Reading Guide for “Susie” by Ray Rhodes Jr.
Our hope is that each of our podcast episodes will encourage you to read and discuss the books we cover in your communities and circles of influence. We will come up with a reading guide for each book we talk about in order to foster discussions amongst you and your friends. So, we encourage you to read the book in the episode and to use the questions below to talk about it with another friend or a group of friends! You can listen to Episode 2 on “The Life of Susannah Spurgeon and ‘Susie’ with Guest Author Ray Rhodes Jr. here.
What stood out to you as you read Susie’s story? Was there anything that surprised you about her?
Do you think it’s important for Christians to read and learn about church history? Why or why not?
What would you consider to be some of Susie’s greatest strengths? What can we learn from those?
In the book, Rhodes writes: “one of God’s many provisions to help Charles in his life and ministry was Susie.” How did she aid him in his calling, and how might we learn from her?
What were some of the unique challenges of being Charles Spurgeon’s wife?
In reading about the Spurgeons and their marriage, what did you personally glean that perhaps gave you a new outlook on your own marriage or marriage in general?
What can Susie teach us about suffering in the Christian life?
In the book Rhodes talks about the value the Spurgeon’s placed on family worship (pg. 94). What can we learn from their practices?
What were some of the ways Susie served in ministry? What can we learn from her service and how she spent her time?
Is there anything else that stood out to you as you read this biography?