Five Reviews in One: Sheila Deeth’s Five Books reviewed by Fran Lewis

Five Reviews In One for Five Unique and Outstanding Books by

An Inspirational Author who brings the Joy and Understanding of God to all of us: Sheila Deeth

What better way to start the holiday season and bring the true spirit and understanding of the many holidays into our hearts and minds than to read and have on each of our personal shelves all of Sheila Deeth’s books.   A great box set of books to be one all book shelves as they are on mine.

Reviewed by Fran Lewis

Thanksgiving:  From Eden to Eternity in 100 Words a day: By Sheila Deeth

Thanksgiving is a time when we all give thanks for the things we have whether no matter how large or how small. The most precious gift I feel to give thanks for is good health and of course the love of your family and friends.

Words are powerful. They can encourage your to soar or they can make you feel sad. They can tear you apart when they are meant to be mean or cruel or they can redeem you when you repent or say you are sorry. Whether it is one word or a thousand it does not matter as long as the messenger sends it and the recipient understands and gets it.

In her book Thanksgiving! From Eden to Eternity in 100 Words a day author Sheila Deeth reaches out to young people of all ages to help them understand the true meaning of giving thanks and the wonders of the Bible by creating a 30 day calendar for the month of November with each day bearing the name of something important that happened when God decided to create this beautiful world for us to live in.

Each story is 100 words that capture the reader’s attention from the first sentence. For children this book will help teach them many lessons taught in the Bible in a way that they will not only enjoy learning but make them hunger for more.

Starting with the Creation of the world on the first day of the month and explaining how God created the sun, the moon, nature and more the author draws you in and captures and envelopes your mind to help answer those questions you might never have answered. Ending each story in her unique way a special thank you to God for the lesson he taught in the story that was read. Answering questions like why we live by God’s Laws to how we learned to share God’s meal and embrace his wisdom, this book is filled with lessons that can fill hours in every Sunday sermon or Sunday school class.
My favorite story The Tower of Babel teaches children that they are not the only ones that argue and have misunderstandings. It ends with thanking God for the gifts of all our different languages and cultures. I love that. We need to learn to understand our differences and embrace the cultures of others to have a better way of living in this world as friends. In the story Abraham’s Sons we learn the meaning of forgiveness and healing and hope. Every story, every one hundred words are so powerful and so inspiring you have to read this book with your family and children.

Each of the lessons learned and the thank yous at the end of each story really help to bring to light the true meaning of Thanksgiving and more. I love the story about the Ten Commandments and how Moses returned with the gift of law from God. I love the story about Esther and how she became queen. You need to read this book to find out more. But as the author so aptly puts it on the last page. The Restoration and the world and its beauty are restored. If everyone would put aside their differences and remember the wonders that God created for us and the laws and wisdom to learn what is safe and what will harm more and us: We might truly eliminate hate and wars and the mean. Thank you God for giving us all that you have and thank you Sheila Deeth for writing this book to remind us of how lucky we are.

A Bible Book of Numbers: Book Two by Sheila Deeth

This is special book of numbers that starts with the number zero and works its way up infinity. Just how this happens you will learn by reading this great book.

Starting with Zero our author reminds us before there was God there was nothing? Instead of her usual lesson learned created questions that children might want answered after reading the short explanation about the number or chapter heading and its meaning. The number one reminds us that there is one God and there will always be only one and that he is everywhere and in everything. Two people to look after his garden but since they broke it cannot live there anymore. Questions children might ask as to why this happened and more follow this. The explanation as to why and how God made the world in 6 days and rests of the seventh are followed by questions that remind us that even though he is resting on the seventh day the author lets us know he is always watching over us. Why ten is a good counting number and that God made the ten commandments for his people is a great way to help children learn more about God’s laws and the questions that follow support that and explain the meaning of the commandments in simple terms for children to understand.

But, my favorite two numbers were 11 and 12, which brings people together and explains the love God has for Jewish people and for those who believe in Jesus. I love the way the author describes why God had special people to help mend the world in one day and how it helped bring everyone together. But, the biggest number and the one that goes on and on forever is the last one Infinity, which tells how much God, loves us and he will forever. Thank you Sheila we all love this book and you for writing it.

A Bible Book of Colors: By Sheila Deeth

What a great way to teach children colors and the understanding at the same time. How we came to have darkness and how God created light and the rain and wet gray earth. Each page teaches the meaning behind a color and the significance that color plays in the creation of our world and its meaning. God lived with the people in the light until they disobeyed him and had to once again live in the dark. This tells the reader that the colors are gift from God and you need to earn them and listen and obey him to have the light. But, when God restored the colors after sending in a flood to do away with the darkness, he created the most beautiful of all sights: A Rainbow. I love rainbows and the colors are so perfect: Red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, dark blue, and purple. A rainbow to remind us that he loves us. But, when she tells how he gave the priests medallions and twelve precious jewels and their descriptions how brilliant of the author to explain the meanings behind these precious gifts and more. God lived in the middle of his temple and gave his people light but those on the outside lived in darkness and were not part of his temple. So God created made a world that will be his city and his temple with streets lined of God and the walls filled with all of the precious stones and jewels that he has created. This amazing book teaches not only the meaning of the creation but colors and living in the light of God forever.

Christmas: By Sheila Deeth

It starts with how the planets and the earth came to be and the questions of a child as to why the fruit of a tree was forbidden. It continues with the story of Noah and how Joseph was sold and how he was welcomed home.

The importance of the ten commandments, the slaying of Goliath and David crowned as King of Israel and the plight of Daniel help enlighten the reader and help them learn more about the book of Genesis and the eventual birth of the Christ child by Mary in Bethlehem as her husband Joseph brings her there creating a new light in our world.

Reading about the destruction of the Temple and the questions asked by the children of the grandfather and his complaints help make the story more enjoyable for children to love and read. Stories 28-31 tell what finally happens to the child and his fate. The thirty- first story of the last day of December as this book is also a calendar of 31 days of events that helped create our world using the December Calendar days. I love the ending where God says that he is not a symbol and wants to be called by his name.

We calculated dates and times, as the author states, neglected wisdom and love. Once again numbers play an important part in her books as it does in the ending of the last story: 7 for God’s plan, 2 for trust, 3 for God, 4 for earth, 10 for man and 12 for the chosen.

Thank you Sheila for giving us another reason to embrace the words of God and understand Genesis to the Revelation in 100 words a day.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not add my review of Genesis People to this great collection of Sheila Deeth Books.

Genesis People: by Sheila Deeth

Reviewed by Fran Lewis

Imagine a group of children sitting mesmerized when learning about the Creation of the World. How amazing that would be! Imagine the same children listening and asking questions as they hear the stories for the first time in the Book of Genesis told in a unique and exciting manner. Imagine your child or your Sunday School Bible class asking questions and wanting to hear and learn more. Why imagine it! Read Genesis People by Sheila Deeth and your child will not only listen but also want to hear more and more. Imagine your child wanting to read these stories over and over again. I did.

For any child that has trouble reading the Bible and any parent who wants to stimulate an interest in learning about the book of Genesis this book is perfect. Each story is written in the form of a fairytale explaining and telling about some famous and not so famous people in the first book of the Bible.

These stories are well written, they hold the reader’s interest and they are factual and yet entertaining. Reading about how the serpent tricked Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit and blaming it on Eve was one way to foster a discussion as to why bad things happen and why we have to hunt or buy our food.

Reading about Rachel and Leah the two sisters who married the same man and the problems it caused and how it hurt their relationship and the downfall of Cain and Abel reminded the reader that arguments happen in families today and relationships between brothers and brothers and sisters and sisters are precious and yet fragile.

Each of the short stories teaches a lesson in values, morals and believing in one God. The descriptions of the land and those who abused their wealth and power teaches us that no one is immune from God’s power and decisions.

I loved the story of the Tower Builders and how the town wanted to build a tower up to heaven and all of the trouble that caused in the village and among the people. Sounds like real life where people can’t seem to get along and live in the same country because of their differences in beliefs and religious ideals.

Every story teaches a different lesson in life. Every story can be read separately or in groups when speaking about the same person. These are great for Sunday School discussions with both adults and children. These stories are great for children in schools that teach religion and want the students to write a response of their own or perhaps a letter to the person in that story telling what they think they should have done instead of what they did if it was not the right thing or followed their trust in God.

The story of Lot was my favorite. Not listening to what God said cost Sarah her life. Many of these stories had the people moving from place to place because God told them to. Many had to deal with being a second wife, or not the most important child in the family.

Potiphar had to learn just how greedy his wife was and that she really did not love him, just his wealth. There are so many issues that are written about in each of these great stories that relate to the world not just during the creation but today as well.

The best part of each story was the ending where the author restates the purpose of the story by thanking God for what they learned and what he did for them to keep them safe and more.

As Sheila states “In the beginning God created people to be his friends. But, first we had to learn to be friends. We learned friends value each other. They listen to each other and care for each other.

Thank you God for choosing us and letting us know that you love us.

Thank you Sheila for writing these amazing stories that are not only informative, fun to read but also inspiring.
Fran Lewis reviewer

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