Excerpt, Giveaway & Review: Guess How Much God Loves You

Guess How Much God Loves You is the story of seven-year-old Lucy Lu, a colorful, creatively curious first grader who is starting to have serious questions about God. Questions like: How old is He? Does He sleep? What does He do all day? And the biggest one of all – does God really love me?

After one particularly hard day at school, bullied by her classmates and feeling like she doesn’t matter, Lucy sits with her Papa Joe who has promised to answer these questions and more, launching them onto a journey to discover God’s never changing, never failing, never ending love.

What follows is a wild adventure through the Bible, where Lucy and her Papa literally find themselves in the middle of it all, on each page of the exciting story of God’s love and faithfulness for ALL people throughout ALL of history!

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EXCERPT

He made animals that stomp, jump, and run, and creepy, crawly insects too. But He
saved the best for last. God made people just like me and you.
He said, “Let us create man and woman in our own image, in our likeness.” And He
made them special, different from all the animals. Their names were Adam and Eve
and they lived in a very special place, The Garden of Eden. He blessed them and told
them to fill the earth and take care of the fish in the seas and the birds in the air and
the animals on the ground. God breathed His own breath into their bodies, and He
gave them important work to do.

This story made my heart full with joy. How often do we hear bullying addressed with the love of God?

Karen Ferguson does it well in the first book of her series Guess How Much God Loves You.

Lucy has been told by her classmates that no one likes her. That is hurtful at any age, but especially confusing for Lucy who loves and trusts her Papa Joe who says that he loves her and God Loves her very much.

Like anyone presented with things that don’t add up, Lucy heads to her trusted source, her grandpa, who then turns to his trusted source, the Bible.

In it he reads the story of creation to Lucy, which increases her curiosity. Papa Joe assures her that there’s more to the story which will be read another day.

What I liked

• The age appropriate telling of the story
• Papa Joe’s faith and love for God and Lucy
• The progression of the images that enhanced the storytelling
• The whimsical quality of the images

What Gave Me Pause

• While I love the idea of playing up the gold decorations on the bible because gold signifies divinity. Considering how literal children’s minds are I was not a fan of the Bible glowing to describe its light, the draw or awe it inspires in Lucy.

That being said, overall this book is an excellent pick to introduce a child to God. Emphasizes that grandparents have a role to play in the rearing of their grandchild, and gave me the perfect series to start collecting for my grandson, who is just about to turn two.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Karen Ferguson is a freelance writer and small business owner with a background in K-8 education. A grateful wife, mom, and grandmom she loves words and the Word of God and is passionate about writing stories that grab and hold young readers’ attention, while teaching them all about God’s unchangeable truths, and His unchanging love for them. She wants every child to know that their life matters.

Through her company Illuminate Communications, Karen creates online content and digital products designed to touch the heart and nourish the mind, body, and spirit. She self-published her first book in 2017, a 21-day devotional called Breath of Life: Living God’s Promise of Peace in the 7 Dimensions of Wellness. Karen’s children’s book, Guess How Much God Loves You, is scheduled for release in July 2022 through Ambassador International.

Karen loves reading, writing, staying active, and spending time with her family and their crazy Golden Retriever in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Connect with Karen by visiting karenferg.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a signed hardcover copy of Guess How Much God Loves You + coloring book + $50 Amazon gift card!

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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