The Five Times I Met Myself: A Novel

by James L. Rubart

“If you think fiction can’t change your life and challenge you to be a better person, you need to read The Five Times I Met Myself.”

—Andy Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of How Do You Kill 11 Million People, The Noticer & The Traveler’s Gift

What if you met your twenty-three-year-old self in a dream? What would you say?

Brock Matthews’ once promising life is unraveling. His coffee company. His marriage.

So when he discovers his vivid dreams—where he encounters his younger self—might let him change his past mistakes, he jumps at the chance. The results are astonishing, but also disturbing.

Because getting what Brock wants most in the world will force him to give up the one thing he doesn’t know how to let go . . . and his greatest fear is that it’s already too late.

“A powerfully redemptive story with twists and turns that had me glued to every page. With a compelling message for anyone who longs to relive their past, The Five Times I Met Myself is another James L. Rubart masterpiece.”

—Susan May Warren, bestselling author of the Christiansen Family series

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Contemporary, Book Club, Fantasy, Science Fiction

398 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2015

About the author

James L. Rubart is a 28 year old trapped in an older man's body, who loves to water ski and dirt bike with his two grown sons. He's the bestselling, Christy Hall of Fame, Carol, INSPY, and RT Book Reviews award winning author of ten novels and loves to send readers on mind-bending stories of spiritual freedom. He's also an audio book narrator and co-owner of The Rubart Writing Academy. He lives with his amazing wife on a small lake in eastern Washington.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most inspiring book (other than the Bible, of course) that I've read in a LONG time! This one makes me want to make some SERIOUS changes in my life!

EDIT: In a time where everyone is practicing social distancing and the vast majority of people are staying home, it's easy to sit around and lament about what's gone wrong in my life: failed friendships, missed opportunities, a complete lack of a love life, etc. However, I can't go back and change what I did years ago; what I can do is just learn from it and move on with my life.

I've heard that reminding you of mistakes from your past is a tool that Satan uses, and he definitely uses it on me; just the other night, I had a dream that was a flashback of something dumb I did in fifth grade. They say that, when the devil reminds you of your past, you should remind him of his future: eternal punishment.

I may have a checkered past, but, I'm not the same person I was five, ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago; I've purposefully made changes for the better, such as giving up the celebrity crushes, exercising every day, engaging in more constructive activities in my spare time, etc. It's as Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13-14: "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (NIV) I can't know the mind of God, but, if I had to guess, I would say that He is happy that I've made a point to better myself. That doesn't mean I can take it easy; I've still got other improvements to make...and I plan on continuing to work on them for the rest of my life.

[Beth Vogt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to be mulling over The Five Times I Met Myself by Jim Rubart for quite some time. Of course, I bought the book for my husband -- and then I "borrowed" it from him and read it first. Now I'm insisting that he read it so we can talk about the premise of the book. One thing is for sure: The entire time I read The Five Times I Met Myself, I kept wondering, "How is Jim Rubart going to end this book?" And that is not a bad thing at all. I also agree with the endorsement from bestselling author Andy Andrews on the front cover: "If you think fiction can't change your life and challenge you to be a better person, you need to read The Five Times I Met Myself."
I'll be recommending this book to others -- and telling my husband to hurry up and finish reading it!

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visionary novels are not my usual genre, however, The Five Times I Met Myself won the Christy Novel of the Year Award and received high praise from a trusted reviewer.

If you could go back in time and give yourself advice, at what point in time would you go and what would the advice be? How would that impact your present situation?

This novel is one that made me evaluate my own choices as I lived through Brock's decisions and time travel. There is really nothing further I can say other than this was a quick paced novel that is highly likely to cause the reader to do some self-evaluation. I was moved by this novel and wouldn't hesitate to read other novels by the author.

My compliments to Goodreads and publisher Thomas Nelson for a complimentary copy of this novel which was won through a Goodreads giveaway. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a strange story that I wasn't sure I liked until the final eight chapters. It was interesting from the beginning, quite complex, and a quick read. It wasn't always an easy read, since it was a sort of time travel story that I had to stay alert to keep track of the details and time shifts. The author did a fantastic job of creating various realities by crafting unique and memorable settings in very few words.

The faith journey throughout was a bit rough for me, as there were several moments it seemed God and faith were being made fun of, but that thread got redeemed well in the final eight chapters. It was good to see that a fictional character could learn from their spiritual mistakes and find redemption, just as many Christians in the real world do.

This story reminded me of the movie Frequency, which stars Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel. Both stories were a bit strange but enjoyable.

Content:
* drugs
* alcohol
* marital affairs
* one crude comment

I was not compensated for my honest review.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What an intriguing book!! This was the first book I've read by James Rubart, and it will definitely not be my last. The premise of the plot is at once both magical and sobering - a little bit A Christmas Carol, a little bit It's a Wonderful Life, even a little bit Back to the Future... but a whole lot of fascinating.

Plots like these are everything I love about books with elements of fantasy/science fiction, specifically with the bit of fiction that's just close enough to reality to be plausible. We've all had moments where we had a dream so vivid that we woke up and had to lay in bed for a moment, re-centering ourselves in what's real and what isn't. On the flip side, we've also all had regrets, things we wish we could go back in time and change. Combine the two and BAM! You have a mesmerizing story that you won't be able to put down.

Rubart's writing style is engaging and drew me in right away, making those 400 pages fly by in no time at all! The message of mercy and grace, of healing and redemption, hovers in the background but wow, when it surfaces, it takes your breath away. Compelling characters made me care about the outcome of this story, and my investment in these characters caused my emotions to ride the roller coaster with them. I grieved with and for them. I breathed sighs of relief, only to gasp out loud in surprise in the next chapter. I grinned at young love - and renewed love - and I may have even cheered a time or two :)

With more twists and turns than a waterslide park, James L. Rubart's The Five Times I Met Myself will play out a riveting story in the cinema of your mind. Schedule out enough time to read this book cover to cover once you start because I can just about guarantee that you won't want to be distracted by silly things like sleeping or eating - certainly not chores or your job! A wonderful candidate for your next book club, it's perfect for fans of Mitch Albom and William Paul Young... and for anybody who's ever wished things had turned out differently.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)

[Tracey Dyck · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all: I met Jim Rubart at Realm Makers, and he is perhaps one of the kindest authors I've ever talked to! That just makes me love his book even more!

After reading the back cover blurb, I expected The Five Times I Met Myself to be a trippy, introspective novel. And I was right, although it turned out differently than I thought it would. I suspect this story dealing with regret would hit home even more for older readers than it did for myself (being as I have only 20-some years to look back on), but I've always been intrigued by ideas like writing letters to my future self, time capsules, etc. So naturally, the concept of going back to talk to one's younger self is really fascinating!

It gets even better when Brock, the main character, starts trying to improve his life by influencing his younger self to make different choices . . . and then the suspense rises another notch when those changes begin to make life WORSE instead of better.

At first, the believability of lucid dreaming seemed a little far-fetched, since this is real life we're talking about. But gradually, as I read further, I was willing to suspend any disbelief because the concept was just that intriguing, and the consequences were even more so.

Overall, this was a 4.5 star read for me! I know this is a book that will stick with me a long time. It offered lots to chew on--thoughts about time, decisions, consequences, regret, and second chances. A powerful concoction indeed!

(And now I must get my hands on Rooms, which sounds like another cool, introspective book!)

[Sarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by mr Rubart and not my normal genre. Even though this time-travel story confused my brain with thinking how everything is possible, the story kept me so interested, especially not knowing how Brock's world will change when he woke up after one of his dreams.

I really liked seeing how Brock grew as a person from the lessons he learned after each dream.
There was a few times the events after the dreams surprised me.

I loved the ending, that changed my opinion of the book from liking to "want to read more from this author". I especially loved how Brock still had to deal with circumstances from his actions even though he and events changed during his dreams.

This book is highly recommended - even if this is not your normal genre you should definitely challenge yourself with this book.

[Chantel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Embrace it, Brock, even though it will be difficult. Face the truth, though it will be painful, for the truth will set you free.”


What if you had the chance to speak to your younger self? What would you say? What would you do? Would you try to change decisions that you made in the past?

The Five Times I Met Myself explores just that, in a captivating and emotionally gripping journey of a man confronting his past... literally. Brock Matthews, in his early fifties, feeIs like his world he once loved is falling apart around him. From his company to his marriage.
Through a series of events Brock is able to meet with his younger self through vivid dreams. But when Brock notices the dreams are starting to effect his present reality, he jumps at the chance to change his past mistakes. As he pursues the goals he always wanted through younger Brock, each decision comes with a hefty cost... and he may be at risk of loosing what he really wants most.

Ok! I was almost at a lost for words after reading this book!


This book was just so well done. The author did an amazing job of laying out the character's life in this story, that just really resonated with me. Not only was this a visionary adventure but it was also a good story of learning to confront the painful things of the past and allowing God to help you heal and grow. Also how important it is to take care of the relationships we are given and not take them for granted. This book is definitely a "must read" to add to your collection.


My Favorite Quotes

"God is the God of hope. And even though you’re going through a storm right now, the calm waters are coming. I believe it.”

“It is truly an amazing thing to fully surrender to the living God. To completely give yourself over to the Spirit living inside you. Maybe that’s what dying to self means. Where you’re not worried about being loved, but how well you can love another.”

[Paula Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this mind-bending novel, we not only get to witness the hero's life, but several alternative lives he might have lived, had he made different choices.

I've often thought, 'If only I got the chance to meet my younger self, there's so much I'd tell her.' I assume many of us feel the same, which is why I was eager to get stuck into this story of Brock Matthews, who got the chance to meet his younger self several times. He assumed it would be a golden opportunity to fix a few things which went haywire. However, his excellent intentions turned out to make many aspects of his life worse than they were before he started meddling with time.

At the start, Brock and his brother, Ron, are in charge of Black Fedora, the coffee company they inherited from their father. Brock is the 'face' of the company and works with the coffee blends, while Ron manages the business side and owns 51% of the shares. When a financial disaster looms, Brock wonders if there's any way he could have personally prevented it. Meanwhile, his marriage is getting shaky, as his wife, Karissa, begins to mull over their years together with dissatisfaction, and their son, Tyson, may no longer be able to attend college. That's the backdrop that makes Brock wonder if he could possibly convince his former self to prevent the train wreck his life became.

Are any of us really wise enough to assume we can advise our younger selves what to do? That was one of the big questions I came to ask myself. Brock was certain that at the age of 52, and with the advantage of hindsight, his 24-year-old self needed to listen to him. He was urgent in his mission to change his younger self's mind about the choices he faced. Yet after all that wheedling and convincing, the advice which seemed so wise, turned out to be questionable anyway. Only God has a God's eye view of any individual's life, no matter how often we've experienced life's hard knocks. Brock, to me, is proof that we never reach an age in which we know everything.

I found it shocking, and quite scary when you think about it, that Brock's choices turned out to drastically affect not only his own life but those closest to him, especially Karissa, Tyson and Ron. We may prefer to think that each individual is ultimately responsible for himself or herself, regardless of the positive or negative influence of others, but this story shows more of a strong ripple effect. Without going as far as saying they were putty in Brock's hands, I think the influence he had over the shaping of several destinies ended up alarming him. It makes the reader think about the way we treat our own spouses, children and siblings.

I love Brock's eventual epiphanies regarding the idols he'd set up in his life, especially his personal success in the business arena. There was nothing intrinsically wrong with Black Fedora, or striving to create a good product. It was Brock's lifelong attitude that got things all twisted; one which we could so easily buy into when it comes to our own lives.

One scene I found most touching was the flashback to an event which occurred when he was only 11 years old. It set the scene for a lot of misunderstanding, but I can easily picture my own sons doing the exact same thing. Unexpected gruffness from adults can devastate kids, and it's good that this was brought out.

I'll finish with one of the decisions Brock came to make. 'The future does not exist, so I will live for now. The past is gone and cannot be retrieved, so I will live now. There is only the present.'

4.5 stars

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for my review copy.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

James L. Rubart continues to blow my mind with the intriguing premises that characterize his books, and "The Five Times I Met Myself" is no different. I started the book only meaning to read a couple of chapters before carrying on with my day, but then found myself unable to put it down, such that I had to read it in snatches while trying to carry out the normal parts of life I just wanted to ignore so I could keep reading! The result is that I finished the story all in one day, having been captivated by the thought of being able to somehow change my life through my dreams. The amazing part is that over the course of the story I went from longing to try lucid dreaming myself, to then shuddering at the thought of what the true outcome would actually be in my life if I did so, back to wishing that there really were such a thing! As I watched Brock encounter the dark corners of his soul, I found myself squirming uncomfortably as I considered whether I too may struggle with tendencies towards selfishness and pride and putting myself before all others. From beginning to end, the writing is fantastic, and I have no doubt that Rubart's loyal fans are going to love this story, while those who haven't yet read a Rubart novel will find themselves unable to resist diving into this book!

"The Five Times I Met Myself" is a book that will not only fascinate you with its interesting plot and wonderful characterization, but will also challenge you spiritually to consider where you are at with your walk with God and how you impact the people in your own life. The story is a powerful portrayal of how God can redeem our rotten choices, and bring good out of the bad. Ultimately, that is a message of hope that we all need to hear! I highly recommend this book and award it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Thomas Nelson, and the Litfuse Publicity Group, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

[Toni Shiloh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would reread this all again for the purpose of getting to the quote: "Maybe that's what dying to self means. Where you're not worried about being loved, but how well you can love one another."

[Kev Willoughby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. If I could give it 6 stars, I would. It's another level above a 5-star book, because it's not just a well-written novel; it's a book that I would read over and over again.

In fact, this was my second time reading through The Five Times I Met Myself. The first time was 4 years ago, and the passage of time in between has not diminished how much I enjoy this book. What first caught my attention was the cover and the title as I walked through the bookstore and saw it on the shelf. I had to pick it up and check it out. The back cover was even more promising. So I opened it up and started reading it.

I couldn't put it down.

The cool thing about this book is that it does what many books cannot: it puts out a huge, exciting premise... and then it follows up and delivers a story worthy of the reader's expectations.

Imagine being able to go back and talk with your younger self and then, because of what you chose to discuss, having the power to erase all of your deepest regrets?

This is fiction with a purpose. James Rubart is a master storyteller and his creative abilities craft a story within these pages that reveal the power we each have to shape our lives from this day forward, regardless of what has happened in our past.

I've read over 300 books since I first read The Five Times I Met Myself, and it is still easily one of the best 5 books I've ever read. Maybe the best!

Here is my original review from 2016:

Perhaps the best (and most succinct) review I’ve read for James L. Rubart’s newest book came from another author I respect and admire. Andy Andrews said, “If you think fiction can’t change your life and challenge you to be a better person, you need to read The Five Times I Met Myself.”

The tagline on the back cover of Rubart’s book poses the question, “What if you met your twenty-three-year-old self in a dream? What would you say?” Brock Matthews, protagonist and owner of a coffee company, gets just such an opportunity in The Five Times I Met Myself, and he takes full advantage. The results are not typical, and the plot continues to thicken from there.

Because we all have a desire to fix the things that have gone wrong in our lives, to get a second chance to make the right decision, this book will easily pull you into the plight of Brock Matthews, who has just lost his father and is about to lose his marriage, his job, and his son. Through his dreams, Brock learns how to find his younger self and he talks to him and tries to convince him to make different choices. Each time Brock wakes up (in the present) his life has been altered by those conversations with his younger self in his dreams.

Over the years, the concept of time travel has been quite popular, especially in movies like Back to the Future, Terminator, Flight of the Navigator, and even Napoleon Dynamite. As long as people make mistakes, there will always be the desire for the ability or opportunity to go back and make things right. With that desire in mind, our dreams are heavily influenced by some of the more prominent memories (good or bad) that each of us have about our respective pasts. Dreams are powerful.

James Arthur Baldwin said, “The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you don’t know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened.”

The most talented authors are the ones who are able to make fiction seem realistic. In The Five Times I Met Myself, author James L. Rubart takes our desires to fix the past and mixes it with the power of our dreams and the result is a compelling message about the value of our choices and actions in the present… that portion of our lives that we often take for granted as we live much of our precious days with our hearts and minds in either the past or the future. This book is easily one of the best works of fiction that I have ever read. I enjoyed every page until the very end, and I especially liked it that the plot continued to twist, even after I thought the story had been satisfactorily resolved.

Vincent Van Gogh once said that he dreamed his paintings and then he painted his dreams. If you read this book, you’ll realize that you have the same influence over the direction of your life and you’ll be more purposeful about the choices you make today.

[Colleen Marie Zukowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before getting into my review I would like to point out that The Five Times I Met Myself is Christian Fiction. I did not know this going in to it and I wish I had, so I just wanted to make this known to other people. That being said, this did not bother me too much in the beginning of the books. The concept of the story, a man who visits his past self through his dreams by employing lucid dreaming, was very intriguing and creative. We all imagine what we would say to our younger selves if given the opportunity so in this book we get to experience it through someone else.

The book deals with the typical issues we have in life, mistakes with family, relationships, friends, etc. and what could have been if things were done differently throughout life. While I think this concept was great my main issue was that the book did not deal with the ramifications that would occur in the world from changing the past. Maybe this comes from me being a huge sci-fi nerd and having a history with time travel books but I feel like side effects of going back in time were left out in this book. I could not help but wonder the entire time how nothing was changing around him except his personal life. I guess if you are reading the book for the lesson this might not be a big deal but for me this was a huge deal and really affected my final opinion of the book.

Now I mentioned earlier that this is a Christian book. I am not Christian but I do not have a problem with reading books involving religion, as long as they do not get preachy and overdo it. Unfortunately, this book fell into the latter category. The entire time I was reading I felt like this book was trying to convince me of why I need to pray and be religious and it just became way too preachy for me and became hard to handle. Also, it got to a point where the book just seemed to be dragging. The cycle of dream - meet self - come back to present time - see the outcome seemed to happen too many times with much similarity.

If you are looking for a Christian Fiction book with a good concept and lesson behind it this might be a good book for you, unfortunately it just did not do it for me. While the idea was cool there were just too many things about it I did not enjoy and in the end I could not get past the lack of detail and ramifications when it came to time travel and changing the past. I wanted to give this book 2 ½ stars but with half stars not being a possibility I went with two.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite book by James Rubart had been his first book, Rooms, until now. "The Five Times I Met Myself" blew my socks off! I loved Brock and his adventure was nothing short of epic. I loved the twists and turns Rubart took me on, but most of all I loved the ending. This book entertained me and reminded me what is truly important in life.

If you enjoyed Rooms, then I think you'll love this one. If you enjoy books that stretch the imagination while giving you a message, then you will probably enjoy this one as well.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll start by saying any review I could write for this book could not possibly do it justice. The Five Times I Met Myself is truly life-changing fiction. It is now, by far, one of my favorite novels. The story is captivating, a real page-turner. I had trouble putting it down. This is one book I couldn't read fast enough, yet I didn't want it to end. The characters ring true and are nicely developed. Brock's story is powerful and beautifully told. His journey is definitely one that must be read by all.

[Loraine Nunley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. After reading this book, which was a page-turner pushing me to binge read, I had to sit and let all of it sink in. This is not a genre that I typically read so I was somewhat apprehensive as to whether or not I would enjoy it. I am so glad that I pushed past that apprehension. This was truly one of my favorite reads of the year. Full review is at my website: lorainenunley.com

I received this book complimentary in a giveaway. I was not required to give a review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.

[Summer]

Very mixed feelings. Might take me a bit to sort out.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! The author kept me intrigued continuously throughout this book as to what would happen next. And what a wonderful message. (Occasionally the timeline could be confusing but still a great read!)

[Rebecca Dehart Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story about the power of forgiveness and the ability to change. Inspired me to ponder on my own life and relationships.

[Mikeskinner · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is a fairly compelling story about a man, with regrets about his relationship with his dad, a bad relationship with his brother, and a failing marriage, who is given the chance to go back and give advise to himself as a younger person.

I mainly read non-fiction books. Perhaps this is the reason why I find myself somewhat of a snob when it comes to fiction literature - I only read a handful each year and I expect it to take me into another world, one where I am so engrossed in the narrative and characters that I am saddened when it is over. Unfortunately, Rubart's latest book did not accomplish that for me.

If you're looking for a decently interesting story that will keep the pages turning, The Five Times I Met Myself, might be worth your time. However, I found the narrative and characters both underdeveloped and unnecessarily complicated. The book spends the majority of the time taking the reader through a time-traveling experience fueled by the art of lucid dreaming. While there were interesting moments in the story, I couldn't help but think of the grandfather paradox the entire time. I was also never sure what the heart of the book was - the main characters relationship with his father, brother, business, or wife. The real let-down comes at the end where apparently none of it really mattered as it was all a trap-door into an altar call for a pseudo-stoicism version of Christianity. The book was best when it explored the concept of how small decisions in live have the ability to affect your future. The book was laborious when endless plot-lines where added, each more unlikely than the previous. The book was worst when it felt like a gimmick for an evangelistic presentation.

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

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brock is greatly disturbed by a dream that he keeps having of his late father. When he mentions this to his friend, his friend loans him a book on lucid dreaming. Brock finds that lucid dreaming can take him back to the past where the decisions he makes change the outcome of his future. Since he is having some difficulties in his marriage and business, he sets about to change the future by influencing his younger self. But it doesn't go as planned. He continues to meet with himself until he learns some valuable life lessons about the choices we make and how they effect the ones around us.

This book was a different take on time travel then what I've read in the past. It was an unusual set up for a thought provoking book. I enjoyed the style of writing and the visuals the author created. I didn't really connect with or care about the characters, but the plot was very intriguing. I finished the book and couldn't stop thinking about the life lessons the author brought out. The book has appeal and I would recommend it for the Christian element alone. For the casual reader who isn't into life lessons or Christian insight, the book might be a bit much. But for me it was entertaining as well as a jumping off point for some deep thinking.

I received this book free of charge from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.

[Cora · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was alright. The idea was good but the writing didn't seem to match up with the complexity of the plot. I don't necessarily need characters to be likable but they do need to have more substance than I felt these characters had. I really like the idea of going back in time, making a change in a life decision then seeing the end result of it. The idea is great but the book was rather boring at parts and annoying at others (like when the wife is complaining/ranting about her life - I'm a woman and felt she was just over the top and too whiny which I don't think was the intention). The dates were also a bit confusing as it goes back and forth in time but it's hard to remember how old he was in 2005, 2015, 2003, 1014, etc - maybe if they gave his age along with the date, that might have helped. there is a God/Christian/Spiritual element over the book but I wouldn't consider it a Christian book even though that played a rather big part in it. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book.

[Gretchen Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I was in a book group to discuss this book. I continue to think about it and can't shake it off. It's almost cross between Back to the Future and A Christmas Carol. While there are many points to discuss, what struck me is the power of regret. We can stew and fuss with our past mistakes while hope for a better future fades, or we can trust God. God can use our past while He works in our present, and thus we have hope, knowing He will be with us in whatever lies ahead in our future. This powerful message is wrapped up in this novel. It's a story of a middle-aged man who tries to change his present by visiting his younger self through dreams. Even though this premise didn't appeal to me, I couldn't put the book down. Yes, I had to give this five stars.

[John Randolph · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my mind, rare is a book worth rereading. Perhaps Grapes of Wrath, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I’ve added The Five Times I met Myself to that list. This intricately woven tale across time will rattle around in your head for quite a while. Many “what if” moments we all carry are beckoned to the surface, taken out, examined and put back on the shelf. Now when I look at the items on that shelf my perspective has changed. Well done James L. Rubart.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never, ever read a speculative fiction book my entire life. However, I won this book through a blog, and I put it in my TBR pile. After it won 2 Christy awards, I decided I needed to read it. What kind of advice would you give your younger self? Would it really change your life for the better? Can God take your mistakes to get you where he can use you? So many things to think about as a reader! James Rubart's The Five Times I Met Myself will change how you look at life, at your years, at your days...if you let it, the message might change your life. All I can say is WOW... And well deserved awards. Three more words: Go Read It!!

[Emiliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!
An absolutely thrilling journey through self discovery, and the final attainment of inner peace. Inner peace only attainable through total surrender to God, unbound forgiveness of both self and others, and putting all one can possibly put into loving as purely as one can possibly love!

[Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impressive story with a lot of message!

[Gretchen Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Five Times I Met Myself is brilliant story-telling that is anointed, raw, and touching from start to finish. One of James L. Rubart's best works yet!

[Alicia Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Five Times I Met Myself -

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and honestly thought that God might have had a hand in choosing this book for this time in my life. To me, the book was a mix of spiritual awakening, intentionally looking for and listening to God’s call through a ‘Back to the Future/Groundhog’s Day’ movie theme.

Like Brock, the book’s main character, I have wondered and have had multiple conversations with friends about the paths with which we travel. Have my choices directed me (or prohibited me) from the ‘something’ I’m meant to do and to be? I think the book will provide you, as it did me, insight into these thoughts... and the courage to live and honor God in today, in your today, the today that He has gifted you!

Ultimately the book kept taking my thoughts and heart to the song I’ve heard so often... Open the eyes of my heart.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy


... A very good read!!!!

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Right Book for the Right Moment in Time

James Rubart is one of my favorite authors. He is able to infuse the supernatural into the real world in the most believable way.
In the weirdest way, I was meant to read this story, at this moment. I've been wanting to read this book since it came out but have shuffled it around in my to be read pile. Until now. The very month I've been given the assignment in my church leadership class to write a letter to my younger self.
I am inspired by Brock's journey of meeting himself to make his life better and ultimately to become a better man.
I could not put this book down. So much to consider about what we can and cannot change and how God intervenes in our lives.