God Listens to Your Love: Prayers for Living With Animal Friends
From All Creatures Book and Video Review Guide

Author: Carol J. Adams

Reviewed by Frank and Mary Hoffman

r-godlistens-love

Publisher:

The Pilgrim Press
700 Prospect Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115-1100
www.thepilgrimpress.com

Copyright © 2005 Carol J. Adams
ISBN 0-8298-1665-8
Paperback 48 pages
$8.00 USA $10.00
CAN See: God Listens Series - Special Offer

Review:

Like Carol Adams’ other books in the God Listens series, this book of prayers for animal friends, written from a child’s viewpoint, fills a real ministerial need. We have been well aware of the need to relate to the sensitivity of children during our many years when Frank was pastor in a church and the years that we've been involved in our Internet ministry.

As I’ve mentioned before, although these books are written for children, they are excellent for anyone, regardless of age, who loves animals. This time pages 43 and 44 got a big response from Frank and me. The heading of this section is: “Why can’t my animal friend come to church with me?”

Reading these words brought back memories. One memory was of a Sunday morning when Frank had been invited to be the guest pastor of an area church. We had been to this church before and, as usual, there was a friendly cat who showed up at the door. Members of the church told us that the cat’s name was Pandora. As always, we made Pandy feel welcome in the church, and she would often spend her time on the altar during the service. This particular Sunday, Frank picked up Pandy and held her in his arms during the youth story time. She loved the attention and behaved beautifully! And everyone there was happy, especially the organist who cared for several formerly homeless kitties!

Every pastor, counselor, and parent should have copies of God Listens to Your Love on hand for children (and adults, too) who care about animals and need to express to God the joy and the questions that surface when an animal friend joins the family. There is real comfort in knowing that God listens to our prayers concerning our special animal friends.

For far too long the Church has neglected deep emotional feelings that many people have for animals, and instead of giving true Godly comfort, have brushed aside these feelings as being trivial. By doing so, we harden the hearts of these adults and children - many for life. This is unacceptable! God Listens to Your Love by Carol J. Adams addresses the need that has all too often been ignored or laughed at.

From the Book:

God Listens to Your Love is the second book in the God Listens series, a one-of-a-kind series of prayers for children (and adults too!) who love animals.

Written from a child’s viewpoint, God Listens to Your Love features over 30 prayers that respond to the love and care that naturally exist between children and animals. The prayer topics include:

· When a new animal friend joins your family – a prayer of thanksgiving

· The joy of feeding an animal

· A prayer for a missing animal friend

· Do animals go to heaven?

Through these prayers, children and others will have the opportunity to deepen their relationship not only with their animal friend but with God.

About the Author:

Carol J. Adams is the author of over 16 books including God Listens When You’re Sad: Prayers When your Animal Friend Is Sick or Dies (The Pilgrim Press, 2005), God Listens to Your Love: Prayers for Living with Animal Friends, (The Pilgrim Press, 2005) and Prayers for Animals (2004). She lives in Dallas, Texas.


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