What Is God Like? | Random House Group

About the Book

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The late, beloved Rachel Held Evans answers many children's first question about God in this gorgeous picture book, fully realized by her friend Matthew Paul Turner, the bestselling author of When God Made You.

Children who are introduced to God, through attending church or having loved ones who speak about God, often have a lot of questions, including this ever-popular one: What is God like? The late Rachel Held Evans loved the Bible and loved showing God’s love through the words and pictures found in that ancient text. Through these pictures from the Bible, children see that God is like a shepherd, God is like a star, God is like a gardener, God is like the wind, and more. God is a comforter and support.

And whenever a child is unsure, What Is God Like? encourages young hearts to “think about what makes you feel safe, what makes you feel loved, and what makes you feel brave. That's what God is like.”

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Excerpt

What Is God Like?

Foreword

Woven throughout this book, you’ll find Rachel’s heart for people, love of words, and the solace she discovered in the unknown.

It was March of 2019 when she started outlining and writing drafts of children’s books. As new parents, Rachel and I were in a fresh chapter of life. Our son, Henry, had just turned three, and our daughter, Harper, was still a baby. Rachel was excited to write stories they could enjoy. We had big plans and were building a house.

But the crushing reality is that life doesn’t always go according to our plans. Rachel wasn’t able to finish the ideas for all her books. She got sick in April and passed away on May 4, 2019, two weeks before Harper’s first birthday.

Matthew Paul Turner was often with me at Rachel’s hospital bedside in the days before her death. His personal connection to Rachel and her words permeates the poetic fabric of art and text that you now hold. It’s an honor to work with Matthew, who has championed Rachel and her work from the beginning of her career, before New York Times bestseller lists, before media appearances, and before he was known as a children’s book author.

It’s also a privilege to work with Ying Hui Tan, who ensures with breathtaking beauty that the ideas of Rachel and Matthew are seen. I’m grateful to Rachel, Ying Hui, Matthew, and the team at Convergent for their hard work. And I’m excited to share the collaboration of these artists with you.

We are all fellow travelers through this life. Together, we learn to care for one another. Join me in these pages to discover ancient imagery, history, love, dedication to what’s good, and acceptance of all people. Together, we wonder how we’re simultaneously insignificant and grand in this vast universe. Together, let’s explore the question:

What is God like?

Daniel Jonce Evans

About the Author

Rachel Held Evans

More by Rachel Held Evans

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About the Author

Matthew Paul Turner

Matthew Paul Turner is a photographer, speaker, and author of numerous books, including the bestselling When God Made You, When I Pray for You, and What Is God Like?. More by Matthew Paul Turner

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About the Author

Ying Hui Tan

Matthew Paul Turner is a photographer, speaker, and author of numerous books, including the bestselling When God Made You, When I Pray for You, and What Is God Like?. More by Ying Hui Tan

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About the Author

Daniel Jonce Evans

Matthew Paul Turner is a photographer, speaker, and author of numerous books, including the bestselling When God Made You, When I Pray for You, and What Is God Like?. More by Daniel Jonce Evans

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