About the Book

Book: Walking with Jesus

Author: Troy A. Waugh

Genre: Non-Fiction

Release Date: Feb, 2020

When God spoke to Troy Waugh saying, “I want you to walk the Natchez Trace,” he obeyed.

Never mind that he wasn’t young anymore—he would be seventy at the completion of the 444 mile walk. Never mind that the thirty-five-day walk would be far above his physical capabilities and experience. Never mind that this was Mississippi—in the summer.

Taking the challenge, Waugh uses the time to slow down and reflect on his life—his upbringing, his relationships, his struggles with workaholism—and to raise awareness for a homeless ministry. More than a travelogue, this is a journey into the soul of a man learning to walk with the Lord daily. His reflections will inspire others to reach for and accomplish their own difficult goals.

I believe my walk on the Natchez Trace was God’s method of shaking me loose from the regrets of my past and firming up my spiritual belief system so I could walk into the future closer to Jesus.

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MY REVIEW

I long to spend time alone with Jesus and sit in His presence. I want deep conversations with Him and have Him show me what I need to change in my life. When I saw this book I was intrigued because I wanted to see what this person experienced as he walked along with the One who loves us unconditionally. Troy begins a journey that will change his way of thinking and set him free from past hurts and regrets. When He heard clearly what Jesus had called him to do, I decided to walk with him . Well not physically, but nevertheless I walked with him as his journey unfolded.

I liked how open the author is as he examines his life. He does something I have a bad habit of doing. Like Troy, I speak over people without letting them finish their thoughts. “Not hearing someone out is the height of disrespect.” Yes I’m guilty of that and I know God has been dealing with me on this subject for years. I’m afraid if I don’t speak up I will forget what I want to say. Really it is that I am afraid people won’t listen to me. But all the times I interrupted others, what was God saying to me through them?

I liked how the author shared his relationships with his wife and family in a way that lets us look at a man with flaws that is always striving to be better. I especially liked the subject about churches. I have learned they can be judgmental, cliquish and even rude. Wouldn’t it be nice to go back to the days where everyone was there to worship God, receive a word from Him and leave with a renewed heart? As I walked with Troy on his journey I started to see what Jesus was showing him.

God loves us unconditionally. He never falters and He never leaves us. Do we share that kind of love for others? Do we love our neighbors as ourselves? Would we lend a hand to someone in need, or walk away thinking I don’t have time? The deeper the book became, the more I realized I needed to make changes in my own life. The author lists ten Christian Disciplines that I found encouraging. Do I do each one of them each day? No, but I have a desire to be closer to Him. I want to feel that love that only He can give and I want to only obey His guidance.

There is so much to glean from this book and I appreciate the author sharing his journey. I want to take a journey and be with Jesus. I need Him to whisper I am loved. His correction is welcomed and my past needs to be in the past. I want to take a new step in the direction where my hurt, abandonment and anxiety is gone. I believe I have started that journey by reading this book and allowing God to begin to show me where my walk will begin.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

About the Author

Troy Waugh is a CPA with an MBA from the University of Southern California. A mentor with Mission Development International, he helps leaders of Christian nonprofits achieve God’s vision in their lives and their organizations. The retired founder, former president, and CEO of The Rainmaker Academy, a training program for CPAs, is also the author of several books, and he lives with his wife, Sheryl, in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee.

More from Troy

Please join me on a spiritual journey along the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee. This book relates a journey of spiritual renewal and rediscovery. While it does describe what I encountered on this historic parkway, this is not a hiking or nature book. It is about my walk with Jesus and how He has loved me even during the times I may have strayed from Him.

In 2014 I experienced a deepening of my relationship with Jesus like no other. This book is about that cleansing and invigorating experience. My prayer is that you, too, will feel God’s love for you and you will recommit yourself to loving Jesus.

These thirty-one chapters are based upon notes from the daily journal I kept throughout the hike. Each of the days is unique, and each day God revealed Himself to me in a different way.

I trust your spirit will be renewed as I share some of my experiences of angels’ visits, hearing the audible voice of God, the move of the Holy Spirit, a shocking suicide, the miracle of a change in the climate, and the renewed life that comes from turning your life over to God.