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About the Book
Book: I AM
Author: Diane Stortz
Genre: Juvenile nonfiction, Bible stories
Release Date: 2016
Click HERE to get your copy!
About the Author
More from Diane
You can often guess someone’s age by considering their name. Diane, for example, was popular in the 1950s, so . . . that tells you something about me.
But God’s personal name? Well, it’s ageless. Just like Him.
When Moses met God at the burning bush and received the task of leading the Israelites out of Egypt, he wasn’t exactly thrilled at first. He peppered God with questions, including, “When I tell the people that I met you here and you gave me this assignment, they’re going to want to know your name. What should I tell them?”
The Israelites had just about forgotten who the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was.
But God hadn’t forgotten them. Not at all. God told Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. . . . Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).
I AM WHO I AM. I always have been. I will always be. I will never change.
Choosing a book title is rarely easy, and choosing a title for this book about the names of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit took a long time. I couldn’t be more grateful to the Tommy Nelson publishing team who developed and settled on the title I AM: 40 Reasons to Trust God.
My prayer for every child who reads this book and every family that goes through the book together, and for myself: May we all grow mightily in our understanding of who God is and our relationship with Him! As Psalm 9:10 says, “Those who know your name put their trust in you.”
My Review
From the moment I first opened Diane Stortz’s “I AM: 40 Reasons to Trust God”, I knew that it was going to be spectacular. If you can, I recommend getting the hardcover version because the embossing on the front cover and the sparkling waves just can’t be conveyed on Kindle. There is a nice blue ribbon bookmark inside, as well. All of the pages are in full color and are gorgeously illustrated with figures and scenes that will appeal to young readers. The format is well-executed, with the book divided into two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. For the former, the name of God is given in English and then Hebrew, with a pronunciation (which I found very useful), such as The Lord My Rock (Jehovah Tsuri), and for the New Testament, with a few exceptions, the English name is given, such as the Good Shepherd. This is followed by a Scripture verse and Bible story, noting which chapters of the Bible the story comes from; a key point; a What Does It Mean section that connects the story to kids’ experiences today; a brief prayer; other Scripture verses that explore the same theme; and a short What Happened Next paragraph that explains how God is working and how this story ties into the following one.
For a medium-length children’s book, “I AM” is a respectable compendium that highlights many of the main stories from both the Old and New Testaments. Some of those which are not directly focused on, such as Noah’s ark, are told in the What Happened Next sections. This is not a substitute for the Bible, nor is it meant to be, but rather a supplement that allows kids and their guardians to connect some of the many names of God with familiar Bible accounts. I learned new Hebrew names just reading it myself as an adult! Because it is a children’s book, the stories are naturally toned down and do not include all of the mature details, but they still demonstrate conflict and how God fights for us, as with David and Goliath and Daniel and the lion’s den. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to young readers and to families who are able to read it to their little ones.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
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