Closer Than Your Skin: Unwrapping the Mystery of Intimacy with God - eBook

Susan Hill is an award-winning feature writer and a leader of interdenominational women’s groups, where she frequently hears of the common longing for authentic Christian faith. She also serves on the board of the Uganda Orphans Fund, a non-profit Christian relief organization. Susan and her husband, Duncan, have three children and live in Montana.

Susan D. Hill’s Closer Than Your Skin: Unwrapping the Mystery of Intimacy with God encourages Christians to seek deeper personal encounters with their Heavenly Father. As followers of a faith based on the Bible, in which there are numerous accounts of the supernatural interacting with the natural man, Hill asserts that few Christians today experience many truly intimate connections with God. In this book, Hill shares some of her own experiences to show others the potential for developing a more personal, interactive relationship with God.

Largely autobiographical, Closer Than Your Skin could be a jumpy timeline of Hill’s spiritual life, with her important encounters with God as significant dates. Included along with stories from Hill’s life are inspirational quotes and stories from others that tie into each period in her spiritual journey. Hill does not write as another theologian or pastor, but as an ordinary Christian with a powerful message. The book is easy to read, but poses much food for thought. Hill’s intriguing storytelling abilities help deliver her message in an inspirational and entertaining way. A few chapters have so many stories that the main subject seems pushed aside, but Hill’s overarching message is never watered down.

The first several chapters introduce and argue the need for Christians to be more intimate with God, and trace parts of Hill’s own journey to the realization and application of this truth. These are probably the most powerful chapters of the entire book. Later, Hill writes about having to overcome religiosity, condemnation, and a lifestyle of overdoing in order to better develop this intimacy. She shares the things God has shown her throughout the years about different aspects of life, such as suffering, forgiveness, hearing God, marriage, parenting, and prayer.

Closer Than Your Skin is a valuable book with important points about a Christian’s relationship with God. It is based on intriguing real-life stories and has a rarely addressed message, but seems to overemphasize dreams. The main points of some chapters get bogged down under all the stories, but the real message of the book is clearly portrayed throughout. I would recommend this book for most Christians, especially for women seeking a more intimate relationship with God. -- Laura A. Coulter, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com

Praise for Closer Than Your Skin


“Warning: Susan Hill has written a deceptive book. It looks like another woman-with-a-fragile-marriage-struggles-in-her-relationship-with-God book. Yet her life and spiritual experiences become compellingly honest and transparent.”
–Cecil Murphey, co-author of 90 Minutes in Heaven, Heaven Is Real, and more than 100 other books.

“Over the last sixty years I have read numerous works on Christian spirituality. But I must say that Susan Hill has made the best case I’ve ever read for intimacy with God. It is biblically sound, psychologically real and personally honest. I’ve never heard any theologian or Bible teacher portray the true intimacy with God as Jesus promises in the relation of the branch and the vine (John 15:1-9) as powerfully as Susan does. I think this is the book that millions of Christians have been waiting for!”
—James W. Tharp, founder and president of Christian Renewal Ministries and author of Revival Must Come! and The Spirit of Prayer.

“Susan’s book will lead the reader on an interesting journey of discovery and clarification. She is right about life with God being adventurous and breath-taking. Writing with a vulnerability that allows the light of God’s grace to shine through real life situations, she presents God’s way as both beneficial and desirable. She leads us through her ideas with anticipation. It will help people clarify the real issue of living with God. I read it for interest and edification and I was not disappointed.”
–Dudley Hall, founder and president of Successful Christian Living Ministries

“Some books argue that God exists. This book gives us His address. Some books tell us about Him, this book shows us what He looks like. If you’ve ever wondered if there’s more to the Christian life, Susan Hill doesn’t just assure us that there is, she hands us a roadmap, and shows us how to get there.”
–Phil Callaway, popular speaker and bestselling author

“As a Christian, my journey with God often seems more like working for a demanding employer than walking hand in hand with my first love. Susan Hill’s book was a refreshing reminder that it is the latter and not the former that the Lord desires of me. Her stories take you to the feet of the Father of Love to encounter for yourself His incredible kindness. I hope as you read this book you too can discover why the ‘nearness of God is our good.’ (Psalm 73:28)”
–Jimmy Needham, recording artist, Inpop Records