Suddenly There is God

Suddenly There is God plunges us into the key stories of biblical characters who find themselves caught up in the divine-human drama. With unique insight, it relates these stories directly to the distinct stages of our own lives: being created, falling from grace, leaving the childhood ark, hearing God’s call, gaining freedom, embracing covenant, praying the psalms, learning forgiveness, choosing love, and expecting resurrection. The scenes unfold before our eyes like a riveting play or film, as we discover with astonishment how closely the progression of Old and New Testament stories reflects our own spiritual journey. Packed with historical content and written with dramatic intensity, Suddenly There is God suggests contemplative ways for us to nurture an ardent expectation of encountering God. By identifying with the biblical characters—their conflicts, difficult choices, and realizations—we recognize how divine presence continually breaks into our own life story. This book is a valuable resource for clergy, students, and spiritual seekers who long to experience the drama of sacred Scripture as deeply personal revelation.

“Veronica Mary Rolf has written a series of beautifully clear and direct meditations on how the biblical story traces our own developmental history and invites us to understand ourselves more deeply by reading ourselves into the text and the text into ourselves.” — from the Foreword by Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury

“Good literature introduces you to yourself. These insightful reflections do just that. Clear and compassionate. This book belongs on your coffee table where your friends and your children can chance upon it. Veronica Mary Rolf is a trustworthy mentor.” —Ronald Rolheiser, OMI President, Oblate School of Theology, San Antonio, Texas, and author of The Holy Longing

Veronica Mary Rolf is an independent scholar, a professional playwright, and a Master Teacher of Dramatic Arts. In addition to Suddenly There is God, she is the author of An Explorer’s Guide to Julian of Norwich (2018), which won the IVP Academic Readers’ Choice Award, and Julian’s Gospel: Illuminating the Life & Revelations of Julian of Norwich (2013), which won a First Place Catholic Press Association Book Award, the Nautilus Gold Medal Award for Spirituality, and the National Indie “Excellence” Award for Religion. Veronica lectures on Scripture and spirituality, leads contemplative retreats, and writes on two websites: www.juliansvoice.com and www.veronicamaryrolf.com