The Bench Ain’t Bad, the third book in the Kids Don’t Build Boats series, invites readers to spend time with the narrator-Jacob-as he recounts the ups and downs of his business experiences and personal life. By telling about the successes, failures, and moments in which God worked in the marriage of Jacob and Marjorie, the husband-and-wife writing team of David E. Plante and Lorraine M. Plante uses the ordinary details of the lives of the book’s protagonists to focus on enduring truths and their capacity to change lives.

Set in the mid 1960s, The Bench Ain’t Bad follows Jacob and Marjorie as they and their two children move from New Hampshire to Southern California. They hope that relocating will increase their chances for satisfying growth in their professional lives. Discovering that new times require new ways of building careers, they seek to advance. Along the way, Jacob discovers that he can focus both on helping others and on living in accordance with God’s Word, pleasing Him and positioning everyone to enjoy divine blessings. Jacob also learns that sometimes God asks His followers to wait; these times on the bench mark moments of quiet spiritual growth.

If you find yourself wondering how to balance the pursuit of a rewarding career with obedience to God’s calling for your life, then The Bench Ain’t Bad will open up its pages for you and share Jacob and Marjorie’s story as they seek the same balance of a faithful life.