St. Therese once told Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart that “It is trust, and nothing but trust that must bring us to Love.” Trust in God can be one of the most difficult things to cultivate.
We humans like to feel we are in control of our lives. It can be incredibly hard to let go and let God, even in situations where we clearly have no power. Unfortunately, “distrust keeps us focused on ourselves, rather than on God and others.”
In Trusting God, with St. Therese (Four Waters Press, 2014), Connie Rossini uses examples from the life of St. Therese, one of the most influential and popular saints of the modern era, in order to illustrate “the importance of trust for our spiritual lives.” She also uses events from her own life to help demonstrate her own struggles and growth on her spiritual journey and how St. Therese has helped her.
Subjects covered include dealing with childhood tragedies, the influence our earthly fathers have on our image of God the Father, how to retain a childlike simplicity while becoming an adult, how to both wait patiently and cooperate with God, dealing with negative emotions, facing our fears, coping with spiritual darkness, maintaining hope, and preparing for death and judgment.
St. Therese is one of my favorite saints and I have read her autobiography and several other books about her, yet I still learned new information about this well-known saint in reading this book. Rossini obviously did a great deal of research and spent considerable time contemplating the message and example of St. Therese in writing this book. It was time well-spent. She speaks with wisdom and offers much advice that will help readers on their own journey to God. “Anyone who ever sins lacks perfect trust in God,” so we all have room for improvement in that area.
Trusting God, with St. Therese provides a wonderful opportunity to learn more about this beloved saint as well as to develop one’s own trust in God. Each chapter includes questions for reflection and practical suggestions to help us grow in trust.
