  It's been an interesting journey I continue to process and promise to share more about.  One of the things that has kept me moving in my hardest days has been the words of others.  Reading how God has taught others to push through their own desert times has given me the strength to continue to but one foot in front of the other when it seemed doing so would do nothing but cause pain.

In The Road to Becoming Jenny Simmons shares her life story surrounding the band Addison Road, her marriage and first year of her daughter Annie's life. I've taken a picture of a page in this book to show you how drawn in by Jenny's words I was.  I started reading a
t 2:30pm on Sunday and finished at 10:15 that night.  I COULD.NOT.STOP reading the honest and hilarious words of this woman.  I found that as Jenny shared her emotions, frustrations, inner thoughts and fears I not only related but had said similar things in my own darkest days.

I had purposely not read much about Jenny's story prior to reading this book and I'm glad I didn't.  As the story of a year of tragedy unfolded I was hanging on each word.  As the group Addison Road had to choose to disband I understood why and ached right along with Jenny as she watched everyone else move on while she sat devastated as her dream slipped away.

For Jenny she has been able to break up her journey into categories.  The Dreaming and Destruction, The Burying, The Lostness, The Waiting and The Becoming.  As she writes of her journey, beautifully tying together her past and present I couldn't help but smile and nod along. Although our stories are very different, I could relate to Jenny's heart ache and desire to do life well while at the same time feeling lost as to what was next.

Jenny is so clear to show how others in her life carried her along in her journey, and she is also so honest in saying that things aren't perfect just because she has a deeper understanding of God.  This raw honesty is what kept me engaged and wanting more.

I cannot tell you how comforting this book was for me.  Not because there is a 10 steps to freedom plan (there isn't) but because Jenny does an amazing job showing how God carries us in our wilderness times and how our responses can look.

[Janka H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw and deep, this is a wonderful book to be read when one is amidst the pain, crashed dreams, uncertainty and lostness. Because Jenny Simmons was there and she is not sugar-coating or lessening the pain, the restlessness and even the shame of it all. She is honest to the bone, honest in even her going against all the well-known cliches of well-meaning people. She is going to take your hand and walk with you honestly, while crying, firmly holding your hand up to the level of pain, or even being quiet. A precious gift of both a very personal memoir and a spirituality book.
I have read a lot of spiritual books and this is one of the most meaningful of them to me. Maybe because I, too, am going through a personal war, a season of questions and uncertainty and shame. And Jemmy Simmons is the friend you want beside you on that place. The one who gets you, who has the time to be with you, who has some (but not all) answers.
I gained a lot from here.

A recommended read.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I began reading this book, I quickly realized that it may not be my cup of tea. So I made a point of being open-minded about what may lay ahead. Honestly, by Goodreads standards, I would rate this book a one star as it was not a book I liked. But I felt compelled to add a couple stars as this is not necessarily a woman directing people on how to live, but rather showing her own struggles and how she personally copes. The reason that distinction is important to me is that there were many things stated that were not biblical, rather, they were her opinions on a particular situation masquerading as biblical truth. I struggled with the overall ungrateful tone of the book. It seemed many people came to her aid, or helped her the best they could and she had a very negative attitude about it. And my last issue is that there was a general lack of respect toward God- a few sentences really made me cringe. Unfortunately, I can't say I would recommend this book as I don't find it particularly helpful in any regard, and the memoir aspect was also somewhat lacking for me.

[Kim Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every so often an author comes along that speaks your language. You know, that book that, as you read it, you find yourself wanting to speak it out loud to an audience so that you can say, “See! Here it is! This is exactly how I feel! This is exactly right!” This was that book for me. I have read several really great books this year and could (and probably will) write about how each one encouraged, inspired or moved me. However, Jenny Simmons’ book, The Road to Becoming, is a book that I’ll remember for a very long time. Jenny Simmons is the front woman for former band, Addison Road. I have always been a fan of their music (especially the song, Hope Now) and you know I love a good female-led band, but I have to say that what Jenny pours out in this book, for me, is her very best and most important work so far.

The book is a memoir of sorts, taking the reader through the author’s own journey to becoming. From her earliest memories and dreams, through the heartbreaking end of her band, through a period of waiting and eventually to a beautiful rediscovery of her purpose and calling. It’s so obvious that Jenny (that’s right, we’re best friends now) is a songwriter and lover of lyrics as her writing feels very poetic and artistic throughout the book. Every word seems carefully chosen and thoughtfully written in a way that only an artist could do.

I felt an instant kinship with Jenny from the very beginning of the book, especially when she describes her connection with music. She writes, “Sometimes people ask me when I first started singing, or how I knew I wanted to be a musician, as if you can name when you started existing.” (Ch 2, pg 25)

Do you remember that scene in The NeverEnding Story, near the end, where Bastian is reading the story and suddenly realizes that the narrator is talking directly to him? And then he freaks out and throws the book down until he can gather enough wherewithal to pick it back up again? This is exactly how I felt reading that chapter. Jenny Simmons was talking directly to me! Felt a little spooky if I’m being entirely honest. As she is describing her own dream, it felt as though she was describing mine as well.

“Dreams rarely just appear out of thin air. They are built over our lifetimes, taking root inside of us when we first begin to walk, talk, tinker, and explore. They grow, stretch, develop, change shapes and sizes, and bubble underneath us – springs of living water yet to be fully unearthed. We are the guardians of our dreams. Those long-festering voices that continue to ring out from deep within us and are woven into the fabric of our stories; we care for them as only we can.” (Ch 2, pg 29)

As Jenny begins to describe the death of her precious dream, I felt another NeverEnding Story moment. She says, “The hardest part of suffering is that the rest of the world keeps going like nothing has happened.” Then, “..my weary soul wanted the whole world to just stop. Everything in my soul wanted to beg the world around me for what it could not possibly give. Just give me a minute to grieve – to wrap my mind around this – please just stop with me. But the world can’t stop for every heartbreak. If it did, it would never start again.” (Ch 8, pg 57-58, emphasis mine)

I wish I could describe how I felt reading those words. I think mostly I just felt that I was not alone. For the very first time it felt that someone had put words to my own thoughts and feelings about grief. This is so very true and right!

In another section of the book, she talks about seasons of lostness. Here is one part that I found to be so very beautiful.

“Following Him in the dark places is scary, but not paralyzing. He knows when we should make a trail and where to pitch the tent. Where the next stream of life-giving water is and what the village on the other side of the mountain looks like. He sees what I cannot and illuminates the path. Not running ahead of me, not forcing me, but side by side, as trusted friends, we walk in step. And I realize I am walking on holy ground. My lostness is made holy, my journey is made bearable, my unknowing state becomes fully known as God journeys deep into the dark places with me. He is the treasure.” (Ch 15, pg 112)

I could talk for days about the truth in this book. I always say that the mark of a good book is what I call “quotables”. Take a glance through any book I’m reading to see how much hi-lighting or underlining I do and you’ll know if it’s a good book or not. There are “quotables” in every chapter of this book and on nearly every page. There is so much to take in that it often felt like I needed to slow down and make note cards just so I could really absorb all this book has to offer. The themes of purpose, grief, resurrection, hope and grace fill the pages. I was moved by the stories, encouraged by the lessons learned and inspired to take every bit of wisdom offered here and apply it to my own story.

“The end of the story is about something more rich and beautiful and constant than dreams, which are here today and gone tomorrow. The end of the story is about living whatever the story is well.” (ch 30, pg 223)

Whatever season you find yourself in, this book will be an encouragement along your journey. You will find comfort for a grieving heart, grace for a worn out mom, hope in your season of lostness or waiting, and a few funny stories along the way. In the prelude of the book Jenny writes, “If nothing more, I share my story to remind you that you are not alone in yours.” (p12) That is exactly what this book does. What a treasure!

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was like air to my lungs in the season that I am in. So so good and on time from God. I won this book one or two years ago in an online contest, and it sat on the shelf until the time when God knew I needed it. If you are in a difficult season this book is so encouraging and I highly recommend it. Jenny Simmons walks you through the phases of becoming and you know someone else can relate to being in pain and hard situations. The beauty is how she reveals that God has not left us, how even the beating of our heart is a reflection of His presence. This book gives understanding and perspective of the journey.

[Sonia Gilbertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simmons is delightfully pessimistic. This book is an honest and hilarious account of watching your dreams burn to the ground (in the author's case, quite literally) and then moving into the unknown future God has for you.

[Jenny Moyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt personal, especially as I read the last few chapters I resonated with what Jenny was saying. She honestly describes what it feels like to be in the waiting, and beautifully describes new life. I recommend this book to anyone who feels like their life is not going as they imagined.

[Jesica Rokohl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good {hard} stuff, folks. Raw, beautiful, honest. My heart was exposed to things I didn't know I had lurking.
If you're feeling hopeless, dry, sad, bitter, ALLTHEEMOTIONS.... you WANT to read this book. It's soaked in God's grace.

[Prairie Sky Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The fact that I survive, even grow and thrive in my desert season of lostness has little to do with my own ability to stay alive. It has everything to do with the fact that I am kept alive and sustained by the Giver of Life. It has everything to do with the truth that even when my life seems silent and barren, if there is a heartbeat, then the Great Comforter is present. Is a heartbeat not God’s most basic presence? How can the Giver of Life be non-present if life is present? If there is a heartbeat, there is a God. He dwells within us – who are created in His very image.”

This short excerpt is just one of many gems of wisdom you will find in Baker Publishing’s new release The Road to Becoming, by former Addison Road lead singer Jenny Simmons. Her heartfelt, whimsical writing pulls us in like a warm embrace from a long-lost friend, and she continues to hold our hand and walk with us every step of the way, gently encouraging us in our walk with the Lord, and guiding us on our own road to becoming with a depth of understanding that can only come from someone who has been there.

Honestly, The Road to Becoming contains little to complain about. Picky readers may pick up on the odd comment which could have been omitted, or may feel that the occasional story becomes just a tad too personal. Ultimately, however, nearly every word of The Road to Becoming is so chock full of love and life-giving enthusiasm that these instances can almost go unnoticed.

With much insight and an abundance of humour, Jenny will help you to let go of the past, and step into the future using the wisdom and understanding she has gained from doing those very things herself.

“There will be a moment, and you might well physically feel it, when someone will crack a window and you will startle. The bright light blinding your eyes. The fresh air strangely loose in your tight chest. The feel of the wind – not sand-whipped and desert-scorched, but spring-made, sweet and dancing through your hair and across your face like a new breath from heaven. And it won’t occur to you to be terrified. You will not decide to be brave or not. You will just be brave. You will welcome it. The sun and breeze and sweet smell of flowers. The light. You will put fingers on dusty windowsills and tears will course their way down your cheeks as the sun warms a face that has not seen pure light in far too long. And you will cry tears of joy. For the sun has come. It has finally come. And your heart will soar.”

I am grateful to have received a copy of this book, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Michele Morin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Embrace the Detour
The prosperity gospel is deep in my bones — not that I technically hold with any kind of “blab it and grab it” theology or the idea that God owes me a BMW. I do know better than that, but truly, I just want to be able to tell you that God has always answered my prayers the way I would have expected, and that I understand His ways.

Reading The Road to Becoming, I felt as if I were looking over Jenny Simmons’s shoulder as we struggled together to untangle the cause and effect of righteousness and blessing, the mystery of dreaming big dreams for God and then mourning the destruction of those dreams.

Do I trust the Storyteller when the narrative arc seems to veer off course? Jenny’s story began with singing — and a well-laid plan for a musical career. When she and her husband formed the band, Addison Road, c.d. sales, songs on the radio, and a full schedule of concert tours indicated that success and prosperity were just down the road. Who could have predicted that the road instead would be paved with set-backs, disaster, and a season of loss?

Jenny opens her heart to her readers, revealing insecurities about her role as a wife and mother, doubts in her relationship with God, and questions about her calling. I would challenge her to bring her language choices into alignment with the sweet and sincere heart that shines through in her ministry to other women, but I also applaud her skillful weaving of a broad spectrum of quotations from well-known authors in which words from Henri Nouwen, Wendell Berry, Annie Dillard, and Richard Foster (among many others!) appear like seasoning in a fragrant stew.

Jenny emerges from her season of wondering ready to embrace and to give thanks for the less-than-perfect. The truth is that on the road to becoming, mountaintops are few and far between. The landscape is varied, but often ordinary and occasionally treacherous. The challenge presented in The Road to Becoming is to stay on the road and to embrace the detours, knowing that an all-wise Guide is leading the way.


This book was provided by BakerBooks, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Victoria W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone has had a dream die.
Not everyone knows what to do when they do. We don't like talking about the lost dreams, the crashed and burned dreams, the abandoned dreams. We're told to work hard and persevere,taught to dream big and achieve.
This means that when the inevitable happens, whether they were big dreams, life dreams, or everyday dreams we can feel lost because who wants to admit they've failed and if we don't talk about it how do we learn, grieve, and grow?




The Road to Becoming is one part lesson, one part memoir, and all excellent storytelling (which really is one of the best ways to learn).

When I started Jenny's book, I confess, I wondered what in the world I had started reading. College enforced my love of clear direction and thesis, much like the author I enjoy my books and movies neatly tied up in the end with a big red bow. So as I meandered through the first few chapters I almost put aside the book and moved on.

I'm so glad I stuck with it though because once we moved through "The Dreaming and Destruction" this book packed a punch. Divided into "The burying," "The Lostness," "The Waiting," and "The Becoming" I found myself confronted by a woman who knew about the loss of dreams, the pain and confusion not only of that loss but of the emptiness that fills the dreams prior space and the journey back from that grief.

I was struck with Jenny's openness about her faith while she walked through her desert and her ability to highlight not only the sparseness in that environment but also the life that can slowly draw you back in if you're willing to learn to listen.

I would adore seeing this book used in a women's group. Honest, I think it would be painful and hard at times because who wants to talk about loss and grief when it involves the intangibles of dreams (as if their existence merely in thought lessens the loss) but Jenny's book provides enough humour, honesty, and faith to make this a wonderful vehicle for exploration of self and a topic often under acknowledged.

4.5 out of 5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion through Nuts About Books. The opinions expressed are entirely my own

[K8lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first read the write-up for The Road to Becoming by Jenny Simmons, I have to say, I scoffed. Jenny was the lead singer of the band Addison Road who travelled the United States and were pretty big stars. What I scoffed at was the sub heading for the book; Rediscovering Your Life in the Not-How-I-Planned-it Moments and the thought that this woman would know anything about living a life that the rest of us could relate to!?!!?


And eat that scoff I did!


Jenny writes one of the best stories I have read in a long time! She tells the true tale of her life but so real, so relatable, that I was laughing and crying more times then in all other books I've read combined!



The story takes place over about two years of her life, with nice references and walks down memory lane that make us, the reader, feel like she's a good friend. The whole story reads like a conversation over coffee and I imagine Jenny to talk much the same as she writes. She tells of how she walks through various seasons focusing on the loss of dreams, the burying of life plans, the desert wondering when we don't know what lies ahead, and then finally, the coming through it all into the still yet unknown but God lead and life changing path that is before us.


I related waaay to much to her writings and often felt like I had written whole sections myself! I shared many of her humours renditions of life's events with my husband and he laughed along with me. Jenny's story telling is brilliant and her openness refreshing and encouraging!


I don't think there is anyone I would not recommend this book to! But I would certainly pass it a long to anyone who's ever dreamed and seen that dream die and wonder what lies ahead. To anyone who's looked at life, seen the hand dealt and wondered what they are to do with it all. And I'd certainly pass this book along to anyone who's struggling with where they are at in their current season.


It's a charming, endearing book and one that I sincerely enjoyed!




I received this book, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

[Mariejkt · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Road To Becoming" by Jenny Simmons is more of a memoir of the author's life not so much of a book to encourage you in the Christian life. This book was all over the place I was not expecting a memoir but that is what I got from it. I am not up to date on Christian bands so I had never heard of her bad Addison Road but that is beside the point. I had a hard time reading this book as it was all over the place to me. The biggest part that bothered me is that she seemed to be completely upset that her Christian life was a bed of roses. I wanted to yell at times have you not read the scripture where it says in the world you will have tribulation. In context (Matthew 16:31-33 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the World"). I doesn't me that we have overcame the world but Jesus has. Yes I understand she went through a lot but it was hard to read the non-stop complaining. I think it really got me was when she said there is no beauty in a desert. I know even the deserts of my life I have seen the beauty not right then but later on I can see it but she does not seem to see beauty in her trials. I just could not get passed her negativity. Also she reference the gospel but really never shared it. So I cannot recommend this book.

I was given this book fro BakerBooks a division of Baker Publishing Group and was not required to give a positive review.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this encouraging book from a person who's been there. Jenny Simmons was the lead singer of Addison Road, a band I liked and I hadn't heard anything from in a while, and this book explains what happened during a couple rough years for the band which ultimately led to them deciding to move on to other things. She has a poetic way of describing the day-to-day hardships and beauty that she experienced, especially during the transition when she didn't know what was coming next. The book is split into sections about the dreams you have, what happens when they don't come true or end, the period when you feel lost, the period of waiting when you start to have hope again and finally becoming, when you can see a different future and different dream for yourself. I liked the personal stories she told, from back in her childhood all the way to the present and the encouragement she gained from both people she knew and authors she admired. She has a very personable style so you feel like you're listening to a good friend who makes you laugh. I would recommend this book for people who need some encouragement, especially if life hasn't really turned out like you planned.

I received this book free from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

`The Road to Becoming` is a Christian Living non-fiction book written by author Jenny Simmons (lead singer of Addison Road). Jenny tells you how to become whole from a position of unraveling. This book is intended for the bewildered and broken.
Jenny Simmons relives her own life in this book and I enjoyed listening to songs mentioned in the book, especially the songs by Patsy Cline and Michael W. Smith. Perhaps from different genres, but I enjoyed them. I think I realized more than ever how much musicians go through just so the listeners may enjoy the show.
Jenny taught me that nothing is so minute that its passing would not be grieved. I would recommend this book to someone who is in the doldrums of life.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books Blogger program.

[Kara Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a longtime fan of Jenny Simmon's blog and music, I've been eagerly awaiting the release of her memoir. I was not disappointed. Jenny's writing style is vulnerable, honest, raw, poignant, yet with perfect touches of lightheartedness, whimsy, and fun. A story of dreams coming true, then unraveling. Of treading unknown paths and seasons in the dessert. Of finding joy in brokenness and hope in the unexpected and unwanted. Of a God who somehow fashions something new and beautiful from the shattered and lost. Thank you, Jenny, for having the courage to write this story. I know this is a book I will be returning to re-read many times in the future.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated an Jenny Simmons' candid and honest memoir about her career in the band Addison Road and the transition from a performer to a wife and a mother. Having been a fan of Addison Road I was eager to hear Jenny's story. I enjoyed how the book was split into five sections: Dreaming/Destruction, the Burying, the Lostness, the Waiting, and the Becoming. They helped tie the anecdotal chapters together into different themes. Jenny's story really resonated with me, and I really empathized with her in her search of who she was outside of being a singer. I've highlighted sections I want to remember for later, as I feel I will be reading this a second and a third time!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Road to Becoming, Jenny Simmons invites us to share her moments of lostness, of brokenness. She reveals her heart with wit and grace, and shows anyone who has suffered a loss - a job, a loved one, a dream - how to walk through that difficult season by God's grace. I felt like I was sitting down and talking to a friend as I read, and boy, could I relate to much of what she wrote. Her words were balm to my soul, and it was a gift to know that I wasn't the only one who'd cried out to God in anguish when things were dark. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to know they aren't alone and who needs a light in the dark.