FIRST Wild Card Tour: God Gave Us the World

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Lisa Tawn Bergren

and the illustrator:

Laura J. Bryant

and the book:

God Gave Us The World

WaterBrook Press (January 11, 2011)

***Special thanks to Staci Carmichael, Marketing and Publicity Coordinator, Doubleday Religion / Waterbrook Multnomah / Divisions of Random House, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than 1.5 million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Love follows in Lisa’s classic tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She makes her home in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.


Visit the author's website.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:

Laura J. Bryant studied painting, printmaking, and sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. She has illustrated numerous award-winning children’s books, including God Gave Us You, Smudge Bunny, and If You Were My Baby. Laura lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Visit the illustrator's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $10.99
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (January 11, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400074487
ISBN-13: 978-1400074488

Also Available:

God Gave Us You
God Gave Us Two
God Gave Us Christmas
God Gave Us Heaven
God Gave Us Love
God Gave Us So Much – a limited three book treasury


AND NOW...THE FIRST FOUR PAGES...press the pictures to better view them:

MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
While visiting a museum exhibit, "Bears Around the World," Mama Bear helps Little Cub learn about the different kinds of bears living in different places around the world.  Surprised to see other kinds of bears that have strange diets like panda bears and sloth bears, Little Cub (who is a polar bear) begins to ask lots of questions.  God Gave Us the World is a cute, colorful book that teaches young kids about the awesome wonders of God's creation, the amazing abilities of God the Creator, His creativity, and our responsibility to take care of the earth/world which is God's gift to us. Kids will learn to appreciate the uniqueness of each bear/person and celebrate the beauty of our differences. The illustrations are fantastic. Beautiful details. I encourage you to also check out other books in the God Gave Us series (eg. God Gave Us You, God Gave Us Love, God Gave Us Christmas, etc.). They all are adorable. The books are geared towards children ages 3 to 8.

Download the coloring page here.

Without Excuse

Through His creation, we witness His love, power, majesty, glory, wisdom, creativity, nature, beauty, and excellency.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.  In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.  It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat." (Psalm 19:1-6) Psalm 19:4 is quoted in Romans: "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.  But I ask: Did they not hear?  Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."" (Romans 10:17-18)

People are without excuse.  Creation points to the Creator.  The world is not only functional, but also beautiful.  The testimony of creation shouts out to the whole world loud and clear that God exists and that God's Word is true.  Sadly, some people continue to stubbornly cover their ears and their eyes.  I praise God, the Creator, for who He is and for what He does!  Let's take the time to ponder and worship our Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  May we never stop marveling at His wonders; may we never become numb or blind to His revelation of glory through His creation!

Previous WFW:
- Plentiful Harvest

- Brotherly Love

- Fruit Bearer

- More Than Conquerors
- Where Does My Help Come From?
- Jubilant, Joy, and Judge
- Rooted in Love
- Who Daily Bears Our Burdens?
- Reflecting the Lord's Glory
- The Rock Eternal
- His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Where Does My Help Come From?

When we are struggling or going through a difficult time, what do we focus our heart, mind, and attention on?  Most often than not...our problems, our trials, or people involved, etc.  That usually makes matters worse because we become occupied with our troubles, focus on self-pity, play a blame game, and/or lose the right perspectives (eternal/Biblical perspectives).  Instead, we need to remind ourselves to look to the Lord for help because He knows what's best for us.  We want His will (not ours) to be done, anyway.

"We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our Help and our Shield." Psalm 33:20

"God is our Refuge and Strength, and ever-present Help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2-3

Bonus: I know I'm supposed to post just a picture with a Bible verse(s). I think that this song goes so well with my WFW; therefore, I would like to share it here with you as a bonus :). Hope you will be encouraged by it! Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before you start the video.



Remember...through fire and storm, the Lord never leaves us nor forsakes us.  I will choose to praise Him in the storm; I know where my help comes from.

Previous WFW:
- Jubilant, Joy, and Judge
- Rooted in Love
- Who Daily Bears Our Burdens?
- Reflecting the Lord's Glory
- The Rock Eternal
- His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Jubilant, Joy, and Judge

God is love and God is just.  Many people accept the former but ignore the latter.  Remember the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46).  Are we living in Christ's righteousness and in His truth (according to His Word) or are we living in worldliness and in the lies of the culture?  We have to daily choose.  Our choice will be judged by the Lord.  Let's sing for joy before the Lord for He is our Righteous Judge filled with compassion, mercy, and grace.

"My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.  God is a Righteous Judge, a God who expresses His wrath everyday." Psalm 7:10-11

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7-8



Previous WFW:
- Rooted in Love
- Who Daily Bears Our Burdens?
- Reflecting the Lord's Glory
- The Rock Eternal
- His Eye Is On The Sparrow