Why God Matters – Book Review

I was intrigued from the title and was very interested to read this book.  Why God Matters – How to Recognize Him in Daily Life by Karina Fabian and Deacon Lumbert. 

Description…

Many times one sees Roman Catholicism explained using either closely reasoned theology or an appeal to ancient writers of the Church. While both are legitimate approaches, the average reader looking to explore the faith is often left cold. In their collaboration, Why God Matters, Deacon Steven Lumbert and his daughter, Karina Lumbert Fabian, delineate the Catholic Faith as experienced by a pair of average, everyday people like the great majority who make up the 24 percent of Americans who share this religion. In the stories of this pair, one see both ways people come to Catholicism, by birth (‘cradle Catholics’) and by conversion. Their descriptions of their separate paths thankfully lack the religiosity of the all too common ‘and then a miracle takes place’ school of religious experience. Rather than blasts of light, fiery swords, spiritual fistfights, and angelic choirs, theirs is the long religious slog of the everyday. The effort that one must put out each day in the long trek to Heaven. What is Catholicism really like? One would be hard-put to find a better verbal painting of the faith so many call their own.

Why God Matters is very easy to read and you could read it in one setting but it is something to keep on your shelf handy as a resource.  It reads as a story but will really draw you in to the author’s thoughts.  It talks about suffering and be called to suffer but also being able to recognize when suffering is right.  The author states that God is not impressed when we choose to suffer over the minor annoyances of life instead of trying to resolve those things.  I believe it is a great read and is really timely for the times we are currently living in.

I received a review copy of this book at no charge but my opinions are not influenced in any way by this fact. They are my own.