Book review: Chasing God.

When Kristen from B&H Publishers contacted me about reviewing an advance copy of Angie Smith's new book Chasing God, I said, "OF COURSE!" Free books? By Angie Smith? That I have to read? Yes please!

I started it immediately and, I'll be honest, it took me a couple chapters to settle into her writing voice. I had read her book, I Will Carry You, which chronicles her daughter's death just after birth. I knew this one would be such a different topic, but didn't expect such a shift toward more casual, blog-style, funny, sit-over-a-latte-and-chat type writing.

However, a few chapters in, I started to appreciate it. Angie has a unique way of going theologically deep, then pulling to the surface with a joke or a funny remark. There were moments I laughed out loud (like when she recounts her experience "praying over" her house as a new believer) and others that caused a pause in my soul because of deep conviction or a characteristic of God I'd never really pondered. Angie isn't afraid of tackling deep issues like, "Do our prayers change God's mind?" She handles them with courage, but also with humility. As she says herself, "I'm not fluent in Greek and I don't have a single Bible-related degree. But He makes His Word accessible to all, and that is good news" (p. 195).

It's good news, indeed.

So would I recommend Chasing God? Absolutely. I'd recommend it to the newest believer or even the skeptic, as she makes theology more palatable, steering clear of bombastic theological language and relating it to everyday life. I would also recommend it for the seasoned believer who, like me, has often chased after God instead of just kneeling before Him. Angie is faithful to plunge into several Biblical texts and mine for the treasures, and her insights are valuable and strong.

Purchase the book here: Chasing God