If you’re feeling like some of your dreams haven’t come true, “Shattered Dreams” by Larry Crabb may be the book that you need. It’s especially difficult when “good” dreams don’t come true.

As Crabb points out, sometimes you may  have fervently prayed for something that was good, like keeping a marriage together or healing a damaging relationship with a parent, but the divorce goes through, the parent passes away and we’re left in utter despair.

If you’ve been there or you are there, “Shattered Dreams” is for you. He uses the book of Ruth extensively to illustrate his points about unanswered prayer, getting what we feel we “deserve” and being angry at God. Truly a good book for anyone (though more poignant for Christians) who are shouting “Why?!” in anguish and not getting any satisfying answers.

I also recommend “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” by Harold Kushner.