“Where is God?” Arguably the most often asked question of the day in our world of terrorist attacks, divorce, child abuse, economic hardships, layoffs, sickness, and depression. In his latest book, Dr. Townsend tackles this age-old question. This is the first book of Townsend’s that I have read and am an instant fan. It is a true winner. Through personal experience, years of Christian counseling, and a healthy does of biblical principle, he enables the reader to understand what brings us to the point of questioning God’s presence in our lives.

 I was challenged and encouraged by this book. I was challenged to remember that although I can’t see God working up front, I can trust He is working behind the scenes. Townsend cements his writing in three over-arching themes that he further develops throughout the book: God is for us and working on our behalf, our experiences matter to God, and Bible is our only source for understanding difficulty.  What I liked most was that Townsend did not hide or sugarcoat the reality that life can be difficult and cruel. Instead, he challenges the reader to look first to God in their search for understanding.

 If you are struggling yourself or helping another work through a difficult time, this book is well worth the time. Solid and insightful.