My rating: 5 of 5 stars
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Recently a major motion picture, the story of The Hobbit has fascinated readers for more than 70 years. Now, this tale of humble folk who overcome fear, discouragement, and despair forms the basis of this collection of 60 devotional readings, each featuring a dash of humor, challenge, and encouragement.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ed Strauss lives in British Columbia, Canada, with his wife and three tween-aged children. Ed is a freelance writer with a passion for Biblical apologetics and fantasy fiction. Apart from writing, Ed enjoys biking and exploring nature.
MY THOUGHTS: We all know that epic story-tellers like Tolkien and Lewis and Dekker (okay, you know it’s true!) are able to connect with us because their tales are timeless. Sure, they seem to have a fixed place and time, but the themes are those basic struggles of mankind throughout the ages, struggles that are the same for young and old, male and female, commoners and royalty. It’s this commonality of the human race that makes these stories resonate deep within us and causes us to recognize ourselves in the characters, both the heroes and the villains.
The Hobbit is certainly no exception, and with the movie coming out just before Christmas, 2012, this Devotional couldn’t have come at a better time to make it to your gift list. The perfect gift for anyone who’s read the book or seen the movie, it connects memorable scenes and quotes to spiritual truths applicable to the real world.
Each of the 60 devotions begins with a quote from The Hobbit, and a short description of that scene, cleverly retold and interpreted by Mr. Strauss. A couple of pages follow, expounding on how we face the same dilemmas, challenges, or obstacles in our world. Often a story from the Bible accompanies each chapter, and always the appropriate scriptures to shed God’s light on the situation. A glossary of terms and a timeline are helpful resources found in the appendix section.
As is the book this devotional is based on, A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible is appropriate for all ages. Its lessons could be adapted for personal reading, a study group, youth group lessons, or family devotions.
**I was provided a review copy of this book by netGalley.com in exchange for my honest opinion.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I'd love to hear from you!