Publication Date: November 15, 2019
Have you ever felt stuck? If so, you are not alone. As a 36-year-old wife, mother, and corporate executive, Dena Jansen’s life looked successful by society’s standards. But she found herself at an intersection—stranded at a real-life crossroads in her life.
Over a matter of years, darkness and doubt slowly crept in, leaving her unsure and unsettled in her life, marriage, and career. And after stalling out multiple times and nearly wrecking everything, she finally grabbed hold of a life-saving truth:She had a choice to make. She could stay stuck, or she could try and find new roads that would lead to the peace and joy she was looking for.With a glimmer of hope, Dena embraced the gifts of curiosity and grace and began a journey of self-discovery. And she chose to believe in a new truth:
She was meant for more and could no longer settle.
In Road to Hope, Dena invites you to join her as she wanders the roads she traveled and take anything you need from her story to help you in yours. She shares how she grew from a woman who doubted her path to one who is confident and ready for the next adventure. And she wants you to experience a similar shift. And more than that, she believes you can.
I will kick off this review of Road to Hope by Dena Jansen by gushing over the cover. Gorgeous! The color palette is soothing and the image of the open sky and road is the epitome of an inspirational journey. Even the font used has that distinct inspirational look to it. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Take a stroll through the inspirational or spiritual aisle next time you’re at Barnes and Noble and you will see variations of this style of font.
Truthfully speaking, I was a little wary of this book when I was only a few chapters in. I felt like Jansen was pitching her new business model right at me and I was worried that the rest of the book would continue with overused mantras mixed with subtle hints to check out her website. I can assure you that this is not what happens and this book really dives deep. As Jansen shares her journey of introspection and sometimes brutal revelations, you might find yourself standing before a mirror and asking questions like, “Who am I really?” and “What do I want?” as well. I found it refreshing that, for most of the book, Jansen didn’t have any answers for those questions. She truly walks us through her journey, every twist, every pitfall, and the intimate details of each pit stop. I admire her ability to recall how she felt at different moments along the way and her honesty about how her answer would change as she realized that she had changed.
I often feel like inspirational books written by Christian authors gloss over their own un-Christianly behavior. I was surprised and very much appreciative of Jansen’s candor when writing about her mistakes and a very close call. She is fortunate to have people in her life who keep her accountable for her actions. We should all be so lucky to have someone who cares enough about us to tell us when we are wrong and how to make things right with the people we love. And if we do have someone like that, we need to make sure to check in and make sure we stay on course.
Jansen uses some really great metaphors and I was tickled to find that I’m not the only person who reads meaning into a particular song that plays at just the right moment or a written passage that floats right to you when you need it most. And to be quite honest, this book came at the right time in my life. I have been itching to find what I really love to do. A happenstance discovery of old emails made me realize that my husband has been in the same limbo for over 10 years now. He doesn’t devour books the way that I do, but he enjoys my recaps immensely. I plan on sharing this one with him so that it might help him embark on his own journey. In the name of stability, I might need to be the check-in point should he decide to set off and find a new path. Once he’s found his way though, it will be my turn to explore.
Definitely read this book if you feel like you need to make a change in your life. Read this book if you’re scared of the unknown and need encouragement. Give this book to someone that might need reminding that life is all about the journey not the destination. Bon voyage.
Dena Jansen’s calling to lift others up is profoundly personal. She understands the fears and doubts that hold people back because she has them too. Her own path to fulfillment is a real-life journey that’s still very much in progress. As a CPA and retired partner from Austin-based CPA firm Maxwell Locke & Ritter, she launched Dena Speaks to inspire potential seeking individuals and businesses. Dena shares life and love with her husband, JP, and their two children, Trace, and Elizabeth in Buda, Texas. She loves romantic comedy movies, listening to podcasts, and spending time with her family and friends.
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