A Bookish Sarah

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Sarah
Welcome, friend! Relax & rest awhile, if you please. I'm an ordinary girl, a follower of Christ, mama to Gabriel, Heidi, & Aidan; and wife to Evan. Here in this little space of the online world, I share all manner of bookish things, including full content reviews, writerly snippets, encouragement for everyday life, and a whole collection of names & their meanings.

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Encouragement

Book Review | Picturing Heaven

Picturing Heaven
40 Hope-Filled Devotions
(A coloring book!)
Randy Alcorn (illustrated by Lizzie Preston)

Tyndale | September 5th, 2017
Coloring Book, Non-Fiction, Christian/Biblical, Theology

{GoodReads}
Imagine Heaven the way the Bible describes it--a place of exquisite beauty brimming with marvelous detail and intricate patterns; a special dwelling place free of corruption and sin; and a place of both rest and enjoyable, meaningful work.

Let the power and majesty of Heaven fill your heart with joy as you color these 40 designs carefully interpreted from the pages of Scripture. Savor a respite from daily life as you read and meditate on devotions from best-selling author Randy Alcorn, a leading authority on Heaven. Picturing Heaven will offer you comfort and relaxation, while filling your heart with restful assurance that God prepares a special place for those who love Him.
 


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This coloring book is wonderful!  There's no other way to put it.  Forty devotional Scripture verses and excerpts are taken from Randy Alcorn's well-known book, Heaven, and make for a lovely devotional time for the busy mother or grandmother (or father, whoever!) - anyone who may have pondered the life after THIS.



All too often, we seek the pleasures of this Earth, knowing full well we truly want to go to Heaven - some day - but not really wanting to go anytime soon. . . Am I right?  I don't think we realize what exactly an Eternal Heaven looks like.  In this devotional (and in the actual book as well), Mr Alcorn shares some amazing points that have never crossed my mind.  Every good and marvelous treasure will be multiplied "God-fold."  By that, I mean WAY more than ten-fold or 100 times over.

I'm sure you are as guilty of it at times as I, but in our small minds perhaps you are thinking there's a good chance that Heaven could be/will be. . . boring.  What with everything being perfect and no need for absolutely anything and that we will forever be bowing at our Savior's feet.  All that is true, of course!  And we will be so humbled before our Savior Christ that we won't wish for anything other than to sit and bow before Him, I'm sure.  BUT.  Have you ever considered the idea that there could be sports?  An abundance of your favorite foods and drinks (with NO chance of getting fat or sick)?  Gorgeous fields to run and play?  And coffee?  Tea?

"If coffee beans & tea leaves were some of God's good ideas for the old Earth, why not the new one?  Can you imagine enjoying a cup of coffee with Jesus?  . . .We may not yet have tasted our favorite food or drink - and if we have, it will taste even better in God's everlasting Kingdom!"
- p. 54, Day 23 -

Have you ever really thought about that??  It blows my mind!  And just think, what about animals?  Beloved pets?  You remember that verse regarding the wolf laying down beside the lamb, and the lion eating grass as an ox? (Isaiah 11:6)  In Romans 8:21, there is a reference regarding the "creation" being set free from bondage in the resurrection.  Mr Alcorn says, ". . .what could that be if not animals?  Only God knows for sure what He plans to do.  But wouldn't it be just like Him to recreate the same pets He entrusted to us in this life?  What a delightful reunion that would be!" (p.58, Day 25)  Ever thought of that, my friend?  :]



Who knows but our Lord, what exactly we can look forward to one day with Him?  Can you imagine walking with the dinosaurs?  Maybe learning an incredible new sport?  Exploring new galaxies? Singing with the angels?  Relaxing in your spacious new family room?  Or most of all, anticipating your Lord and King saying to you, "Well done, my good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your Master's joy!" (Matthew 25:23)


I would definitely recommend this to EVERYONE.  It would make a lovely gift for someone who has lost a loved one, or someone who is struggling with questions of what comes after death.  Maybe they don't have time to color this, and definitely no time to read the full book by Randy Alcorn.  Still, this would be great if only for the devotions!  (Then, maybe they could pass it on.)

All told, this was a beautiful coloring book and I highly recommend.


Tyndale House Publishers has provided you with a complimentary copy of this book.

Comments

  1. Awwww! This looks so fun and inspiring. Just reading your POST about it brought hope and joy to my heart!

    I agree, sometimes my finite mind can't grasp how amazing it'll be. And I HAVE been guilty of thinking maybe it'll be boring. But then I read the Bible or people's thoughts on Heaven and I realize, hello? It's paradise! We'll be WITH our Lord and Savior forever and ever. That snippet you shared about having COFFEE WITH JESUS just...I have no words. That sent a thrill through my heart. And I've definitely thought about how all our beloved animals will most likely be there!

    IT'S JUST GOING TO BE AMAZING. So amazing our brains can't even comprehend how MUCH. What peace and joy and HOPE we have in Him!

    Thank you for sharing this. It filled me up! <3

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so glad to hear this lifted your spirit, dear Lauri! It did the same with me. All too often I find myself feeling down and saddened when I think of heaven and what comes after death, but reading these devotions brought a new-found joy, to be sure. So glad it did the same with you! And YES, coffee with Jesus will be beyond AMAZING.

    Thanks for commenting!

    ReplyDelete

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To each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass, and a book of rules,
And each must make, ere life is flown,
A stumbling block or a stepping stone.
-Anonymous-

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