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Even Better than Eden: Nine Ways the Bible's Story Changes Everything about Your Story
Most people--Christians and non-Christians alike--are familiar with the garden of Eden, the perfect paradise that God created for the first man and woman. However, many don't realize the Bible teaches that God is preparing an even better world for his people in the future new creation. In this book, experienced Bible teacher Nancy Guthrie traces 9 themes--the tree of life, garden and wilderness, the image of God, clothing, Sabbath rest, marriage, the seed of the Serpent, the temple, and the city of Jerusalem--throughout the Bible, revealing how God's plan for the new heaven and the new earth is far better than anything we can possibly imagine. What's more, she shows how this better world is already having an impact in the world today. Combining theological depth with warmth and accessibility aimed at addressing today's needs, this book will help individuals or small groups understand the story of God's plan for the future of his people.
208 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2018
About the author
Nancy Guthrie
65 books499 followersNancy Guthrie teaches the Bible at her home church, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, as well as at conferences around the country and internationally, including through her Biblical Theology Workshops for Women. She is the author of numerous books and the host of the Help Me Teach the Bible podcast at The Gospel Coalition. She and her husband host Respite Retreats for couples who have faced the death of child and are co-hosts of the GriefShare video series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews
December 8, 2018
For the first ten years of my life, I took electricity for granted. I flipped on light switches and turned the dial to change channels on my TV without thinking twice about how easy and available it was. It wasn’t until fourth grade that I received a basic education in how electricity worked. We were all assigned to bring in a battery, aluminum foil, and a small light bulb along with our pencils, folders, and notebooks that year. We discovered how electricity worked when we got to create a circuit that went from the lightbulb to the battery and from the other end of the battery back towards the light bulb. But what made it all work was the switch. When we moved the simple switch into place, the circuit was complete and our light bulb would illuminate.
Nancy Guthrie’s Even Better Than Eden will illuminate biblical patterns you may not have noticed in your reading of Scripture. Those who are already familiar with the Bible’s storyline will find that the wiring has already been laid out. Guthrie’s book will complete the circuit. Picking up on a variety of details present in the account of Adam and Eve, Guthrie traces how these themes are woven into the story of Scripture from beginning to end. Nine chapters focus on the stories of the Wilderness, the Tree, His image, Clothing, the Bridegroom, Sabbath, the Offspring, a Dwelling Place and the City.
Each chapter is rich with observations that increased my appreciation for Jesus and my excitement for heaven. In the chapter on “The Story of the Sabbath,” Guthrie explains that “Adam failed in the work he was given to do….so instead of leading us into rest, Adam plunged us into the restlessness inherent in a sin-corrupted world” (97). Our longing for rest is rooted in the story of Scripture and all part of God’s ultimate plan for our future. This is what Guthrie’s book does so well in connecting our lived experience with the stories found in Scripture.
This book would make an excellent group study (and Guthrie is already working on a video series to accompany the book). As Guthrie’s overviews draw your attention to biblical patterns, you will likely be reminded of other places where these themes appear in scripture and benefit from sharing these observations. There are personal reflection questions included in the book, but the questions located at www.NancyGuthrie.com will offer an exciting guided tour that takes you back to the scriptures to discover even more richness. Not only that, but each chapter ends with an appropriate hymn that groups might enjoy using to worship God together for the beauty of his plan.
Throughout, Guthrie builds on the idea that we should not long to return to some idealized version of Eden. Instead, we should look forward to all of the potential of Eden being realized in our heavenly future. As Guthrie says “Eden had the seeds of the new creation, but all those seeds will burst into glorious bloom in the new heaven and the new earth” (159). Studying these nine stories within the greater story of Scripture will not only illuminate exciting patterns in scripture, it will also shine a light on what is yet to come for us who believe. Nancy Guthrie reminds us that we have a lot to look forward to.
Nancy Guthrie’s Even Better Than Eden will illuminate biblical patterns you may not have noticed in your reading of Scripture. Those who are already familiar with the Bible’s storyline will find that the wiring has already been laid out. Guthrie’s book will complete the circuit. Picking up on a variety of details present in the account of Adam and Eve, Guthrie traces how these themes are woven into the story of Scripture from beginning to end. Nine chapters focus on the stories of the Wilderness, the Tree, His image, Clothing, the Bridegroom, Sabbath, the Offspring, a Dwelling Place and the City.
Each chapter is rich with observations that increased my appreciation for Jesus and my excitement for heaven. In the chapter on “The Story of the Sabbath,” Guthrie explains that “Adam failed in the work he was given to do….so instead of leading us into rest, Adam plunged us into the restlessness inherent in a sin-corrupted world” (97). Our longing for rest is rooted in the story of Scripture and all part of God’s ultimate plan for our future. This is what Guthrie’s book does so well in connecting our lived experience with the stories found in Scripture.
This book would make an excellent group study (and Guthrie is already working on a video series to accompany the book). As Guthrie’s overviews draw your attention to biblical patterns, you will likely be reminded of other places where these themes appear in scripture and benefit from sharing these observations. There are personal reflection questions included in the book, but the questions located at www.NancyGuthrie.com will offer an exciting guided tour that takes you back to the scriptures to discover even more richness. Not only that, but each chapter ends with an appropriate hymn that groups might enjoy using to worship God together for the beauty of his plan.
Throughout, Guthrie builds on the idea that we should not long to return to some idealized version of Eden. Instead, we should look forward to all of the potential of Eden being realized in our heavenly future. As Guthrie says “Eden had the seeds of the new creation, but all those seeds will burst into glorious bloom in the new heaven and the new earth” (159). Studying these nine stories within the greater story of Scripture will not only illuminate exciting patterns in scripture, it will also shine a light on what is yet to come for us who believe. Nancy Guthrie reminds us that we have a lot to look forward to.
October 15, 2018
We are a story-telling family, composing on-the-spot homespun tales, filling up the long minutes of road trips with audio books, laughing together over replays from crazy conversations, and delighting in glory-moments together after the fact. As our family continually rotates in wider orbits, stories have become the fibers that connect us, that keep us known to one other.
I’m grateful that all our story threads are woven into the fabric of the huge over-arching narrative found in the pages of Scripture. This once-upon-a-time-that-really-happened got its start in the mind of God, but the plot first hunkered down in the idyllic setting of Eden. Nancy Guthrie picked up her pen, gathered up the tangled threads of that story set in a garden, and she moves forward in hope through the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan in her latest book, Even Better than Eden: Nine Ways the Bible’s Story Changes Everything about Your Story
On her meandering way from the thunderous God-force of creation to the end of the ages, she shares stunning truth about “what the original garden has to show us about the more secure, more satisfying, and more glorious garden we’re destined to live in forever, which will be even better than Eden.” (14) It’s easy to forget that Eden was born out of an uninhabitable wasteland on a planet that was “formless and empty.”
Guthrie follows this story of wilderness through the Old Testament and the wanderings of the discontented Israelites, the ruins of Jerusalem after Nebuchadnezzar’s armies had had their way, and into the New Testament where Jesus passed His wilderness testing and Paul lived pinned down by a thorn in the flesh, but found contentment in his spiritual wilderness;
Then, there’s the story of the tree, a symbol from Genesis to Revelation that pops up in the appearance of the lampstands in the Tabernacle and in prophetic symbolism. By grace, we are invited to find our way to the tree of life by way of Calvary’s tree;
The story of God’s image is full of hope, for though it was marred, it was flawlessly revealed in Christ and will ultimately be restored in us;
The story of clothing begins with God providing for Adam and Eve with love and tenderness that points to the truth that one day we will be beautifully clothed in “the greater glory Adam and Eve forfeited” (70);
The story of the Bridegroom features Eve as the original bride in the very first wedding conducted by God which went terribly wrong. That pain resonated throughout Israel’s history, but the ruined bride will one day be restored and presented to God’s Son, the second Adam’
The story of sabbath began before there was Law and remains as God’s gift;
The story of offspring unpacks Psalm 91 within the greater context of God’s sovereignty over evil and the “Offspring of the Woman” (Jesus) who will put an end to evil once and for all;
The story of a dwelling place assures believers of God’s intention to make His home with us–an intention that cannot be thwarted even by our own fumbling and fluctuating intention to cling to Him. The tabernacle, the temple, and God’s indwelling Spirit all bear witness to His zeal and devotion;
Finally, the story of the city reveals that all of Scripture points toward the story of two cities– “the city of man and the city of God. And what matters most about your story is which city you have made your home.”
Nancy Guthrie renders biblical theology with beauty and a depth of emotion that motivates me to become a better learner, and a more passionate student of Scripture and observer of life. A firm grasp on the gospel-oriented-big-picture of the Bible’s 66 books will change the way you read. God takes a long view of goodness and hope, and his promises for our welfare point to a life that exponentially transcends the three-score-and-ten we fixate upon.
A good foundation in biblical theology also impacts on the way we pray. For example, God’s promise of protection in Psalm 91 is not the lucky-rabbit’s foot that means our children will “never face danger or death in this life. But [rather that God] has promised to gather his own to himself, where he will protect them from ultimate and eternal harm.”
Following the threads of these nine stories reinforced my understanding of God as both transcendent and relational. Finding myself within the context of His desires for me — a hope that far exceeds my own aspirations for myself and those I love — opens my eyes to the beauty of struggle and the redemptive nature of waiting as we fix our eyes upon the unseen, and trust God for a future home that will be truly (and amazingly!) even better than Eden.
Many thanks to Crossway for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.
I’m grateful that all our story threads are woven into the fabric of the huge over-arching narrative found in the pages of Scripture. This once-upon-a-time-that-really-happened got its start in the mind of God, but the plot first hunkered down in the idyllic setting of Eden. Nancy Guthrie picked up her pen, gathered up the tangled threads of that story set in a garden, and she moves forward in hope through the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan in her latest book, Even Better than Eden: Nine Ways the Bible’s Story Changes Everything about Your Story
On her meandering way from the thunderous God-force of creation to the end of the ages, she shares stunning truth about “what the original garden has to show us about the more secure, more satisfying, and more glorious garden we’re destined to live in forever, which will be even better than Eden.” (14) It’s easy to forget that Eden was born out of an uninhabitable wasteland on a planet that was “formless and empty.”
Guthrie follows this story of wilderness through the Old Testament and the wanderings of the discontented Israelites, the ruins of Jerusalem after Nebuchadnezzar’s armies had had their way, and into the New Testament where Jesus passed His wilderness testing and Paul lived pinned down by a thorn in the flesh, but found contentment in his spiritual wilderness;
Then, there’s the story of the tree, a symbol from Genesis to Revelation that pops up in the appearance of the lampstands in the Tabernacle and in prophetic symbolism. By grace, we are invited to find our way to the tree of life by way of Calvary’s tree;
The story of God’s image is full of hope, for though it was marred, it was flawlessly revealed in Christ and will ultimately be restored in us;
The story of clothing begins with God providing for Adam and Eve with love and tenderness that points to the truth that one day we will be beautifully clothed in “the greater glory Adam and Eve forfeited” (70);
The story of the Bridegroom features Eve as the original bride in the very first wedding conducted by God which went terribly wrong. That pain resonated throughout Israel’s history, but the ruined bride will one day be restored and presented to God’s Son, the second Adam’
The story of sabbath began before there was Law and remains as God’s gift;
The story of offspring unpacks Psalm 91 within the greater context of God’s sovereignty over evil and the “Offspring of the Woman” (Jesus) who will put an end to evil once and for all;
The story of a dwelling place assures believers of God’s intention to make His home with us–an intention that cannot be thwarted even by our own fumbling and fluctuating intention to cling to Him. The tabernacle, the temple, and God’s indwelling Spirit all bear witness to His zeal and devotion;
Finally, the story of the city reveals that all of Scripture points toward the story of two cities– “the city of man and the city of God. And what matters most about your story is which city you have made your home.”
Nancy Guthrie renders biblical theology with beauty and a depth of emotion that motivates me to become a better learner, and a more passionate student of Scripture and observer of life. A firm grasp on the gospel-oriented-big-picture of the Bible’s 66 books will change the way you read. God takes a long view of goodness and hope, and his promises for our welfare point to a life that exponentially transcends the three-score-and-ten we fixate upon.
A good foundation in biblical theology also impacts on the way we pray. For example, God’s promise of protection in Psalm 91 is not the lucky-rabbit’s foot that means our children will “never face danger or death in this life. But [rather that God] has promised to gather his own to himself, where he will protect them from ultimate and eternal harm.”
Following the threads of these nine stories reinforced my understanding of God as both transcendent and relational. Finding myself within the context of His desires for me — a hope that far exceeds my own aspirations for myself and those I love — opens my eyes to the beauty of struggle and the redemptive nature of waiting as we fix our eyes upon the unseen, and trust God for a future home that will be truly (and amazingly!) even better than Eden.
Many thanks to Crossway for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.
April 10, 2024
Writing is a little cheesy at times but I love how she traces themes and concepts throughout the whole Bible- really makes the Bible come alive and shows us how what we have to look forward to is far, far better than anything we leave behind.
April 7, 2020
Personal Bible Study Questions & Leader’s Guide downloads are available from Nancy's web site to purchase.
http://www.nancyguthrie.com/even-bett...
http://www.nancyguthrie.com/even-bett...
September 16, 2021
esse livro é uma prova concreta de que a teologia é extremamente prática, aprender sobre a noção de criação-queda-redenção-consumação muda a nossa vida aqui e agora. nesse livro, a autora apresenta uma excelente teologia bíblica focando em diversos temas tratados de gênesis a apocalipse, é uma ótima introdução nessa temática e tem um tom bem devocional. é emocionante estudar o que Deus tem feito na história, a salvação em Cristo é muito mais do que o retorno para o jardim do éden, é a jornada para a cidade-jardim, o lugar onde todas as promessas de Deus florecerão em sua plenitude, o lugar onde Seu bendito propósito para Seu povo será cumprido. quanto mais enchemos nosso coração com essa realidade bíblica, mais anseio nós temos pelo Senhor, mais vontade temos de viver pra Ele hoje. recomendo essa leitura para todos os cristãos que querem entender melhor a Palavra de Deus e como tudo nela está perfeitamente interligado.
May 17, 2021
I read most of this for a women's Bible study. I like Nancy Guthrie except for one thing: she speculates heavily about things on which the Bible is not clear, then places far too much emphasis on those speculations, even basing her conclusions and applications on those things. This happens numerous times in this book, which finally made it unendurable for me. I was taught that good exegesis never says "Certain" on anything that is only probable in the text and never says "probable" on anything that is only possible. Guthrie takes what is possible and nearly considers it certain. Here's what would be better: taking what is clearly in the text and is clearly meant to be understood and explaining and applying it. The Bible contains all that is needful for life and godliness; if a point is only possible in the text, not probable or certain, it very likely is not the part of the text that is meant to hold our attention.
February 13, 2020
If you want to know and love God more, read this book. If you want to increase your understanding and enjoyment of Bible reading, read this book. If you want to feel significant and dearly loved as a believer, read this book. The audiobook narrated by the author is excellent.
July 7, 2024
This is a beautiful book on many themes throughout the Bible from beginning to end. I was aware of some of these but learn a lot of new things as well.
November 25, 2023
Beautiful storytelling from Nancy Guthrie. Tracing themes from eden through to eternity, we see how the trajectory of God's story really does transform our story - for now and forever.
Plus, lots to learn from the exciting details and connections in the magnificent redemptive history God has written.
Plus, lots to learn from the exciting details and connections in the magnificent redemptive history God has written.
August 27, 2019
We all have a story. In this relevant volume, Guthrie shows us nine aspects of our stories that began in Eden and will find their ultimate culmination in the new heavens and the new earth. With each theme, she walks us through scripture from Genesis to Revelation showing the coherence and cohesion of the biblical message. Her covenant theology is well supported by her references to scripture and other commentators. From clothing to housing to food and beyond, there is not an aspect of our daily lives that is not addressed by this book. Included are discussion questions making this a wonderful book for group study as well as personal reflection. Would make a great sermon series with chapter study in small groups during the week. I was encouraged in my story and reminded of the temporal nature of my pilgrimage here on this earth.
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4
March 30, 2022
Espectacular la forma en como Nancy Guthrie presenta estos nueve temas centrales que recorren toda la Biblia. Me encantó el lenguaje sencillo y fácil de seguir pero también la profundidad con la que aborda cada uno y como lo va conectando a lo largo del Antiguo y Nuevo Testamento, pero también lleva al lector a conectarlo con su historia. Este libro trajo comprensión, arrepentimiento y también gran esperanza en Cristo 🙌🏽.
May 19, 2020
I read through this book with a few friends. I usually love and appreciate Nancy’s writing, but she tried to make everything relevant like exploring identity by writing a social media bio and suggesting things Jesus might tweet. It was a departure from her usual theological depth.
July 29, 2024
Nancy Guthrie takes the reader into a hopeful and promised-filled look into God’s redemptive plan and future for mankind. This was theologically solid and I highly recommend listening on Audio, as the author herself sings a hymn at the end of each chapter.
March 4, 2020
This was an excellent book. It has caused me to look forward to the city that will be even better than Eden, more than I ever have before.
March 20, 2023
Really enjoyed reading this book, love the flow of OT to NT stories. The study questions at the back of the book are a bonus too!
May 10, 2023
I read this with our women's Bible study group. There are certainly some good points and things to consider, but I and the other women in our study found that the author makes too many assumptions and draws conclusions that seem far fetched in some places. Too much eisegesis rather than exegesis. Although it's not all bad, I'd prefer to read other books over this one.
August 8, 2024
Really uplifting to the soul and mind
July 24, 2020
Listen to the audio version read by the author!
June 1, 2021
a slow read for me as life got crazy, but the truths in this book are worth reading & meditating on slowly! a beautifully written parallel and narrative on things of scripture, our testimony, history of faithfulness, and his glorious return.
March 21, 2022
I had a hard time rating this book because most of it is excellent, insightful, and beautiful.
However, there were several things that were troubling to me.
First, the author works too hard to fit things into her story. For example, apparently every time a tree is mentioned in the Bible, she believes it points back to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden. No doubt SOME of the trees mentioned in the Bible are meant to evoke that tree, but she stretches to make her point.
Second, she casts doubt on the authority of Scripture. I am positive this is not her intention, but she does so nonetheless. There were times when she said that a word or phrase could also be translated in another way, and then built her whole point off that alternate meaning, which was something completely different from what the Bible says. Is every word of Scripture God-breathed or is it not? If it is, we don't get to pick and choose alternate meanings to better suit whatever point we are trying to make. If it's not, who would be crazy enough to live his life according to its teaching and stake his eternity on its veracity? Translators of Scripture are not inspired, but I believe that God is more than capable of preserving His word in any language, and it is incredibly dangerous to start coming up with our own alternate meanings and then basing teaching on them. To be clear, the author wasn't just suggesting a synonym as another accurate translation. What she came up with was altogether different and made the passage mean something that is just not there.
Third, sometimes she just completely makes things up. For example, she said that on the day of Pentecost the believers heard a sound like a mighty wind, "but it was really the breath of God." How in the world does she know that? Scripture certainly doesn't say so. She just completely made that up and stated it as fact. Maybe it was the breath of God, but she didn't say maybe or possibly, she stated it as a fact.
These last two concerns are enough that I'm not sure I'd be able to recommend this author to anyone. However, I do plan to read another of her books at some point and see if she repeats these patterns before writing her off altogether.
However, there were several things that were troubling to me.
First, the author works too hard to fit things into her story. For example, apparently every time a tree is mentioned in the Bible, she believes it points back to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden. No doubt SOME of the trees mentioned in the Bible are meant to evoke that tree, but she stretches to make her point.
Second, she casts doubt on the authority of Scripture. I am positive this is not her intention, but she does so nonetheless. There were times when she said that a word or phrase could also be translated in another way, and then built her whole point off that alternate meaning, which was something completely different from what the Bible says. Is every word of Scripture God-breathed or is it not? If it is, we don't get to pick and choose alternate meanings to better suit whatever point we are trying to make. If it's not, who would be crazy enough to live his life according to its teaching and stake his eternity on its veracity? Translators of Scripture are not inspired, but I believe that God is more than capable of preserving His word in any language, and it is incredibly dangerous to start coming up with our own alternate meanings and then basing teaching on them. To be clear, the author wasn't just suggesting a synonym as another accurate translation. What she came up with was altogether different and made the passage mean something that is just not there.
Third, sometimes she just completely makes things up. For example, she said that on the day of Pentecost the believers heard a sound like a mighty wind, "but it was really the breath of God." How in the world does she know that? Scripture certainly doesn't say so. She just completely made that up and stated it as fact. Maybe it was the breath of God, but she didn't say maybe or possibly, she stated it as a fact.
These last two concerns are enough that I'm not sure I'd be able to recommend this author to anyone. However, I do plan to read another of her books at some point and see if she repeats these patterns before writing her off altogether.
October 2, 2022
I didn’t learn much that was new in and of itself, but the connections made by Nancy Guthrie in this book were revelations to me.
My wonder of the word of God increased as the author pointed out the meaning of things in the wider context and relayed them back to other moments in the Bible. Doing this by theme is so helpful - how anyone can think this incredible book is no more than a religious text is beyond me. There is so much there. And when you’ve finished finding things out, there is still more.
I especially loved the story of the tree, the story of clothing, the story of the bridegroom and the story of sabbath.
A great book which points everything to the new Jerusalem, heaven, eternal life in the presence of God.
My wonder of the word of God increased as the author pointed out the meaning of things in the wider context and relayed them back to other moments in the Bible. Doing this by theme is so helpful - how anyone can think this incredible book is no more than a religious text is beyond me. There is so much there. And when you’ve finished finding things out, there is still more.
I especially loved the story of the tree, the story of clothing, the story of the bridegroom and the story of sabbath.
A great book which points everything to the new Jerusalem, heaven, eternal life in the presence of God.
Read
September 9, 2018I have a particular love for Biblical Theology. So when I heard of a book that traces not one, but nine wonderful themes through the pages of Scripture, I couldn't get hold of it fast enough. I love the way that Guthrie traces from Eden to eternity so many wonderful, rich ways in which Scripture progressively reveals the ongoing activity of God the Redeemer through history. I also love how Guthrie demonstrates how these stories powerfully shape our own stories, simultaneously offering transformation and hope to all of us who see life not going as planned. This is a tremendous, applicable, easy to read resource for every Christian.
March 31, 2020
I read this as part of a book study with church, but zoomed through a bit faster in my own as part of my personal plan to survive sheltering in place. What an important book! Nancy Guthrie traces themes through the Bible, most often starting in Eden, all to point us unwaveringly towards the joy that awaits us in the Garden City that will be even better than Eden. What an encouraging read, particularly when the fallenness of the world is so shoved in our faces! Highly recommend. I think I told my roommate that I loved this book at least once a day.
August 10, 2019
This book has left me in awe for God’s ability to weave a continuous story throughout His Word. It does not speak on new ways to live my life better but it points back to what has already spoken and what continues to ring true. God is an artist! A poet! An author! This has been blowing my mind lately. I will go back to this one.
August 18, 2019
I read this book for a Women's Bible Study in my church, and enjoyed parts of it. This study was so heavily based on the historical part of the Bible, instead of actually giving me a message I could use in my daily study. I know this would be a good study for certain people, but for me, it wasn't something I found life changing.
June 2, 2023
Amo los libros de Nancy Guthrie. Tiene una manera de enseñar y explicar las verdades teológicas de una manera clara y hermosa. Escuchar el audiolibro narrado por ella y escucharla cantar himnos al final de cada capítulo fue un gran plus.
May 2, 2020
Thank you Nancy Guthrie for your thoughtful book which paints the eternal threads and themes through the whole Bible. I read this devotionally and it struck deep emotional chords in my soul connected to the eternal story found in Scripture which continues today in our lives. I even cried numerous times reflecting the beauty of these themes which have often been overlooked by me in my reading of the whole story. Who knew the theme of clothing or a dwelling place would lead me to tears of wonder and thanksgiving—of worship? The chapter on offspring was superb and resonated with me. This book also reflects the life long learning do the author—just enough personal intersections to make it personal but not too much to lead to self promotion. Jesus is truly the center of this book and her life. Reading this inspires me to want to learn more and understand more of God’s truth as I read the one true story of the whole world. So thank you Nancy for giving this gift to us to read which leads us to worship and wonder.
November 30, 2022
In this book, Guthrie uses 9 themes (such as trees, offspring, etc.) to show the story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Three things I loved about this book:
1. The hopeful tone - always pointing to the hope we have, interwoven through every chapter.
2. New connections - in almost every chapter, Guthrie takes different stories that I was familiar with and connects them in ways that I hadn't thought to do, and the connections are super helpful.
3. Taking parts of the Bible that we might sometimes skim over - for example, the genealogies and the specifications for building the tabernacle - and help relate them to the overall story and show how they are significant within it.
I would add that this is a book where you will get the.most out of it if you also do the discussion questions. I did this for 8 of the 9 chapters, and could see a big difference in how much I understood and retained with adding in the questions.
Three things I loved about this book:
1. The hopeful tone - always pointing to the hope we have, interwoven through every chapter.
2. New connections - in almost every chapter, Guthrie takes different stories that I was familiar with and connects them in ways that I hadn't thought to do, and the connections are super helpful.
3. Taking parts of the Bible that we might sometimes skim over - for example, the genealogies and the specifications for building the tabernacle - and help relate them to the overall story and show how they are significant within it.
I would add that this is a book where you will get the.most out of it if you also do the discussion questions. I did this for 8 of the 9 chapters, and could see a big difference in how much I understood and retained with adding in the questions.
August 6, 2022
“God’s story will end better than it began.” Encouraging book reminding us of 9 wider Bible themes that are fulfilled in Christ and the New creation. Particularly liked the chapter ‘The story of the dwelling place’ and had plenty of food for thought on each chapter that related to everyday life as well as got me to think a bit deeper. Book comes with discussion questions therefore is good to read with others and I look forward to discussing with friends.
November 11, 2019
Wrote TWO reviews that didn't save😡
Long story short: This book greatly encouraged and ministered to my soul. I loved it!
I'd love to read it again with a group so we can discuss the questions at the end of each chapter.
Long story short: This book greatly encouraged and ministered to my soul. I loved it!
I'd love to read it again with a group so we can discuss the questions at the end of each chapter.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews