Review
"Karen González weaves together a brilliant book that illuminates how central the stories of immigrants are to the story of God. This is true not just in the Scriptures but also today, as Karen beautifully illustrates when she describes how God drew her close. Immigration is often talked about as a policy or political issue, and this book is a sorely needed reminder that immigration is a personal issue—one that can connect us all to the heart and mission of God.” -- Jenny Yang, vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief and coauthor of Welcoming the Stranger
“With this stunning debut, Karen González makes her mark as one of the most talented storytellers of faith in a generation. The skill with which she weaves together personal narrative, biblical text, intimate detail, and sociopolitical analysis is as impressive as it is seamless. Every single page of this beautiful, timely book pulses with prophetic truth. It left me changed in all the best ways.”
-- Rachel Held Evans, author of Inspired and Searching for Sunday
“We are changed by whom we read the Bible with. The God Who Sees is an invitation to read the Scriptures with the fresh eyes of Karen González, a theologian with a story that is relevant, heartbreaking, and always surprising. González deeply believes in the God who sees, and she invites her readers to discover the God who is obsessed with the immigrant. In a time of fear, The God Who Sees is a powerful testimony to what makes the good news actually good.”
-- D. L. Mayfield, author of Assimilate or Go Home
“The God Who Sees artfully weaves theological application and immigration policy and practice, inviting the reader to engage more deeply in important justice issues of today. At a time in which numerous voices are being pushed into the immigration narrative, Karen González’s perspectives as a theologian and Latina immigrant, straddling Guatemalan and American cultures, are both insightful and impactful. Thank you, Karen, for sharing your heart, your mind, and your voice in this book. It is a gift.”
-- Michelle Ferrigno Warren, activist and author of The Power of Proximity
“The topic of immigration can be both confusing and contentious. Karen González helps us find our way toward a deeper understanding with The God Who Sees, a story that is deeply personal, solidly biblical, and appropriately challenging. You will find Karen González an able guide to bring clarity and encourage compassion.”
-- Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief
“Weaving insightful reflections on the stories of immigrants in the Bible, compelling explanations of the realities facing immigrants today, and her own testimony of faith and migration, Karen González invites readers into a distinctly Christian approach to the complex topic of immigration. In the process, she invites us into a deeper relationship with the God who made and loves them. The God Who Sees is an important and enlightening book for our times.”
-- Matthew Soerens, coauthor of Welcoming the Stranger and Seeking Refuge
“In this engaging book, Karen González skillfully weaves her narrative with the biblical narratives and insightful comments on current immigration realities. This slim volume is a helpful introduction for those who want to love their immigrant neighbors. I appreciated the action and reflection questions that end the book and offer helpful next steps.”
-- Jude Tiersma Watson, associate professor at Fuller Theological Seminary
“What does it mean to surrender our lives to the God of the immigrant and stranger? That question feels more pressing than ever in our modern times. The God Who Sees takes us on a journey that brings us to the heart of God and shapes a new way of seeing the world. Trust the leadership of Karen González, an important spiritual guide for these critical conversations.”
-- Daniel Hill, pastor and author of White Awake
“The God Who Sees is the book I have been waiting for: a Christian book on immigration, written from the perspective of a Latina theologian and ministry practitioner, that centers the voices and experiences of our Latino community. It is like refreshing water to my soul. Karen González stands at the vanguard of a rising generation of Latina/o Christian authors whose voices are critical for the healing of the church in America.”
-- Robert Chao Romero, professor of Chicana/o studies at UCLA
“The God Who Sees offers the powerful combination of an immigrant experience expressed through the lens of Scripture. Nothing can be more compelling for those who claim the Christian faith. As a fellow Guatemalan American, I resonate with this book that brings to mind my own memories and their emotive power. Karen González’s voice is gentle, yet forceful, and needs to be heard—along with those of millions of others!”
-- M. Daniel Carroll R., professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College and author of Christians at the Border
“The God Who Sees is a beautiful, timely, and significant book. Karen González’s unique interweaving of personal story and biblical story, as well as her expertise in immigration services, provides substantial information for believers seeking to understand migration at this historic moment. The book takes complex concepts and makes them easily accessible. A must-read for Christian believers seeking God’s will for churches grappling with immigration issues.”
-- Alexia Salvatierra, author of Faith-Rooted Organizing
“In The God Who Sees, we who are identified as immigrants, migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers find that God is at work in our stories and in the narratives of foreigners and strangers in the Bible. With intimacy and detail, author Karen González reminds us of the importance of migration stories and how God is present in our uprooting, our journeys, our language and assimilation challenges, and our unceasing longing for home. She has written a timely memoir of us, for us, and for our sons and daughters.”
-- Saulo Padilla, coordinator of the Immigration Education National Program at Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
“In the heated debate over immigration, both sides often reduce immigrants to an abstraction. Karen González points out that the story of the immigrant is an integral part of our redemption history. Her own journey as an immigrant adds rich insight to our collective faith story as well as a deeper understanding of those millions who still leave their homes in search of new lives. The God Who Sees will convict the reader that compassion for the immigrant is not an option but a requirement for all who profess to follow Jesus.”
-- Derek W. Engdahl, author of The Great Chasm
About the Author
Karen González is a speaker, writer, and immigrant advocate who works as director of human resources for World Relief. An immigrant from Guatemala, González studied at Fuller Theological Seminary. She has worked in the nonprofit world for more than ten years and is a former public school teacher. González, who lives in Baltimore, has written about spiritual formation, Latinx identity, race, gender, the Enneagram, and immigration. Her work has been published in Sojourners, Christ and Pop Culture, Faithfully Magazine, Mutuality Magazine, The Mudroom, and The Salt Collective. Connect with her at Karen-Gonzalez.com.
