Angry Conversations with God by Susan Isaacs

And everywhere I went, I met people who, regardless of their religious beliefs, were looking for the same things: a connection to God, a desire to mean something, and a way to stay alive even when dreams die. Angry Conversations with God, p. 233

I’m worried about the quality of the products I’ve been reviewing lately.  I’m worried that all my positive reviews will make you think I like everything.  Allow me to ease those concerns.

I’ve received about 14 books in the last few weeks.  I was so excited about getting books for free, I even agreed to review a book about becoming a successful woman (look for it on October 5).   The reviews have been positive thus far because these are the books that have best kept my attention.  There are many other books that I started reading and am struggling to finish.  I’m struggling to finish them because they are boring and regurgitated.  I find no life in them.  I hardly even like looking at them in my bookcase (except for the one about the Islamic AntiChrist – that one looks really mystical and has a pretty cover).

Of all the great stuff I’ve been reading lately, I dare say that this one is my favorite.   The book is a spiritual memoir about how one crushing disappointment after another led the author to a more mature and complete faith in God.

As an aspiring actress, Susan Isaacs was headed for big things.  She was cast in movies such as Planes, Trains and Automobiles and made appearances on TV shows like Seinfeld (not just like Seinfeld, but the actual show itself).  She was headed for a role in the movie The Addams Family until things went south.  And, by south I mean Antarctica.

A series of devastating blows led Susan to a serious beef with God.  Her world is rocked in a way that can only be described by reading the book.  In an attempt to work things out, Susan decides to take God to counseling.

There is a proverb that says that each heart knows its own bitterness and no one can share in its joy.  Susan’s case is different.  She does such a good job describing her bitterness, I could easily relate with my own story.  I used to think that God liked picking on me until more things happened that led me to the knowledge that God straight up hated me.  I was fully convinced.

Susan is relentless in not letting God off the hook.  The book is one part Royal Rumble (get it?) and two parts Wrestlemania.  She isn’t about to stuff her conflict with God and pretend things are fine.  In the process of taking God to task, she is relevant, authentic, and transparent.

She is also funny.  Really funny.  I’m not kidding you.  The girl is hysterical.  I can’t remember the last time I laughed out loud so many times.  The highlight comes when she takes a few shots at the book “I Kissed Dating Goodbye”.  I’ve so often longed to punt that book into the ocean (see? I told you that I don’t like every book I read).

Along with Susan, I found myself raging against God.  I felt her pain so much, I was ready to jump into the ring and fight the cosmic bully along with her.  I knew that He could easily destroy the both of us, but there is strength in numbers and at least we would go down swinging.   Like Susan, though, I softened as the story progressed.  Despite how forsaken she felt, God was faithful and had been with her all along.  Not only that, but He was using all that pain to make her even more beautiful.

This book is for anyone who wants to tell God to go to hell.  Of course, God did go to hell and came back three days later.  The scars on his body remained.  Still, they didn’t show everything.  The most wounded region must have been God’s heart.  Listen to these words from Jesus: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”¹ Can you see the pain there?

God wants our heart.  If our hearts are bruised and bleeding, He wants that too.

Rating: 5/5

Notes: This book was provided for review by FaithWords.  To purchase this book on Amazon, click here.  To learn more about the tour, visit Susan’s website:  http://www.susanisaacs.net/

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