Reviewed by Susan E. Richardson

Reaching for Wonder by Marlo Schalesky

Reaching for Wonder, Marlo Schalesky’s newest release, is the kind of book that defies capture in a few words. How do you describe a book that grabs you by the heart and challenges you to look deeper into the ways of God? One that also challenges your mind to reconsider what you think you know. One that dares to suggest “encountering Christ when life hurts.” And yet is easy and comforting to read along with the powerful insights.

Schalesky takes the reader through 14 stories in the New Testament where someone in pain encountered Christ. On the surface, all are familiar. In her hands, they become mirrors where we can see ourselves reflected in our own painful stories and catch a stronger hint of what it means to encounter Jesus. The book isn’t about finding perfect answers but asking better questions and considering your response to God more deeply.

She does not offer easy solutions or shy away from difficult questions. Sometimes God doesn’t make sense to us, leaving us struggling for answers. Schalesky suggests that God may have something bigger and better than the solution we can see and ask for. He wants relationship more than simple healing, though He will give both.

The author includes enough personal anecdotes to draw the reader in and show that she isn’t speaking theoretically, but from experience. No matter what kind of darkness you may be in, you’ll find something that speaks to you in Reaching for Wonder. Very highly recommended.