God's Messengers: What Animals Teach Us About the Divine [Paperback]

Linda Anderson (Author), Allen Anderson (Author), Allen Schoen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2003

Combining spiritual questions with heartwarming animal tales, God’s Messengers will appeal to anyone who seeks the mystical in the everyday. The authors have gathered these accounts from a wide variety of people and divided them into four sections: Love, Wisdom, Courage, and Comfort. Each story answers a question, for example: Is there a God? Are prayers answered? and Is there a heaven? Throughout, wild and domesticated creatures teach humans about health, compassion, and unconditional love — birds, coyotes, dolphins, and iguanas, as well as cats, dogs, and horses. Readers will learn about a ferret who helped an autistic boy play baseball, a dolphin who was saved by a concerned community, and a dog who pulled hair from her tail in sympathy with a chemo patient. 50 black-and-white photographs accompany these amazing stories.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Anyone feeling nostalgic about the sentimental angel books of the 1990s will appreciate this collection of animal stories, a follow-up to the Andersons' book Angel Animals. Through nearly 70 vignettes, the authors attempt to answer the classic theological questions: Is there a God? Why do bad things happen? And does God reunite us with loved ones? Some stories are moving and well told; two of the best are "Ferrets Are Made of God," in which an autistic boy gains confidence through the love of his pet, and "A Hamster's Legacy," where chaotic sixth-graders learn to care for others. Many of the sketches are tributes to animals-dogs, cats, horses, dolphins, snakes, squirrels, you name it-that rescued or comforted or inspired their humans. Others veer into silliness, though who wants to argue with someone who believes her late beloved dog is sending messages from beyond? As the authors point out, "Animals have a talent for bypassing the mind and going straight to the heart." All the stories are purpose-driven, either including a lesson or followed by personal questions for reflection: "What if the messages in dreams aren't merely workings of our subconscious minds or the result of what we ate before bedtime? Has an animal communicated with you in a dream about a matter of great importance?" Though much of this book's spirituality would appeal to anyone with romantic views of God and nature, some of its more imaginative accounts overstep the beliefs of any traditional religions.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"... Pick up several copies as gifts for all... animal lovers on your list. Yes, it really is that good!" -- Best Friends Magazine Nov./Dec. 2003

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (September 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577312465
• ISBN-13: 978-1577312468
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #578,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best "Animal Book" Ever, October 9, 2003

By 

Carol Frysinger (Nashville, Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: God's Messengers: What Animals Teach Us About the Divine (Paperback)

This was the most wonderful animal book I have ever read! I couldn't put it down. The stories are real about real Souls who live in animal bodies. I was amazed at the variety of experiences the writers shared. I especially loved the Llama story. I'm going to look into adding a Llama to the quadrapeds I plan to have on my new farm next year.

I am buying this book for everyone on my holiday gift list. I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't love it. Just to flip through & look at the animal's names & pictures is really uplifting.

This book is easy reading in our stressful world. It is a "feel good" book, but not overly sentimental. If just a small percentage of folks on this planet would read it, I am sure the world would be a better place to live.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oasis, December 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: God's Messengers: What Animals Teach Us About the Divine (Paperback)

In the midst of these troubled times, this book is an oasis of love and serenity. It just makes us love and respect animals even more.

If you don't know what present to give for the animal lover in your life, try this book.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Willard Scott - NBC Today Show endorses God's Messengers, January 24, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: God's Messengers: What Animals Teach Us About the Divine (Paperback)

It was treat to see Willard Scott endorse God's Messengers on the NBC Today Show last Thursday morning. He said it was a "wonderful book" plus he added that it was a book about how animals teach us about life. I read God's Messengers and totally agree with Willard's comment! Like they say -- read one story out of this book and never view our pets and other animals the same way again!