Big Excitement from Sally Lloyd Jones’ Jesus Storybook Bible—10th Anniversary! And more!
Friends! Blessings to you this week. I’ve got some fun news for you about more than one book by one of my favorite children’s authors, Sally Lloyd-Jones. (We adults enjoy her books as much as our children and grandchildren do.)
I first learned about Sally Lloyd-Jones one weekend when our middle son, Gordy, was home from college several years ago. He asked me if I’d take him out and buy him a book. Friends, now this kind of request rarely happens from a boy who’s in college.
This wasn’t a book he needed for classes. This was a book he heard about from some kids involved with the ministry of Campus Outreach. All the kids were talking about and reading a children’s Bible. The Bible? The Jesus Storybook Bible—Every Story Whispers His Name.
Yes, well, I don’t know about you, but if your child asks you for any Bible, wouldn’t you be thrilled? Gordy and I marched out and bought a copy for him and a copy for John and me.
The staffers at Campus Outreach were smart. They were showing college students all about the Bible via Jago’s cool illustrations and Sally Lloyd-Jones’ storytelling skills based on the Bible. Sally’s creation has not only reached and touched college students’ lives, now in its’ tenth year, it’s been translated into thirty-three languages all over the world. Ponder that for a minute…
Here’s a pic of the new gift edition:
Sally begins by reassuring us readers, “You see, the best thing about this Story is—it’s true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.”
I love what she says in the section on Adam and Eve, “You see no matter what, in spite of everything, God would love his children—with a
Never Stopping,
Never Giving Up,
Unbreaking,
Always and
Forever Love.”
(These five types of love are repeated throughout her book.)
Another favorite part is found in Paul’s transformation when he says to the people, “It’s not about keeping rules! You don’t have to be good at being good for God to love you. You just have to believe what Jesus has done and follow him. Because it’s not about trying, it’s about trusting. It’s not about rules, It’s about Grace: God’s free gift—that cost him everything.”
I just love how she explains the Gospel. This book really is for everyone, not just children!
I discovered another book by Sally at a shower given for me to “Stock the Grandmother’s Library” my cousin Bonnie hosted. Talk about book heaven! Baby’s Hug-A-Bible is an adorable book, and one where the child can literally hug the fleece-covered book. It includes ten favorite Bible stories in rhyme. It would be a great way to introduce your child or grandchild to God’s Word.
For the toddlers who are being potty trained, don’t miss another one of Sally’s books with the best title ever: Skip to the Loo, My Darling! A Potty Book. The illustrations and rhyming words are just too terrific. Beyond clever.
I heard Sally interviewed about this book on the Eric Metaxas Show. They are long-time friends. You’ll find their back and forth banter priceless. www.metaxastalk.com
She was also recently on his show talking about the 10th Anniversary edition of The Jesus Storybook Bible as well as the Stories and Songs Tour she would be doing with Amy Grant and Ellie Holcomb. (It ran from March 19-May 13.)
Sally was born in Uganda. She reveals while she was only nine years of age, at a boarding school no less, she experienced God speaking into her life about her future. It’s an irrefutable God-incident!
Sally’s newest children’s book, Found: Psalm 23 sounds strangely familiar to her own story. It’s her paraphrase of Psalm 23 from The Jesus Storybook Bible.
The books we’ve talked about this week are just a sampling of many, many wonderful offerings Sally’s written. Pop over to her website and check them out. (www.sallylloyd-jones.com ) I can’t begin to say which is my favorite, but I’m on a mission to “research” them all, one by one, and soon will be reading them to our little Claire, Lord willing.
‘Til next time!