The Long Work of God

Faith Formed Over Decades, Not Moments

The Long Work of God is a reflective journey through faith formed not in moments of intensity, but over decades of living, loving, losing, and remaining faithful.

Drawing on a lifetime of parish ministry, prison work, hospice chaplaincy, marriage, suffering, and accompaniment, Geoffrey Schmitt explores how God patiently shapes the human heart through ordinary days, detours, limits, and quiet endurance. Rather than offering quick answers or dramatic conversions, this book honors a slower, deeper formation—one marked by presence rather than proof.

Through personal stories and pastoral insight, the book traces a path from early certainty to mature trust: faith softened by suffering, strengthened by limits, and ultimately expressed not in argument but in love lived out. From prison tables to hospice bedsides, from raising a grandson to learning how to let go, Schmitt shows how God’s work continues even when faith feels fragile—like embers hidden beneath ash.

The Long Work of God is written for those who feel unfinished, weary, or slower than they expected to be. It offers reassurance that God is not in a hurry—and that His most faithful work often happens quietly, over time.