“A Conversation with God For Women,” by Marcia Ford

I really, really, really wanted to like this book.

I had flipped through others like it – ones about asking God questions and having front porch chats with him – before, and never felt moved. When I was offered a copy of this one for free, simply in exchange for writing a review for it, I thought I’d give it a try. It is, after all, a nice idea - - - lounging somewhere with the Lord, asking Him every question that burns on my heart and having Him answer honestly and lovingly and completely.

It’s a nice idea, but it seems to be one that hasn’t quite been achieved yet in book form.

This book, which asks in its subtitle, “If you could ask God any question, what would it be?” is, if nothing else, extremely thorough. It covers 55 different questions from seven different topics. Some of the questions addressed are:

Who actually wrote the Bible?

How can we love unlovable people?

How can anybody find good in tragedy?

Can prayer really make a difference?

The questions are good ones, and the answers are, too. However, one basic premise of the book threw me off and hindered me from being able to enjoy it. The book is written in first person, as in, “I, God, say this and this and this.”

Yes, in a conversation with God, first person narrative would be expected. However, I find it disturbing that any person should presume to put words in God’s mouth, however prayerfully considered. I fear that human interpretation could cause misunderstanding of God’s nature. No one can fully understand who God is. He has designed it that way, that we would ever be in wonder of Him and continually pursue Him. To have a person – any person – write what would be God’s answers to such serious questions is unsettling to me.

If I were researching a particular question or issue, this book would be good, probably, as one of many references in my search for answers. However, I am hesitant to recommend it straight across the board because it is a human’s interpretation of God’s message, and someone searching for God could, conceivably, be led astray.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for reading and writing a review of it. I was not otherwise compensated.