Earth Psalms

August 8, 2016
In her first nonfiction effort, bestselling novelist Rivers (Redeeming Love) has packaged devotional prayers for the 52 weeks of the year. Each week focuses on a specific aspect of the natural world, such as woodpeckers or stenocara beetles, and starts with a memory of Rivers’s, a trip to Alaska or just a foray into her yard to feed the birds, then weds her personal experience to religion. Buursma helped select reflections and applications to produce a good workbook. Each chapter contains three sections to inspire further contemplation. “Reflect” presents questions pertinent to the topic: “When do you feel most thirsty for God?” “Apply” assigns homework: “Ask God to help you view trials as an opportunity for growth.” “Connect” focuses on prayer to God; although some are apt, others are less artless and, at times, overly wordy. Buursma supplied quotes, from Lincoln, Lucado, Luther, and others. Details about the natural world add interest, and photos—of spring lilacs, California redwoods, and autumn reds—add beauty. Progressive Christians might appreciate the pretty pictures more than Rivers’s religious tenets, but all readers will find solace in her words of encouragement.