Fleeing God: Fear, Call, and the Book of Jonah

Tara Soughers
Cowley Publications (2007)
ISBN 9781561012954
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (6/07)


“Fleeing God” by Tara Soughers is the story of how God called her into ordained ministry.  She parallels her story with the scripture account of Jonah.  Tara already had plans for her life.  She was studying biochemistry.  Things were not going well.  Her grade was low; her research had come to a dead end.  Martha, a friend from church listened as Tara discussed possible paths she could take.  After a period of silence, Martha confounded Tara by saying, “What you want is to be a priest.”  Tara denied any such thought, knowing in her heart that that God was calling her.

Soughers defines a calling by using the definition of Frederick Buechner, “as the intersection of our passions and the world’s needs.”  A call stirs up strong emotions within us, yet it is more than passion.  A call can be powerfully attractive or repulsive; calls come from the Holy Spirit will “cause great personal turmoil.”  If it is a true calling, it will continue to disturb us.  If we do not fulfill a true calling, we will lament it for the rest of our lives.

Jonah was called to go to Nineveh.  He did not want to go so he went in the opposite direction.  He was on a boat in the midst of a storm.  The crew did not know what else to do so they threw him overboard where a great fish swallowed him.  Being inside that fish gave him time to pray in “darkness.”  He turned to praising God and eventually accepted the call God had put upon his life.

“Fleeing God” by Tara Soughers is a delightful definition of life called to serve God.  God has a plan for each of our lives.  Unfortunately, many times we run from that plan.  Not everyone is called to be priests, but we are all called to serve.  “Fleeing God” is simply written making a difficult topic easy to understand.  Soughers weaves tales from her life along with the story of Jonah.  The cover is beautifully done with the tail of a whale waving from out of the depths of the sea.  Jonah has always been one of my favorite biblical characters, thank you Ms. Soughers for giving this beautiful tale new life and meaning.  I highly recommend this book to all Christians.

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