"A gap decade isn't a cute whim of a decision to take a pause and travel to Italy for a few months. Nah. A gap decade is a cluster of challenging, transitional years that the universe just dumps in your lap. And my lap. And prettymuch everyone's lap. It's that twilight zone between 'young person' and 'full-blown adult' that sort of washes in, bringing with it a bit of chaos, growth, and self-discovery. It is a few years of flailing around, trying to figure out what the heckis happening as you move from not old to kinda old. From young adult to adult adult."

The gap decade is that sometimes difficult transitional season young adults face in their twenties and early thirties. In this quirky and honest chronicle, Katie Schnack names the awkward realities of living in that gap between adolescence and adulthood. She and her husband go on an unpredictable journey through a decade of never-ending transitions as they make multiple moves across five states, face jobinterviews and tax returns, and go through anxiety, loss, pregnancy, and countless episodes of The Office.* Along the way, Schnack explores the common experiences of these young adulting years: The uncertainty of waiting when you're stuck and don't know what steps to take. Learning to trust in God's provision when you are broke like a joke. Admitting your need for help when panic attacks strike. And discovering a life full of grace and joys that can't be ordered via two-day delivery.

*Katie has binged all nine seasons of The Office—four times. Don't do the math about how many hours of TV that is. She doesn't want to know.



Katie Schnack is a writer and book publicist. Her articles have appeared in Relevant, Today.com, Hello Giggles, Romper, and Scary Mommy. Katie and her family live in West Palm Beach, Florida, and she is the author of The Gap Decade: When You're Technically an Adult but Really Don't Feel Like it Yet.



Prologue: Mind the Gap



Part One: The Waiting Game

1. Seasons of Waiting Are Hard

2. While You Wait, Eat Nachos and Hug Your Friends



Part Two: #Werk

3. It Is Okay to Change Your Mind.It Is Not Okay to Throw a Stapler Across the Office

4. God Didn't Unfollow You on Social Media

5. Embrace the Stuck



Part Three: Adulting Real Hard, Folks

6. Celebrate Tax Day (Yeah, You Read That Right)

7.Shut the Cupboards, Girl. But If You Forget, That's Okay Too

8. Getting Healthy Is Cool, I Guess



Part Four: Contentment and Peace

9. Make Peace with Your Roots. Hometown Roots, Not Hair Roots

10. Go Buy a WhitePlate at the Dollar Store

11. Learn to Leave the Past in the Past. Even If It Involves Christmas Cookies Being Less Delicious



Part Five: Marriage + Friendships

12. Making Marriage Work in a 400 Sq. Foot Apartment

13. Learn to Trust God's Provision When You Are Broke Like a Joke

14. Wait for God to Open the Door for You. Even If It Is a Different Door Than You Expected



Part Six: Mental Mental Health, Y'all

15. Say Hi to theOld Lady on the Porch

16. Free Yourself from the Shame Around Mental Health. Because Who Has Time for Shame Anymore

17. It Is Okay to See a Therapist. Bonus Points If Your Therapist May Be a Magical Ancient Wizard



Part Seven:Growing a Human Being

18. Sometimes You Try to Grow a Baby but Grow a Mustache Instead

19. You Can Be a Mom and Still Wear a Bikini (or Not). You Do You, Babe

20. Sometimes You Accidentally Have a Pink Thong Hanging Out of YourShorts

21. Hey—You Can Do This!



Epilogue: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Acknowledgments

Discussion Questions