God, Are You There?: Understanding God's Character and How He Interacts With Us - Paperback

by Bruce Hartley (Author)

God did not create us to give us religion, but rather for the purpose of enjoying a soul-sustaining relationship with Him, and there is no satisfactory substitute for that union. We can try to fill our lives with work, things, or money, but those temporary solutions will leave our souls starved for the meaning and purpose only God can provide. "God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being." -Acts 17: 27-28a (NIV) The Apostle Paul spoke these words as he stood in the city of Athens examining an altar with this inscription on it: "TO AN UNKNOWN GOD." But God is not unknowable! He created us to not only know about Him, but to also know Him intimately, to understand His personality and how He interacts with us. He doesn't intend for us to spend our lives walking on eggshells, unsure of where we stand with Him. What we need are answers to the big questions all of us have: Can God be trusted to love and take care of us? Why does a God who is good permit evil to flourish in this world, and how should we respond when we encounter evil? Why is God sometimes silent in the midst of our pain? How do we distinguish between our will and God's will? God, Are You There? will encourage you to deepen your relationship with the one true God, who not only wants you to trust Him but also to experience Him as He shapes the course of your life into an unforgettable adventure!

Author Biography

Bruce Hartley was born and raised in Olathe, Kansas, and has made his home in the Kansas City metro area nearly all his life. A former missionary to Slovakia and contributing writer for the Kansas City Star, he is currently active as a small group leader in his church. A graduate of Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, he is a production and inventory management professional, having spent more than thirty years in that field working for Kansas City-area companies. He currently resides with his wife Shirley in Shawnee, Kansas, and together they have eight grandchildren. This is his first book for Ground Truth Press.