
It Is What You Make of It
Creating Something Great from What You’ve Been Given
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $15.29
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Justin McRoberts
-
By:
-
Justin McRoberts
About this listen
Dare to move beyond “it is what it is” thinking and become an agent of love and redemption in your household, neighborhood, and workplace.
“It is what it is” - a common phrase you hear and maybe even say yourself. But the truth is that there is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence that simply is what it is. Justin McRoberts invites you to embrace a new mindset: it is what you make of it.
With warmth, wisdom, and humor, McRoberts shares key moments from his twenty-plus years as an artist, church planter, pastor, singer-songwriter, author, neighbor, and father, passing on lessons and practices learned about making something good from what we’ve been given rather than simply accepting things as they are.
Thought-provoking but actionable, It Is What You Make of It declares that love doesn’t just win, mercy doesn’t just triumph, and light doesn’t just cast out shadow. Rather, such renewal requires the work of human hands and hearts committed to a vision of a world made right (or at least a little better). When we partner with God in these endeavors, we love the world well and honor the Creator in whose image we are made.
We will not be remembered for who our parents were or where we were born or what our socioeconomic circumstances were. We won’t be remembered for our natural talents and strengths or the opportunities we were given or the challenges we faced. In the end, each of us will be remembered for what we made with what we were given.
Reflection questions are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2021 Justin McRoberts (P)2021 Thomas NelsonListeners also enjoyed...
-
Sacred Strides
- The Journey to Belovedness in Work and Rest
- By: Justin McRoberts
- Narrated by: Justin McRoberts
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his two decades working as a full-time artist and spiritual guide, Justin McRoberts has experienced first-hand the tension between "The Hustle" and "Self Care." In recent years, that conversation has turned to argument as people have suggested that one is more important than the other. But Justin disagrees entirely with such a one-sided approach. In this book, he uses humorous and poignant stories to help listeners discover the deep truths about us being laborers for/with Christ, empowered by the Spirit, as well as worshipers of God the Father.
By: Justin McRoberts
-
Building a Non-Anxious Life
- By: Dr. John Delony
- Narrated by: Dr. John Delony
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dr. John Delony decided to get to the root of the issue by mapping out a plan to understand where our anxiety is coming from and the actions we can take to change it (because he's been there too). Over the past 20 years, he's learned through research, personal experience, and walking alongside countless others that there are six daily choices people have to make to create a non-anxious life.
-
-
This Book Made Me More Anxious
- By Titus Gee on 09-30-23
By: Dr. John Delony
-
Own Your Past Change Your Future
- A Not-So-Complicated Approach to Relationships, Mental Health & Wellness
- By: Dr. John Delony
- Narrated by: Dr. John Delony
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. Your thoughts and actions will be challenged. And if you take the steps John outlines, you’ll learn how to leave the past where it belongs and get on the path to healing.
-
-
I love Dr. John Delony but...
- By Stef on 05-12-22
By: Dr. John Delony
-
Switch on Your Brain
- The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health
- By: Dr. Caroline Leaf
- Narrated by: Joyce Bean
- Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You are not a victim of your biology! The vast majority of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about truly affects us both physically and emotionally. Today our culture is undergoing an epidemic of toxic thoughts that, left unchecked, create ideal conditions for illnesses. Supported by current scientific and medical research, Dr. Caroline Leaf gives you a prescription for better health and wholeness through correct thinking patterns.
-
-
SAMPLE! couldn't get past the voice of the narrator. Credit wasted.
- By Kaci D on 10-27-15
-
Redefining Anxiety
- What It Is, What It Isn't, and How to Get Your Life Back
- By: Dr. John Delony
- Narrated by: Dr. John Delony
- Length: 1 hr and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While mental health is complex, our culture has made anxiety into something it’s not. For the majority of people who face anxiety, the truth is simpler than we think: Anxiety is an alarm. It’s a signal — nothing more and nothing less. Anxiety is simply our body’s way of telling us something is wrong. If we stop and listen, we can calm the alarm and move forward into healing and hope.
-
-
Fantastic Explanation and Treatment for anxiety
- By Becky on 03-23-21
By: Dr. John Delony
-
Say Yes
- Discover the Surprising Life Beyond the Death of a Dream
- By: Scott Erickson
- Narrated by: Scott Erickson
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Do you sometimes wonder what happened to the life you dreamed you'd have? Say Yes by storyteller and artist Scott Erickson is a profound, unique meditation on the three arguments of The Voice of Giving Up and the three mental health and spiritual practices that can help you fall in love with your life again.
-
-
Inspirational
- By Janie Ford on 05-31-23
By: Scott Erickson
-
Sacred Strides
- The Journey to Belovedness in Work and Rest
- By: Justin McRoberts
- Narrated by: Justin McRoberts
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his two decades working as a full-time artist and spiritual guide, Justin McRoberts has experienced first-hand the tension between "The Hustle" and "Self Care." In recent years, that conversation has turned to argument as people have suggested that one is more important than the other. But Justin disagrees entirely with such a one-sided approach. In this book, he uses humorous and poignant stories to help listeners discover the deep truths about us being laborers for/with Christ, empowered by the Spirit, as well as worshipers of God the Father.
By: Justin McRoberts
-
Building a Non-Anxious Life
- By: Dr. John Delony
- Narrated by: Dr. John Delony
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dr. John Delony decided to get to the root of the issue by mapping out a plan to understand where our anxiety is coming from and the actions we can take to change it (because he's been there too). Over the past 20 years, he's learned through research, personal experience, and walking alongside countless others that there are six daily choices people have to make to create a non-anxious life.
-
-
This Book Made Me More Anxious
- By Titus Gee on 09-30-23
By: Dr. John Delony
-
Own Your Past Change Your Future
- A Not-So-Complicated Approach to Relationships, Mental Health & Wellness
- By: Dr. John Delony
- Narrated by: Dr. John Delony
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. Your thoughts and actions will be challenged. And if you take the steps John outlines, you’ll learn how to leave the past where it belongs and get on the path to healing.
-
-
I love Dr. John Delony but...
- By Stef on 05-12-22
By: Dr. John Delony
-
Switch on Your Brain
- The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health
- By: Dr. Caroline Leaf
- Narrated by: Joyce Bean
- Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You are not a victim of your biology! The vast majority of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about truly affects us both physically and emotionally. Today our culture is undergoing an epidemic of toxic thoughts that, left unchecked, create ideal conditions for illnesses. Supported by current scientific and medical research, Dr. Caroline Leaf gives you a prescription for better health and wholeness through correct thinking patterns.
-
-
SAMPLE! couldn't get past the voice of the narrator. Credit wasted.
- By Kaci D on 10-27-15
-
Redefining Anxiety
- What It Is, What It Isn't, and How to Get Your Life Back
- By: Dr. John Delony
- Narrated by: Dr. John Delony
- Length: 1 hr and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While mental health is complex, our culture has made anxiety into something it’s not. For the majority of people who face anxiety, the truth is simpler than we think: Anxiety is an alarm. It’s a signal — nothing more and nothing less. Anxiety is simply our body’s way of telling us something is wrong. If we stop and listen, we can calm the alarm and move forward into healing and hope.
-
-
Fantastic Explanation and Treatment for anxiety
- By Becky on 03-23-21
By: Dr. John Delony
-
Say Yes
- Discover the Surprising Life Beyond the Death of a Dream
- By: Scott Erickson
- Narrated by: Scott Erickson
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Do you sometimes wonder what happened to the life you dreamed you'd have? Say Yes by storyteller and artist Scott Erickson is a profound, unique meditation on the three arguments of The Voice of Giving Up and the three mental health and spiritual practices that can help you fall in love with your life again.
-
-
Inspirational
- By Janie Ford on 05-31-23
By: Scott Erickson
-
The Awe of God
- The Astounding Way a Healthy Fear of God Transforms Your Life
- By: John Bevere
- Narrated by: John Bevere
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Do you long for an intimate relationship with your Creator, but He seems elusive? Perhaps it is because something utterly essential is missing—the fear of the Lord. Don’t let this frighten you. Fearing God is very different than being afraid of God. It’s the key to everything.
-
-
Oh God how we need the Fear of the Lord!
- By Michelle L on 03-17-23
By: John Bevere
-
Undistracted
- Capture Your Purpose. Rediscover Your Joy.
- By: Bob Goff
- Narrated by: Bob Goff
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Through the pithy and inspiring storytelling that has endeared him to millions, New York Times bestselling author Bob Goff invites you to laugh with more gusto, dream with more confidence, and love with more intention in this disarming call to live Undistracted. Bob's stories are like the rumble strips on the road that make you suddenly alert to how far you have drifted from your lane. From visiting friends in San Quentin to accidentally getting into a stalker's car at the airport to establishing Uganda's first space program, Bob shows you the way back to an audaciously attentive life.
-
-
For a very specific demographic
- By Melissa Wood on 03-16-22
By: Bob Goff
-
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
- How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World
- By: John Mark Comer, John Ortberg - foreword
- Narrated by: John Mark Comer, Kris Koscheski
- Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"Who am I becoming?" That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren’t pretty. So, he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words: "Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life." It wasn’t the response he expected, but it was - and continues to be - the answer he needs. Within this audiobook, you’ll find a fascinating road map to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.
-
-
Pedantic and Patronizing
- By Hannah Raveling on 08-06-20
By: John Mark Comer, and others
-
Beholding
- Deepening Our Experience in God
- By: Strahan Coleman, John Mark Comer -Foreword
- Narrated by: Strahan Coleman, John Mark Comer -Foreword
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How can time with God be a source of peace in a loud and distracting world? In Beholding, spiritual director and poet Strahan Coleman invites listeners to discover the joy of being with God, not just working for Him. As they inhabit the art of resting in God’s presence, prayer becomes not only a place of seeking, but becoming.
-
-
rest for your souls
- By shayla on 06-22-23
By: Strahan Coleman, and others
-
Dream Big
- Know What You Want, Why You Want It, and What You’re Going to Do About It
- By: Bob Goff
- Narrated by: Bob Goff
- Length: 5 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Find and reach your biggest dreams. Bob Goff, the New York Times best-selling author of Love Does and Everybody, Always, is on a mission to help you recapture the version of your lives you dreamed about before fear started calling the shots. He wants you to dream big.
-
-
This is lot of religious stuff
- By Chris D. on 06-30-20
By: Bob Goff
-
Manhood
- The Masculine Virtues America Needs
- By: Josh Hawley
- Narrated by: Josh Hawley
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A free society that despises manhood will not remain free. The American Founders believed that a republic depends on certain masculine virtues. Senator Josh Hawley thinks they were right. In a bold new book, he calls on American men to stand up and embrace their God-given responsibility as husbands, fathers, and citizens.
-
-
A Great Biblical History of the World
- By Paul Darafeev on 07-03-23
By: Josh Hawley
-
Honest Advent
- Awakening to the Wonder of God-with-Us Then, Here, and Now
- By: Scott Erickson
- Narrated by: Scott Erickson, Tyra Kennedy, Morgan Harper Nichols
- Length: 2 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Has the joy of the holiday season become painfully dissonant with the hard edges of life? Do you feel weary from the way Christmas has become a polished, predictable brand? You aren't alone. For too many of us, Christmas has lost its wonder. What if we stopped treating the Christmas story as something that happened a long time ago and started believing that it's a story that's still happening today?
-
-
Delightful
- By Brian Willis on 12-21-20
By: Scott Erickson
-
Soundtracks
- The Surprising Solution to Overthinking
- By: Jon Acuff
- Narrated by: Jon Acuff
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Overthinking isn't a personality trait. It's the sneakiest form of fear. It steals time, creativity, and goals. It's the most expensive, least productive thing companies invest in without even knowing it. And it's an epidemic. When New York Times best-selling author Jon Acuff changed his life by transforming his overthinking, he wondered if other people might benefit from what he discovered. He commissioned a research study to ask 10,000 people if they struggle with overthinking too, and 99.5 percent said, "Yes!"
-
-
Overthinking: Superpower > Superproblem
- By Marshall Coleman on 04-28-21
By: Jon Acuff
-
Where Do I Begin?
- Stories (I Sort of Remember) from a Life Lived Out Loud
- By: Elvis Duran, Andy Barr - contributor
- Narrated by: Elvis Duran
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Elvis Duran’s nationally syndicated radio program, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, is America’s most listened-to Top 40 morning show and one of the 10 most listened-to programs in all of radio, heard live by nearly 10 million people every morning. But his success didn’t happen overnight. Elvis spent years navigating the wild world of radio as a DJ for hire, working (and partying) in markets around the country before taking over the morning shift at the legendary Z100 in 1996. Over the last 20 years, he has become one of New York City’s signature voices.
-
-
Wheres the juice Elvis?!
- By MiRanda on 10-15-19
By: Elvis Duran, and others
-
I Take My Coffee Black
- Reflections on Tupac, Musical Theater, Faith, and Being Black in America
- By: Tyler Merritt, Jimmy Kimmel - foreword
- Narrated by: Jimmy Kimmel, Tyler Merritt, James Iglehart, and others
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tyler Merritt's video "Before You Call the Cops" has been viewed millions of times. He's appeared on Jimmy Kimmel and Sports Illustrated and has been profiled in the New York Times. The viral video's main point - the more you know someone, the more empathy, understanding, and compassion you have for that person - is the springboard for this book. By sharing his highs and exposing his lows, Tyler welcomes us into his world in order to help bridge the divides that seem to grow wider every day.
-
-
Beautiful message and a social game changer
- By Marie on 11-07-21
By: Tyler Merritt, and others
-
No Pain, No Gaines
- The Good Stuff Doesn't Come Easy
- By: Chip Gaines
- Narrated by: Chip Gaines
- Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his most vulnerable book to date, Chip Gaines opens up about his lifelong pursuit of building relationships with people from all walks of life. Chip emphasizes the importance of seeing people for who they are and not for what they can do for you, enabling you to build a strong community and a life of meaning, joy, and connection.
-
-
Oh shucks!
- By stayamazed on 03-20-21
By: Chip Gaines
-
Fighter Five Keys to Conquering Fear and Reaching Your Dreams
- By: Shannon Constantine Logan, Chris Greenwood
- Narrated by: Manafest, Christopher Greenwood
- Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Musician Chris 'Manafest' Greenwood lost his father to suicide at the age of five, and found himself with nothing to cling to but a single mom and his childhood dream of moving to California to become a professional skateboarder. But God had different plans; by the age of 18 Chris fell in love with hip-hop music and quit his corporate job to join the ranks of Toronto's competitive underground hip hop scene, choosing the name Manafest as a reflection of his goal to manifest his dreams.
-
-
Loved the stories and encouragement!
- By dee palmer on 07-25-23
By: Shannon Constantine Logan, and others
Critic reviews
"In this amazing book, McRoberts does what all great artists do: he invites us into the transformation that he's been willing to do first. That transformation is the hard, vulnerable, and life-giving work of not letting things just be as they seemingly are, but performing the alchemy of turning it into creative gold. The journey of learning how to do this is essential, and McRoberts is the best of guides." (Scott Erickson, author of Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of God-With-Us Then, Here, and Now)
"Justin McRoberts is a consummate storyteller, and through story It Is What You Make of It imparts its gift - to remind us that we are made in the image of the Creator, that we are beloved works in progress with infinite opportunities to make more of what we have and who we are." (Cameron Dezen Hammon, author of This Is My Body: A Memoir of Religious and Romantic Obsession)
"Throughout the years, Justin's words have deeply resonated with me, and this book is no exception. With humility and honesty, Justin opens our eyes to see the often forgotten truth: we are beloved children of God, created by a God who created us for more than we can imagine. Throughout these pages, we are beautifully reminded that our time on earth deeply matters, and this life is not for nothing but most certainly for something. If you're looking to be inspired and encouraged, this book is for you." (Tanner Olson, poet and author of I'm All Over the Place)
What listeners say about It Is What You Make of It
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Haley
- 07-22-21
Highly recommend for artist/ recovering creatives
This book is Brilliant. Celebrating this work by sharing it with my circles has been such a joy. I’ve organically begun to fold it into different aspects of the curriculum I’m creating for this artist cohort I started in San Diego in May 2021, called “the table”. It’s on our list now for recommended reads for the year. I’m excited to see all the ways God continues to use this book…. Particularly in the lives of artists and people who are recovering creatively.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!