- Why do bad things happen?

- If God exists, why doesn't he do something?

- Why am I being singled out?

Of all the hurdles to faith, surely suffering must be the greatest. It tears lives apart and raises questions for us all.

But when we ask why?, to whom are we addressing our question? Where do the most satisfying answers come from? Does it matter?

Sharon Dirckx deftly interweaves the stories of Frances, Will, Grace, Charles and Rachel, who have faced some of life's toughest personal challenges, with a practical consideration of the 'Why?' questions we all ask about God and suffering.

She concludes, 'I would like to show you that, even though we don't understand everything, it is still possible to believe in a powerful, loving God and acknowledge the reality of evil and suffering. Not only that, but seeing life from this perspective helps us make more, not less, sense of our hurting world.'

While we may never have all the answers, it does not mean that there are no answers at all.