Manna: When You're Out of Options, God Will Provide

by Steve Farrar

Sometimes the wilderness is the only place God can get your undivided attention. Everyone finds himself or herself in a wilderness at some point: financial wildernesses, emotional wildernesses, relational wildernesses, health wildernesses, reputation wildernesses, failure wildernesses, unemployment wildernesses—the list goes on and on. In those moments, we are utterly dependent on God for well-timed help. If he doesn’t come through, we’re finished. For forty years, two million Israelites were in the wilderness, and God fed them supernaturally every morning with manna, teaching people who doubted him he can be trusted with everything they needed to survive. This is a lesson we need to learn too. In personal stories and applications of biblical lessons, Manna reveals how God specializes in making a way where there is no way . He proved it every day to the nation of Israel, never missing a day of being faithful. He was never late, and he was never early. He was always just in time. And he will be for you.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Self Help

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 9, 2016

About the author

Steve Farrar is the founder of Men’s Leadership Ministries. He holds a Master’s degree from Western Seminary, and an earned doctorate from Dallas Theological Seminary. Steve is the author of the best-selling book, Point Man: How a Man Can Lead His Family, God Built, Battle Ready, and True Courage. Steve Farrar resides in Texas with his family.

Reviews

[Carilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is by far one of the best, spiritually life changing books I have ever read. It challenged me that as God provided daily Manna to Israel in the desert, so too do I need to feast on the daily spiritual nourishment of the Word of God. I highly recommend this book. I am already planning to read it again, it is that rich with truth.

2024: Dito! Although it's been 6 years since I read this book and circumstances and lives have changed, the message is still as poignant and necessary as it was 6 years ago!

[Rocky Henriques · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a struggling believer, YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!
The subtitle is "When you're out of options, God will provide." This is exactly where I see myself in a few months as I near retirement. I found it on sale and ordered it from an online retailer. I waited for its arrival with great anticipation, even working to finish other books so I would be ready for it when it came. I can't remember EVER doing that before for any book. When it arrived, I immediately started reading it. I was not disappointed in the least. Given that Farrar's ministry has been to men, you could say this book was written for men, but not obviously so. Anyone would benefit, IMHO.

This is a book which totally delivers on the promise of the title/subtitle. In fact, it spoke to me so deeply that even before I finished it I went online and ordered five more copies for people I know who need its message as much as I did. I normally read with a highlighter, but I didn't this time--I didn't want the distraction. Now I intend to go back and read it again, this time much more slowly and with highlighter in hand. Again, if you are a struggling Christian, YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK.

[Star Gater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some stories never get old. Farrar places with examples Manna in our every day lives. Beautifully balanced with scripture, references, and personal insight.

I purchased from ChristianBooks.com, and found the audio on Hoopla. This was truly a nice text read along with the audio. I would gift this book.

My copy will be donated (space limitations). I love and am grateful the audio is on Hoopla and I can listen over and over.

[Rocky Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very very good read. Steve Farrah is a wonderful writer. Especially when it comes to discipline Christian Fathers, Husbands and men. I was inspired by the providence of the Lord and reminded to be a better disciple through the pages of this book. Pivoting my focus from the things of this world to eternal things of The Lord. Excellent book.

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manna,

What a great read! I highly recommend this book for anyone who feels like they are stuck in a desert or wilderness in their faith walk. Or even if you just want more encouragement along the way of your faith walk, to stay the course. It is uplifting in ways I never realized before and I hope you will consider this book for your own relationship with Christ.

[John D. Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Reminder, Most Encouraging!!

This book is such a great reminder that the Sovereign God is a real-time help (manna) in time of need.

I so enjoyed the charge and encouragement of the last two chapters regarding reading your Bible everyday so that I can be “manna” for my family.

[Jo Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

i should’ve read up on steve more before beginning and i would have understood he writes books specially to men. this was not an exception. if you can get past each reference and example being clearly made to a male, the message of the book is powerful.

[bruce davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

steve has spoken at Promise Keepers in the past. excellent speaker. does not equivocate. excellent read.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite cliche and weirdly written with the target audience being fathers

[Trevor Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent reminders during trying times.

[Colette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd give this 4.5 stars.
I knew nothing about this book or the author when I picked this off the shelf at the library. It just spoke to me. I ignored it. Then I went back and got it. It is just what I needed right now.

Manna = well-timed help from the Lord. I like how Farrar couched this discussion within the context of the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness. I am grateful for his emphasis on spending time in the scriptures every day. I have a renewed desire to do that more deliberately. To feast on the word, study it, ponder it more.

I am certainly not Farrar's target audience (being a woman who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while he runs a men's ministry), but I certainly gained from reading his thoughts. I felt inspired and directed as I read. I thank him for the truths he wrote, as well as the manner in which he wrote them.

"Manna" is the same concept as the "tender mercies of the Lord" that Nephi speaks of in The Book of Mormon. I am grateful to the Lord for leading me to a book that gives another perspective on the concept. It is a concept that brings thankfulness and joy. The Lord loves each of us so deeply and personally, now we need learn to recognize His hand in our lives. I love Farrar's call to read the Word, to be so familiar with it that we can recall it in times of despair (or in a wilderness). I have found renewed vigor for my daily devotions.

[Casey | Essentially Novel · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬.”

“𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦.”

Hardships, challenging times, difficult seasons, struggles, painful moments - none of us want to experience this, but often in our imperfect world, perhaps more frequently as of late, these things happen and it’s not necessarily anything we’ve done to cause it.

What I appreciated about this book was the honesty behind not only acknowledging our trials, and letting us feel our emotions, but also the reminder of our hope in Christ. Even when things go wrong, like with Job and Joseph in the Old Testament, God still is present, He is working things out, and He uses what we see as the things to not be grateful for as tools to bring about something better. Farrar dives into the definition of manna and provision, offering Scriptural foundation to support.

My only downside is that this book is written more specifically to fathers/husbands, so some of the terminology the author uses is exclusive. For example, I skipped one chapter because it was only directed to fathers and I’m a single woman. In the end, I liked the deeper approach to the term “manna” and what provision can look like in our lives. I only wish Farrar wrote to a wider audience.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book about God's provision for us when we are in a wilderness in our lives, and we all go through it at some point (and often more than once). Here are a few quotes to think about:

Regarding the Israelites in the wilderness, "Manna was God's supernatural provision that came down from heaven just in the nick of time every single day for forty years. It was a daily, sufficient, constant supply of God's provision. And it told every day of His limitless power and perfect faithfulness" (p. 9).

"Why does God take you through these trials and struggles?...Because He wants to train you. Because He wants to develop you. Because He wants to mature your faith in Him" (p. 177).

"You and I tend to live like He owes us prosperity and blessing We'd love for Him to bless our plans, but rarely do we bother to inquire of Him as to what His plan might be" (p. 210).

The book also addresses our heart problem, when we whine and complain because we don't get our way or we're going through a trial, a struggle, an illness, anything that isn't according to "our plan", and how to rightly bring our grievances to the Lord. It's a matter of having the right perspective, attitude, heart for God.

[Jason Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of Biblical encouragement that has some very practical reminders and challenges that God is aware and will provide. At times some of his stories might venture to a place where you wonder if that would happen to you, but his honesty and vulnerability outshine that. I read this book at a unique time in my personal life, so the truth in it really spoke to my soul and heart in a needed and major way. I'm reminded that if God can provide manna for over 2 million people daily for 40 years, how committed He is to care for His own. I found myself underlining quite a lot in this book and was challenged deeply about the power of Scripture, especially in the context of seeing His Word as His provision for me daily.

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars - interesting book - some very good points. Some sections that were repeated, but still well a read. The part the hit home the most - the section on the sin of complaining...

Second read through and enjoyed it more - still some repeats, and still well worth a read

[Joey Hay]

Steve Farrar breaks Scripture down to everyday living with practical and applicable lessons for everyday life. This is a great read teaching about God’s provision in life.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a refreshing reminder that God provides regardless of circumstance.

[Charissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amazing. I didn't agree with every word in it, but it was truly "manna" for my soul (no pun intended). Even though it was directed towards men, almost everything in it applies to both men and women. The chapter, "His Time, His Timing" was incredibly rich for me, but the whole thing is worth reading from cover to cover.

Here's on of my favorite quotes:

"So often we are waiting and wondering why God hasn’t answered our pressing need. God never sends us a deliverance that is green. When He answers, His provision is not only right, it is ripe.

A premature deliverance is not what is best. He knows what He is doing in your life. A well-timed deliverance is all about timing–never early and never too late. Just in time.

If the Lord is taking time, it is to do you more good. And you have to trust Him with that. It will be there. Manna is always there. Right on time. But right on God’s time." – Steve Farrar