Book Review: “I Heard God Laugh”

Reflecting on my life experiences as a Christian, I recall hearing “laughter is good for the soul” and “if we’ll be still and listen, God speaks to us.” However, I don’t recall ever hearing or thinking about God speaking to me through laughter. “I Heard God Laugh” immediately sparked my curiosity and desire to learn more about nurturing my soul by hearing God laugh.

This book is the work of author, speaker and consultant Matthew Kelly and is designed as a “Practical Guide to Life’s Essential Habit” (daily prayer). Kelly powerfully demonstrates that “we cannot live the life we have imagined, or experience the joy we yearn for, unless we learn to tend the soul.” Given this premise, Kelly takes us on a spiritual journey with personal examples for hearing God laugh.

There are five parts to the book, each filled with many thought-provoking questions and Kelly’s personal experiences. The first part seems to set the stage for all that is to come as Kelly poses a question: “Is your life working?” And, assuming the answer to be “no,” we are introduced to the idea of creating a new habit that can help us enjoy life as we would like. 

The new habit is “prayer.” Daily prayer and one that includes opening up to God in asking for him how we might become more like we were created to be.

The second part of the book is where Kelly shares his personal spiritual journey and his hope for the reader, which is that his book might increase confidence for practicing daily prayer.

The remainder of the book includes several ways practicing daily prayer can lead to other spiritual habits, the “Six Powerful Spiritual Lessons,” and ends with a part of “The God Who Gave Us Laughter.”

Each part includes Kelly’s “Soul Note” that seems to provide encouragement for overcoming the challenge of making reflection and daily prayer our habit.

This book is only 109 pages in length, but it is very powerful and I believe it would be a fantastic resource for anyone striving to make their life work the way they would like for it to work.

I highly recommend this book, and, in fact, I like it enough that my wife and I have provided copies to our family members.

John H. Dolezal is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.