The subtitle to the book says it all.

I love apologetics. However, I've found that the greatest hurtle to showing somebody the truth of the faith is not their rational defenses, but their emotional ones. A few bad experiences, or a childhood of emotional abuse, can turn people away from Christ far faster, and for far longer, than the pleas of atheists and propaganda of the public school system.

Over and over, I've talked with those that used to go, used to believe, and used to care about Christ. But no more. They didn't leave because God let them down, but because his people did. The subtitle is right, Christians often give God a bad reputation. The questions, then, are how can we avoid doing that, and while we are at it, what can we do to heal those wounds left by others?

That's where this book steps in. The author, Mary Sharp, was raised an atheist, became a Christian after high school, but was driven to deep doubts about the faith through the emotional abuse of fellow "Christians" in her adult years. Finally, she began to pursue apologetics, hoping to find answers to the questions in her heart. Through extraordinary circumstances, some extraordinary friends, and the working of our extraordinary God, she found more than she ever expected.

The story format drives the book forward, yet through the chapters, common problems are seen, common struggles are fraught, and complete answers are given. This book is both a biography and a well written defense of the beauty of God, even when we Christians give him a bad reputation.

Through the book, lessons are learned for all. Atheists and those with a severe dislike for Christianity will see that it is so much brighter and better than it is often portrayed as. Christians will see the need for a right mindset and good thinking, and probably feel guilt for the times they have given God a bad name. Others will see the wonder of apologetics and the beautiful logic and reasoning that has answers for their doubts.