Thirsting: Quenching Our Soul's Deepest Desire

by Strahan Coleman

What if the longing we feel is a sign of God’s longing for us? Thirsting is a deeply spiritual exploration of a life-changing only when we learn to live in the ache of our thirst instead of running from it will we know the joy of receiving God in every part of our lives.
 
We may be able to imagine God saving us, using us, and even loving us—but wanting us? Pursuing us? Longing for us? And yet, as spiritual director Strahan Coleman teaches, God’s greatest desire is to commune with us in the depths of our souls.
 
In Thirsting, Strahan eloquently guides us
  Acknowledge the God-given thirst within us so we can offer it to God in all its depth Learn to open up our pain to God so we can experience Him in the midst of our aching Allow God’s desire for us to open up a whole new experience of communion  
You thirst because you are thirsted for. Take a rich, vulnerable journey toward an inner knowing with God as you step over shame, receive His love, and drink Him deeply. The very journey you were made for.
 

221 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2024

Reviews

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strahan’s previous book, Beholding, was life-changing for me, and the general concept from this book has the same potential - limited mostly by my mind’s capacity to synthesize the various abstract thoughts that I will need time to organize and put into practice. But I was all aboard toward the end and sobbed through the last few poignant chapters. It’s a book that you really need to experience more than just read.

[Isabella McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strahan delves into conversations on desire and thirst that provide such a balanced and holistic approach to understanding God’s desire for us, and our built-in desire for God. In a culture that beckons for you to give into your desires, Strahan provides a way of understanding that doesn’t squash desire and thirst, but also doesn’t deny our brokenness and need for reorientation of our disordered selves.

Thirsting, and Strahan’s first book “Beholding”, feel like a bridge harmonizing a deep respect and love of Scripture with tangible and intimate experience of God through Prayer. He speaks of prayer so poetically, yet practically like no other book I have read.

A quote from the "Author's Note" hit hard- “Nothing has marked my life greater than my wholehearted pursuit of God, and nothing has wounded me more deeply. Because God, in His extravagant love, will refuse anything within us that would hinder us from our full engulfing in His astronomical want of us. Love, by nature, refuses to be separated in any way from its object” [pg. 15]. God desires us in a beautifully passionate way, and our thirsts are a homing beacon to Him.

As Strahan says, “if I’ve written this book right, it will be a liberating but dangerous invitation” [pg. 15]. I agree, but I think it is an invitation worth accepting because it just might transform your understanding and relationship with God forever. I know it has and will continue to do so for me personally.

[Tim Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strahan provides words for my deepest longings in God. He is a beautiful poet but more than that he is an experienced spiritual guide in the world of the deep self. This book has enriched my prayer life with words and images that have helped me rest in the mystery of God in me and I in Him. It has also helped me to know what to do in the times when I turn up to prayer feeling really down or dry (which is fairly regularly). The insights in this book have helped me turn some down or dry mornings into moments of deeper connection. I’m so grateful for the work of Strahan. He’s not just a good writer and prayer-poet to read but whenever he’s speaking or being interviewed, you see how he actually oozes all this stuff in how he speaks and holds himself. He’s such a blessing to the global Church.

[Barbara Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading 'Beholding: Deepening Our Experience in God,' by Strahan, I was thirsty for more. So, in February 2025 after learning of his most recent publication of 'Thirsting: Quenching Our Soul's Deepest Desire,' and visiting Tairua on holiday, I met Strachan in his home town. There I had the honour to exchange a 'Thirsting,' hard copy for two of my own: 'Waiting: Soul Transformation, and, 'Oasis: Soul Refreshing.'

Strachan is role-model and inspirer of deepening one's relationship with a relational God, the Creator and Saviour of Mankind. I heard Strahan share his journey in a local group late 2024, being encouraged by the number of men and young people also hungry for a deeper relationship with God.

I'm taking a long time to finish this read, but I prefer to savour a concept or revelation through Strahan's journey, absorbing as relevant, into my own.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strahan is really a modern day mystic or contemplative if you like that word better. This book is an encouraging book to read presenting a God who is not only loving and good but actually desires the humans he created. Strahan also shares some personal stories of his own pilgrimage. It reads very much like some of nuptial mystics like Teresa of Avila, only in modern and at times poetic language. It's also backed up with examples from Scripture. He seems to have the type of relationship with God that I've longed to have myself and I really do hope Strahan is right.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the deeper, more thought-provoking books out there on desire - neither killing it, nor following it completely, but healthy curiosity and prayer. Love it!