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A review by pacific_blue4
Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship by Ruth Chou Simons
4.0
In Beholding and Becoming, Ruth Chou Simons tackles what is most often taken for granted, discounted, and overlooked - the ordinary, the everyday. Coupled with her beautiful illustrations (yes, she did them herself! They are so lovely!), Mrs. Simons shares wisdom from Scripture to convey a simple yet difficult to comprehend (and quite profound) message.
It is far too easy to look ahead at some lofty goal or back at a mountaintop experience and completely miss being present and appreciating the now that God has us in. We miss the details of life and fail to delight in the intricacies of who God is every moment of every day while also failing to appreciate the same intricacy in nature, meant to remind us of the One who made it all, and who holds our lives in His hands. As the title of the book suggests, there is an art to everyday worship, and I appreciate that the author uses her love for art and her gift for it to glorify the Lord.
I love the idea behind this book, and I'm hard-pressed to say if I love the idea or the author's illustrations more, as both are skillfully presented. As a whole, the book is quite beautiful and would make a lovely tabletop edition for when guests come over. And also, taken as a whole, the message behind the book, like the illustrations, is both lovely and simple. There is something about the combination that is incredibly beautiful.
In closing, this book comes highly recommended. This reader didn't take her own advice to stop and savor this read, but I hope to read other books by Ruth Chou Simons and to revisit this one again. This is an excellent read for those who are constantly in a hurry. It's a reminder to slow down and enjoy.
P.S. one last recommendation: I advise getting a physical copy of Beholding and Becoming rather than audio or ebook editions. You need to see it for yourself.
It is far too easy to look ahead at some lofty goal or back at a mountaintop experience and completely miss being present and appreciating the now that God has us in. We miss the details of life and fail to delight in the intricacies of who God is every moment of every day while also failing to appreciate the same intricacy in nature, meant to remind us of the One who made it all, and who holds our lives in His hands. As the title of the book suggests, there is an art to everyday worship, and I appreciate that the author uses her love for art and her gift for it to glorify the Lord.
I love the idea behind this book, and I'm hard-pressed to say if I love the idea or the author's illustrations more, as both are skillfully presented. As a whole, the book is quite beautiful and would make a lovely tabletop edition for when guests come over. And also, taken as a whole, the message behind the book, like the illustrations, is both lovely and simple. There is something about the combination that is incredibly beautiful.
In closing, this book comes highly recommended. This reader didn't take her own advice to stop and savor this read, but I hope to read other books by Ruth Chou Simons and to revisit this one again. This is an excellent read for those who are constantly in a hurry. It's a reminder to slow down and enjoy.
P.S. one last recommendation: I advise getting a physical copy of Beholding and Becoming rather than audio or ebook editions. You need to see it for yourself.