Among my many interests is astronomy. I take the opportunity to visit planetariums every chance I can. Thomas Nelson Publishers has published a beautiful gift book in that vein, compiled by Lisa Stilwell, the senior editor of gift books. The book is entitled `The Heavens Proclaim His Glory: A Spectacular View of Creation Through the Lens of the Hubble Telescope.'
Here is a synopsis of this book:
Welcome to the Universe - a World of Magnificent Beauty! Our world displays the handiwork of God - in the land and sea, the animals and plants. But in the sky, the heavens, the universe...there's a realm of beauty and creation only recently witnessed by man, thanks to the amazing feats of the Hubble telescope. The Heavens Proclaim His Glory opens the curtain to a stage of unspeakable beauty - a stage where only God Himself can receive all the credit. It's a display that will leave you speechless and ever-so-mindful of just how small we are in the vast scheme of His power and might.
This song by Third Day, `God of Wonders,' always reminds me of God's Creation, especially the heavens. This video includes some awesome images:
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This is a beautiful book! It is oversized and full of incredible photos taken from the Hubble Telescope, information on the heavenly bodies pictured (including planets, galaxies, nebula etc...), quotes from various authors, and Scripture verses that declare God's glory.
I love this quote from author Stephen Mansfield, which is printed underneath a photo of the Galaxy Triplet Arp 274:
What melts our hearts is not just that there is beauty in the universe. What melts us is the knowledge that God designed all beauty to show us who He is, as a symbolic language of the soul. All nature is God's wooing us to Himself.
Here is a wonderful quote from the amazing Frank Peretti:
Being a bit of a telescope enthusiast, I've sat up late on many a chilly night and marveled at all those brilliant little marbles, faraway diamonds, and silvery smudges, my mind boggled by the beauty, unable to comprehend the size, wondering at the time it took for those images to travel to my retinas. Does it make me feel small? Well, not so much as it makes me feel safe. You see, I know their Maker, and when I consider what Mind and Power are holding it all together, I'm comforted to know Whose plan it is and that He has made me a chosen part of it.
Not only is this book beautiful, but it's informative. Here's the description and brief history of the Hubble Telescope:
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space-based telescope that was launched in 1990 by the space shuttle. From its position 380 miles above the earth's surface, the HST has expanded its understanding of star birth, star death, and galaxy evolution, and has helped move black holes from theory to fact. In its first 15 years, the telescope recorded over 700,000 images. The telescope's instruments are the astronomer's eyes to the universe.
This would be a terrific gift for anyone who has an appreciation for God's Creation! It is incredible to have so many amazing photos from the heavens all in one book.
This book was published by Thomas Nelson Publishers and provided by them for review purposes.
Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea -
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