Embrace Your Almost by Jordan Lee Dooley

There’s something about waiting seasons that can make time feel heavy. You pray, you plan, you hope—and yet life seems to stall somewhere between what was and what’s supposed to be next. That’s exactly where I was when I picked up Embrace Your Almost by Jordan Lee Dooley.

I didn’t expect it to hit as deeply as it did. But from the first few pages, it felt like someone had handed me language for all the quiet disappointments and delayed dreams I had been carrying. Jordan’s words didn’t rush me out of that space—they met me there.

If you’ve ever lived through an “almost”—an almost job offer, an almost opportunity, an almost answered prayer—you know the ache of it. It can feel like your life is always one step short of the finish line.

Jordan gently reminds us that “almost” isn’t failure. It’s formation. It’s the space where God shapes our character, teaches us surrender, and writes the parts of our story we didn’t even know we needed.

She shares her own experiences of loss, redirection, and uncertainty with such honesty that it feels less like reading a book and more like talking with a friend who truly gets it.

One of the things that changed my perspective the most was how Jordan talks about success.

In a world that praises progress and arrival, she reframes success as faithfulness. Faithfulness in showing up, in trusting God, and in staying present—especially when the outcome doesn’t look like what we expected.

There’s a line in the book that I’ll never forget:

“Sometimes God’s greatest gifts are found in what He withholds.”

That sentence stopped me. Because sometimes, His “not yet” is actually a gentle “I have something better.”

During my own season of waiting, Embrace Your Almost became more than a book—it became a companion. I found myself underlining pages, sitting with reflection questions, and whispering prayers I didn’t even know I still had in me.

It helped me see that waiting isn’t wasted time. It’s sacred space. It’s where God refines our hearts, redirects our steps, and reminds us that our worth was never in the outcome—it’s in Him.

If you’re in an “almost” season—between jobs, between answers, between where you were and where you want to be—please read this book.

Jordan’s words won’t promise quick fixes, but they’ll give you something far more meaningful: hope, perspective, and peace right in the middle of it all.

Because maybe “almost” isn’t the end of the story. Maybe it’s just where God is preparing you for what’s next.

📖 Favorite Quote:

“Even when life doesn’t look like you thought it would, you can still live it well.”

💛 Why I Loved It: It reminded me that the middle seasons can still be holy.

🌿 Perfect For: Anyone waiting, wondering, or needing a gentle reminder that God is still working.

Jordan Lee Dooley's website: https://jordanleedooley.com