I just finished reading Angry Conversations with God by Susan Isaacs. It is defined as a “snarky but authentic spiritual memoir.”
The book begins by Susan finding herself 40, single, out of work, living over a garage, and angry that life didn’t turn out like she planned. When a friend suggests she look at her relationship with God like a marriage, she decides to take God to marriage counseling. The book follows her spiritual journey from childhood to the present and covers all of the quirky things many of us have experienced in our lives and in the churches.
In her counseling, she quickly casts herself as the neglected spouse and God as the one in the relationship who has no desire to change. She doesn’t cut anyone in her church family any slack as she speaks about things like “churchianity” and how those who represent God often do some very strange things. In her quest, she comes to realize that God is actually not the god she has put in her head who purposefully sends bad things into our lives, that He indeed hurts when we hurt. It is also a realization that we don’t always get what we want in life just because we want it. What she also learns is that God loves his family, simply because they are His family, with all of their quirks and imperfections.
I found this book refreshing in the open, honest approach it takes. Susan freely admits to being snarky and is quite up front in her disappointment that God doesn’t provide for her like she felt He should. I think many of us have these same conversations with God in our minds, yet are often reluctant to speak them out loud. This book does that, and it does it in a way that we can all relate. It is a great read for anyone on their own spiritual journey to discover a real relationship with God. I highly recommend it!
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