Review of WHY GOD MATTERS
Why God Matters
It is easy to see God in the “big” moments of life—protection through a car accident, healing from a disease the doctors say is incurable, the birth of a healthy baby after years of infertility. These are all obviously miraculous moments. In such times, we can’t help but recognize what God has done and give Him thanks for it.
But what about the smaller, everyday moments of life? How often do we stop to think of how God is moving in our lives then?
In their book Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life, Karina Lumbert Fabian and Deacon Steven Lumbert share stories from their own lives that show God at work. Their stories show how God can use simple, everyday moments—like sharing a bowl of rice or sending flowers to a friend—to show His love to us. They also illustrate small ways we can show God’s love to others.
At first, I was hesitant to read this book. The authors make no secret of their Catholic faith—the cover even sports the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of approval. This book was written by two devout Catholics, for a primarily Catholic audience. Raised in a Protestant home, Catholicism is something I have never understood. The churches I have attended emphasize a one-on-one relationship with Christ. I have never been able to grasp the concept of confessing sins to a priest or asking a saint to pray on your behalf. Why can’t you just take your prayers directly to God? When I looked over the book and saw that a portion of The Catechism was used in each chapter, I grew even more nervous. I was afraid that I was opening myself up for a book completely focused on a side of religion that is foreign to me. Even worse, I was worried that I would read how wrong my particular brand of faith is.
I was very pleasantly surprised. As I said, Karina and Deacon Steve make no apologies for their beliefs. I admire that. Throughout this book, they also made no attempt to sway the reader toward sharing their beliefs. They are just very straight forward—“I love God and this is why.” They showed how acknowledging God in the everyday moments of life can lead to a deeper understanding of Him.
Reading this book did not really help me to understand Catholicism any better—and that’s OK. I don’t really think that was what the authors intended. What I did come away with was a better understanding of God and a deep desire to appreciate Him more every day. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to enrich their relationship with God.
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Hi, Lynn,
Thanks so much for reviewing our book. I appreciate your honesty about your concerns and am so glad to know that you were pleasantly surprised.
If you don’t mind, I’d like to clarify a couple of points on the Catholic faith. We don’t confess to the priest. We’re confessing to God “through the person of the priest.” Think of the priest as the sounding board–he makes you think, offers wisdom and gives a tangible sign of forgiveness–again, acting as Jesus instructed the apostles that what sins they let go of are forgiven in heaven, too. Trust me: it’s a lot harder and a lot more satisfying than kneeling in church (or lying in bed late at night) and telling God how sorry you are–which I do plenty of!
As for asking saints to pray for us: it’s like asking a friend to pray for you.
I’m glad our love of our faith came through in the book, but in a way that did not threaten you. We’ve had several other non-Catholic reviewers agree with you that this is a book for any Christian.
May God bless you in big and small ways,
Karina
Dear Lynn,
I really appreciated your review. Coming from a non-Catholic, but Christian standpoint – your response is one I was hoping to hear.
The book is Catholic-based, there is no doubt about that. But I’m glad that even though the religious dogma doesn’t match your own, you were able to appreciate the book for its basic Christian core.
I think it’s a great book for Christians who are non-Catholic to open up a dialogue with those who are Catholic, and realize that the small moments in life that are full of God’s presence.
Thank you for taking a chance and reading this book, I’m glad that you got so much out of it.
Best wishes,
Nicole
Tribute Books
[...] In June 2010, I had the pleasure of reviewing a book written by a father-daughter team of authors. The book, Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life, was probably not something that I would have picked off a shelf to read. However, it is one that I am glad I read. Though this book was written by two Catholics, it is a good book for any Christian to read. It is a great guide of how to see God in the small moments of life. You can read my review of the book here. [...]