In What’s Next? Navigating Transitions to Make the Rest of Your Life Count, the concept of life transition is dealt with through the lens of pastor and marriage/family therapist H. Norman Wright. Wright defines a transition as “a bridge between two different stages of life.” The one major principle that Wright leans on throughout the book is the fact that transition and change will happen. The manner in which the individual deals with the transition and its effects will determine the outcome and success of that transition.

Wright brings to the attention of the reader many of the transitions we may face in our lifetimes. He writes about transitions such as marriage, parenting, children leaving home, children returning home, loss of loved ones, aging, retirement, death of a spouse, and finding peace in each one. Across the sixteen chapters, Wright walks through these transitions giving the reader the steps to successfully navigating each. I found the chapters on “The Never-Ending Seasons of Parenting” (Chapter Three), “The Empty Nest” (Chapter Five), and “The Second Half of Marriage” (Chapter Six), and to be very informative. I have been married almost twenty years with a son who is about to finish his freshman year of high school. These chapters dealt with the topics I am looking at in life.

This book is not an exhaustive look at transitions. A book could be written about each chapter. Through the use of personal experiences, the right amount of statistical data, and biblical insight, Wright has penned a great book that serves, I believe, as a starter for further study, introspection, and understanding of the periods of change in our lives. While the intended audience seems to be those married and with children, there is still great and useful insight for those of every stage of life. A very timely and necessary book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”