Book Review: Stuck: Navigating the Transitions of Life and Leadership by Terry Walling

Overview—Give a brief overview of the book, including its theme, perspective and approach.

Building on the work of Robert Clinton, Walling focuses on helping the reader to recognize and navigate through times of transitions in his life. Walling first defines a transition as, “...the in-between time in the life development of a Christ follower. In a transition, individuals consolidate past learning, process issues of character, deepen convictions and values, and are prepared for the the next phase of their development. Transitions bring closure to the past in order to move forward to the next stage of personal development.” He then leads the reader through the “Life Cycle” of a transition: 1) Entry, 2) Evaluation, 3) Alignment, and 4) Direction. He targets three main transitions (awakening, deciding, and maturing) carefully placing each transitions on the timeline of one’s life. Walling concludes with a section on getting the most out of each transition. Walling approaches the subject from a Christian perspective informed by leadership theory and life experiences.

Critique—Offer a brief critique of the book, including elements of strength and weakness.

There is much to like about Stuck. I found myself identifying with the thoughts and feelings associated with the various stages. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, therefore the reader will benefit from anticipating upcoming transition periods in his life so he can recognize the confusion and doubts that inevitably accompany each transition. Also, the sections of reflection questions offer the reader opportunities to go deeper into the concepts Walling introduces. He is very hopeful for those who may realize they are stuck in transition due to a robust view of the benevolent sovereignty of God.

By way of critique, I have to question the “one size fits all” approach to transitions. I can think of many leader’s lives that just don’t fit the timeline or transition cycle. I realize that the author is using broad strokes, but Stuck would have benefited from more case studies and examples. I liked the big idea and resonated with its themes, but I am going to need more buy-in to be moved by this paradigm.

Application—Offer some specific application to your own ministry— demonstrating the value and relevance of the material in this book.

To be honest, I feel I would have benefited more if I had taken the time to thoughtfully work through the reflection sections at the end of each chapter. However, I also got the impression that this journey would be best transversed with a coach or mentor who could bring an objective perspective. I do plan to revisit the section on the life-cycle of transition to discern where I might be on that continuum. I also look forward to Dr. Walling’s class to flesh out some of the details in this.

Best Quote—Be sure to include the page number where the quote can be found.

p.106 “A sovereign mind-set believes that there is an ultimate, God-ordained purpose for our lives, whether seen or unseen. It believes that God is active, not passive. Regarding a Christ follower’s development, a sovereign mind-set believes that God can use life to shape life. It believes that a Christ follower can live a life of destiny. Each life in God’s economy is part of an ultimate grand narrative. It is about taking the deep theological truth of sovereignty, and making it immensely practical.”