Interview with Sally Lloyd-Jones, author of The Jesus Storybook Bible
March 12th, 2007
Whenever a gospel-centered book is published I’m pleased, but when one is published specifically for children I’m especially pleased. I want my children to be reading books that help them understand the gospel more deeply, books that point them to Jesus. So, when I heard about the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones, I was thrilled. Our family’s copy arrived just over a week ago. My children are thoroughly enjoying it (and so am I). It is very well written and does a fantastic job capturing Scripture’s big picture. Sally has served Christian families very well with this book. If you are looking for another resource that will help your children better understand the significance of Jesus’ person and work, this is a book you’ll want to pick up.
Sally graciously agreed to be interviewed about the book. My hope is that this interview will help make more people, particularly parents, aware of this excellent storybook Bible.
1. Let me begin by asking the question that I’m fairly sure is on most everyone’s mind. Given that you are British and a Christian, it’s a question I know you’ve answered more times than you can probably count. Are you related to the Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
I love being asked this because I am a huge fan of Dr Lloyd-Jones, and it usually means I’ve found someone else who is, too. But even though I am from the same passionate celtic corner of the world (Wales), no, I’m not related to him. It’s all a bit of a let down, I’m afraid, and it’s all I can do not to apologize (which I’ve written more about and had some fun with in my blog)
2. When I first heard about The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every story whispers his name, I was thrilled that there was now a children’s Bible story book that put Jesus at the center. What I especially appreciate about it is that you do this with 21 stories from the Old Testament. Why did you set out to write a children’s book like this? Why did you feel the need to write a Bible story book that presents Jesus as each story’s hero?
When I first saw that everything in the Old Testament, is pointing to a child—the one who is coming—it blew me away. Suddenly, here was a way to read the Bible without it leaving you condemned (I’ll never keep all the rules all the time) or in despair (how can I ever be as brave as Daniel? or David?).
I found it so moving when I started to discover how the Old Testament is basically one long record of failure—the failure of God’s people time and time again to live rightly, to rescue themselves—and that the stories in the Old Testament are all getting us ready for the One who is coming. They are all signposts to the True Hero, the True King, the True Prince, the True Servant, the greater David, the greater Daniel. The Rescuer.As a child, I thought the Bible was packed with rules you had to keep (or God wouldn’t love you) and heroes setting examples you had to follow (or God wouldn’t love you). I thought, in short, that the Bible was all about me and what I should (or shouldn’t) be doing. Until I read a Story.
It’s the Story running like a golden stream underneath all the other stories in the Bible: the story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. Suddenly, I realized the Bible wasn’t about me and what I should be doing at all. It was about God and what he had done. And it changed everything.
So, throughout the mapping out of the book and writing the stories, I was resolute in my determination to avoid even a whiff of moralizing in terms of applying the stories. The absolute last thing I ever wanted to ask a child was: “And what can we learn from David about how God wants us to behave?” The story isn’t there to be an example for us to follow. If that were the point, Jesus would never needed to have come. We could have saved ourselves.
The story is there because it’s true and because it’s telling the bigger story—of the greater David who is coming. To do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves, to fight the battle we could never fight. To be the Hero we all need. To be our Rescuer.
I wanted children to know this Story—and to meet this wonderful Hero in the pages of this book. Because rules don’t change you. But a story can.
3. I know that you are a long time member of Redeemer Presbyterian Church where Tim Keller is pastor. What kind of influence has Tim Keller had on you as a Christian in general and as a writer in particular?
Dr Keller’s influence on me is profound. But Grace would be the first word that comes to my mind. Grace, grace and more grace! And his teaching is always all about Jesus. He opened my eyes to seeing Jesus in all the scriptures. And that’s what melts your heart. And changes your life.
For me, as a writer, Dr Keller gives a rallying cry to the imagination every time he preaches! And I find myself more equipped and fired up to write. He has also helped me to understand that I honor God most when I use the gifts he has given me and freed me to pursue excellence in my writing and to see my writing as my ministry—my way to serve and bless others. I don’t need to get out of my job to serve God. God has put me in my job to serve him here. And my job just happens to be to tell the best story I can. Whatever story that may be.
It blows me away to think… God is just as pleased with me for writing a little pink book shaped like a handbag that makes children laugh (HANDBAG FRIENDS) as he is with me for writing THE JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE. But it shouldn’t surprise us should it? After all he is the same God who thought up the ostrich—and designed exactly how she would look when she ran!
C S Lewis said, “A book cannot be what a writer is not” and I’ve come to see that if grace and joy and redemption have transformed your heart and your life—it will also transform your writing. You won’t be able to help it. Grace and joy and redemption will leak out into everything. The Story ultimately will be in everything you write—whether you meant it to or not.
4. What Old Testament story in your book is your favorite and why?
That’s a great question and hard to answer. I think I’d have to say what children say when asked a question like this, “They’re ALL my favorites!”
When selecting which stories to include (unfortunately I had to pick and choose!) and deciding which angle to take in each story, I chose the angle or the stories that moved me the most. So, I love them for different reasons.
But if I had to choose one, funnily enough I think that one of the hardest to write is probably one of my favorites: Leah and Rachel. I love it because it combats what I see my nieces already having to battle even at 4 and 5 years old—the message that beauty is what the world tells you it is—instead of what God says it is. God loved Leah and thought she was special and gave her the ultimate fairytale come true story: he made her a princess—one of her children’s children’s children would be a prince. The Prince of Heaven and Earth. The fairy tale really does come true. The Hero comes back for his lost treasure; the Prince comes back for the one he loves. And “the ending of our Story is Joy!”
5. What did the process of writing this book do for you spiritually?
It was like having a personal mini revival at my desk every day and at the same time, a personal major all out battle at my desk every day.
This was not an easy book for me to write or produce (as any of my faithful praying friends and family will attest!) and yet those things that demand most of you, cost you the most, push you the furthest, often end up being your most precious treasure of all. I am so grateful that the Lord didn’t let me quit the many times I wanted to and that he protected the book and brought it out the way he wanted it.
From the outset, the Lord gave me a vision for this book that he also gave me the strength to keep hold of no matter what, even when it seemed impossible. I grew through it not just as a writer, but also as a Christian. I learned that despite all the internal resistance that comes up for me whenever I set out to do something new (all those reasons why you can’t do this, shouldn’t be doing that, should give up, are wasting your time, etc.) my job is to just get out of the way and let the Story through. I can’t afford the luxury of self-doubt. Someone said that and I aspire to that.
Certainly by the time I’d finished writing the book, I had a whole new level of awe for the incredible Story I am part of. And I had definitely fallen more in love with its Hero!
6. What kinds of reactions to the book have you received from parents and children so far?
It sounds strange, but the consistent reaction from many adults is that it makes them weep. (I think that’s good? Hope so!) Parents are reading it to one another as their devotional before bed. Pastors are using it to help them with their preaching. I heard someone call it, “the storybook for preachers”.
And of course families are reading it together. Teenagers and college students have told me they are enjoying it. I heard from one dad that his young boys listen to each of the stories and as they near the end of each story, they whisper just one word: “Jesus.” I couldn’t ask for a better response. May all of us to be whispering his name in all the stories of our lives!
So the book seems to be breaking out of the traditional audience for a children’s storybook bible, which I didn’t foresee and am thrilled by. I like books that break out of the mold.
With a children’s book you must distill everything down to its simplest form. Arthur Schopenhauer’s said, “use ordinary language to say extraordinary things”. The Story is extraordinary; using simple language lets it through more powerfully. I think adults are responding because they are hearing the complete plot line of the Bible told in its distilled form, and they are being reminded of the magnificent story that we are all a part of.
7. I was recently telling a parent of young children about your new book and its objective. After quickly writing the title of your book down, she asked how she might learn to do what you do in the book with other Old Testament stories. I’m sure many parents will wonder the same thing. How might parents learn to discern how each biblical story whispers Jesus’ name?
That’s a great question. I will just share what helped me, for what it’s worth.
Without a doubt, I could not have written this book if I had not had the benefit of Dr Tim Keller’s teaching. And he is the first one I credit in my acknowledgments. There’s always a point in every sermon he preaches, where everything looks to Jesus. It’s the turning point of the sermon. It’s the point where Grace comes in. So I’d recommend listening to as many of Keller’s sermons as you can—or other great sermons doing the same thing.
I also got hold of a tape series from a theological seminary to help me follow the plot line of Redemption from Genesis to Revelation. That will give you all the connections and fill in any gaps you may have and prime you to be ready to read the OT stories with Jesus in mind.
Then I prayed before reading each story in the OT to ask God to show me the angle to use. And then mostly, I let myself be guided by what moved me, knowing that what moved me I would write with passion and tears. As Frost said, “no tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.”
For each story I identified what character trait/truth of Jesus to draw out from that story (always many more than one). I thought about each story as building a portrait of Jesus. And told the story with that trait central in my mind so that the entire story turns on it.
Hans Hoffman said: “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” I keep that taped in front of my desk.
8. Are there any other children’s Bible story books that you would recommend to parents?
I love the Beginners Bible because it broke the mold.
9. Any plans to write a sequel?
Not right now… but never say never!
I do have another Bible coming from Zondervan in the Fall (TINY BEAR’S BIBLE, September) but it’s quite different—it’s much shorter for a start, it rhymes, and…wait for it… it’s entirely covered in fur! So…a slight change of pace.
Sally, thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. I know many people are excited about your new book. It’s my prayer that God will do much with this book for His Kingdom.
Thank you so much for your interest Dan. It was my pleasure. It’s God’s Story and my honor to have been able to tell it. And as to God using this book for His Kingdom … AMEN!
March 12th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Dan,
I don’t know if you have the opportunity for ongoing correspondence with the author. But if you do, I’m curious about a couple of her comments. Incidentally, I bought the book for my two year-old daughter and we love it! It’s one of the very best children’s Bible story books we’ve ever read and we buy it for new parents in our church now. So I’m in the author’s “corner” when it comes to Gospel/Christ-centeredness.
It just seems with the following comments that she might be swinging the pendulum too far.
For example, she says, “Suddenly, I realized the Bible wasn’t about me and what I should be doing at all.” Really? I agree that the Bible is primarily about the work of Christ FOR US. But does this mean it isn’t about us “at all”? If the good news isn’t about us and for us, then it isn’t good news. Isn’t the Bible still a good deal about what I can/should be doing IN CHRIST, BECAUSE of what he’s done for me that I could never do for myself?
She also says of the story of David (and I assume of the other stories in the Bible), “The story isn’t there to be an example for us to follow.” Again, I agree if she’s saying the story isn’t first and foremost an example to follow. It is first about human failure and points us to the need for Christ’s victory as coming King, etc. But is it therefore not an example at all? How would she reconcile this statement with First Corinthians 10:1-12?
Dan, as you know (I think), I’m still working this out myself as a young pastor, and I see the need for keeping Christ central to everything. I’m still very much learning how to do that. I’d love to glean a little more insight into what this great author has said here. Thanks.
March 12th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Great interview amigo. I’m linking to it.
March 12th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Thanks for the interview and tip off on this new book.
Matt,
The example in 1 Cor 10 is a warning to us against idolatry. Verse 12 is the key “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” In that sense David is our example but not like we teach the children.
A better verse to raise is 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Her comments above sound like she has abandoned all application of the Old Testament except to point to Christ.
Moralism in children’s Bibles is true enemy of the Gospel. “Be a good and brave and God will love you” is not the message of the Old Testament. What about Deuteronomy 6 and teaching them diligently? What about Psalm 34:11 and teaching children the fear of the Lord?
That being said, having a book that will open our eyes to the glory of Christ sounds great.
March 12th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Hi Matt:
I so appreciate the thoughtfulness behind your response–and for taking the time to comment. (And, of course, your generosity–what a joy to hear how much you and your daughter are enjoying the book. Thanks, too, giving copies to other parents.)
Sometimes you have to overstate something to make the point. But I should have been more careful to add disclaimers/cover my bases better!
Of course you’re right, Matt, the point I was trying to make (not very well, I’m afraid!) is not to say that the Bible is “not about us AT ALL”, but rather it’s not primarily about our behavior, what we do or don’t do. It’s above all about God and what he has done. It’s His story first and foremost–God’s Story of Salvation.
Also, perhaps it would be helpful to take ALL my comments as specifically targeted to writing a children’s book (another disclaimer that was sadly lacking!). I don’t in any way pretend to be a Biblical scholar (thankfully Kathy Keller vetted the book theologically to ensure I was on target!) So speaking about this solely as a writer of children’s books–writing for children, you are forced to distill and simplify. You can’t cover all your bases. Or you will confuse and lose the child reader. And I knew that the first and most important thing that children need to know from the Bible is that God loves them. Period. No matter what. In spite of everything. We are saved by grace. Not by rules. That is the central through line of God’s Story of Salvation young children need to hear. (All of us, I would argue–but hey, I’m getting out of my area!)
There are some examples in the Bible to follow, of course (but there are also a lot of examples NOT to follow!) And in fact the people God uses are most often broken, imperfect, sinners as far as I can tell. So I do still think, the story of David is there above all to point to God’s rescuer. Not to point to us.
In a lot of Christian children’s books I see a tendency to use the Bible stories as a manual to good behavior. (I am not saying the OT does this, of course, I’m saying children’s bible storybooks do this.) This moralizing can suggest to children that if you’re good God will love you. My purpose in this book overriding everything was to show children–look, no matter how bad you’ve been, no matter how you have messed up, God loves you. Always has. Always will. And out of that knowledge of God loving you unconditionally, will come a changed heart and life/behavior. And as with anyone you love, you will want to learn what pleases the one you love–and do it. But this is obedience out of a place of love, not fear. Which is very different from being good in order to get God to love you. It’s the Gospel: each of us is more sinful than we ever imagined; and more loved than we ever thought possible.
That was what I was trying to get at, in my comments, Matt. Rather clumsily I’m afraid. It’s all grace. But it’s what Paul said–grace is not a license to sin. But if you don’t experience the Story first—God’s grace and God’s love shown to us in Jesus Christ—there is no hope of change. So I’m by no means throwing out the rules. I’m just majoring on grace, because I believe that is the age-appropriate thing for young children. Because rules don’t change you. But the Story can.
The Jesus Storybook Bible is setting out to tell that Story as clearly and simply as I can. It is certainly only a tiny first step toward understanding the Gospel. If it can whet the appetite of children (and, who knows, their parents as well?) to open the scriptures for themselves, then it will have done what I prayed it would do.
March 12th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Sally —
Thank you so much for you quick and gracious response! I think you and I agree whole-heartedly in light of your follow-up comments. Thank you for taking the time to write!
As I mentioned, I am deeply grateful to you for putting a kids’ book like this together. We treasure these stories and how they point first to Christ and how he has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. Praise God!
For other readers, another good children’s Bible storybook is “The Big Picture Story Bible” by David Helm (illust. by Gail Schoonmaker). I believe Graeme Goldsworthy is the one who recommended it as a resource. Just as the title indicates, it overviews redemptive history in an age-appropriate way. And kids love it too!
March 12th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Sally, thanks for taking the time to reply in the comment section. Excellent.
I think it’s helpful to keep several things in mind (and I know, Matt, that you’ll agree with me on all of these). First, we need to be careful about assuming that someone has “abandoned all application of the Old Testament except to point to Christ.” Sally’s right when she says that we can’t say everything that could be said about a subject. I struggle with that everytime I preach. There are many things I could say but don’t because five hours might be, for some people, a little too long for a sermon. That said, I am perfectly comfortable with what Sally does and doesn’t say/do in the book. (Tony, I agree with your comments re: 1 Corinthians 10 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17. I’m sure Sally does too.)
Second, it seems to me that it is really important not to lose sight of Scripture’s meta-narrative. Though Scripture does have many exhortations, they are never to be understood as naked commands. They are given to us within “the creation, fall, redemption, consummation” meta-narrative of Scripture. So, at its most basic level, Scripture is not about me or you (i.e. what we should do) so much as it is about God’s work to redeem His creation. If you see the commands of Scripture within that meta-narrative context, you can’t understand them as being about us first.
Second, we must not lose sight of the fact that the Law, Prophets, and the Psalms are fulfilled in Jesus (Luke 24). For example, the Law of Moses was given within a redemptive context. God did not give Israel the Law until have He first delivered them and gathered them unto Himself as His own special people. So the commands were first about God, His character and redemptive activity. In other words, all the commands of the Law were/are to be understood within the framework of God’s redeeming activity. They explicate what it meant to be in covenant relationship with the Creator/Redeemer God. This was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus who in his own person fulfilled both sides of the covenant. He was (is) both God and man. It is in him—in his very person—that you have God’s gracious movement to man (in that he is God) and man’s returning faithful response to God (in that he is man born under the law). It’s in Jesus, the God-Man, that all of God’s gracious action and all of man’s responses to that gracious action is gathered up to accomplish our salvation. So, I don’t have a problem with Sally’s comments at all (even before she provided her clarifications).
Third, is the story of David and Goliath there to give us an example to follow? No, it’s there to demonstrate that God delivers His faithless people through His anointed. Now are there things we can learn from it and apply? Yes, but that’s not its first function/purpose. It is only as we see ourselves in the LORD’s anointed that we are freed to do anything that He has commanded. It’s only after the anointed won the victory that God’s people were able to do what they should have done, namely, fought the Philistines in the name of the LORD. So, rather than understanding Sally’s comments as working against growth in godly living (increasing in our obedience to Scripture’s exhortations) I see them as actually describing the environment in which obedience can and does truly flourish.
Fourth, I think the commands/exhortations of Scripture actually have more teeth when the gospel-story is central. The gospel actually reaches much deeper than naked commands do. The gospel actually uncovers my true motivations for what I choose to do and not to do. It creates an obedience that is increasingly motivated by gratitude and the pleasure of knowing and enjoying this One who is redeeming me by His great grace.
Thanks for all the comments and questions. Keep them coming. This is a very helpful discussion.
March 13th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Sally
I’m sorry I took your original comments wrong. Thanks for the clarification. So I recant any overstatement on my part.
In ‘Christian circles’ the danger is always toward moralizing the OT. But the opposite danger is to move toward Marcianism. Some who don’t really get the unity of the scriptures think the OT is a waste of time – or even a different God. It looks like your book gets it right. I look forward to reading it.
March 13th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Thanks Tony and Matt. I love the passion and heart on this blog! Great discussion. Thank you for letting me be part of it
: ]
March 14th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Dan,
When you first mentioned this book a few weeks ago my wife and I said “hmmm, we need to look into this”. Now after this post it’s an absolute certainty we’ll be ordering it.
Our children are only 7, 5, and 2 but already we are having to deal with the “David as a good example” type of teaching. The issue is that this is the primary grid through which the OT and much of the NT is taught – even for adults. It’s impossible to get away from it. It seems especially so in the South where “God, Country, and Good Behavior” is the rallying cry. But, I digress. Thanks again for making us aware of this wonderful resource.
March 16th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Matt:
I just bought the book you mentioned — a good children’s Bible storybook is “The Big Picture Story Bible” by David Helm (illust. by Gail Schoonmaker). How would you compare the two? Any gaps?
Conrad
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:59 am
Thank you, thank you!!
I can’t say enough how glad I am you posted this interview. The comments above have been great too.
I think I’m the one Sally heard who called the book “The Storybook for Preachers”. That was the title of my post recommending the book. I got that from Tim Keller’s comments in Justin Taylor’s post about the book. Tim said that every pastor should get it and read it, as it would transform his preaching.
I did get the book, and I thoroughly love it. And yes, tears have came to my eyes as I read it to my three little girls (ages 3, 2, and 1, currently).
I grew up in a strict fundamentalist background, and the Bible was often a moralist manual to me. So grasping the Gospel-centeredness and Christ-centeredness of Scripture is truly wonderful and transforming. I want that for my daughters.
Thanks for the interview, and thank you Sally, for the book. I’ll probably have to check out that other book (Big Picture Story Bible) too.
Blessings in Christ to you all,
Bob Hayton
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:19 am
Dan,
Thanks for blogging on this – I can’t wait to get this book both for myself and my kids!
March 23rd, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Conrad,
First of all, I apologize for not responding. But I rarely go back and read old threads and keep up with them. So this is the first I saw your question.
I think both books are excellent, but are aimed at accomplishing a little different goals. I hate to speak for either author (!), so I’ll just characterize my impressions.
“The Jesus Storybook Bible” takes individual stories from both testaments and shows in each one how they reveal Christ (or the need for Christ to be what the characters in the stories were not). You can read one story with your child, as I do with mine, and she will see how that one story points to Christ.
On the other hand, “The Big Picture Story Bible” does just what the title indicates. I think of it as the kids’ version of “The Drama of Scripture,” by Bartholemew & Goheen (if you’re familiar with that work, that’ll make sense). So it doesn’t explicitly point to Christ in each individual story. Rather, it guides a child through the various stages of redemptive history (Creation-Fall-Redemption-Consummation) and shows how God orchestrated it all.
I know I’m generalizing, but I hope that helps. There’s a lot more I could say, but this isn’t my blog! Since the books have a little different aims, but both are excellent, we use both with our daughter to try to help her see both the big picture and the reality of Christ in every story.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:34 pm
You are welcome, Mick. It’s an excellent book!
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Bob,
I’m really glad you benefited from the interview and picked up a copy of the book. Our family plans on reading it over and over again. What a great gift it is to our familes.
Dan
March 29th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
[...] Interview with Sally Lloyd-Jones, author of The Jesus Storybook Bible [...]
August 31st, 2007 at 9:43 am
[...] The Jesus Storybook Bible is #2 on the CBA bestseller list. [...]
September 4th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Sally,
I’m one of the ones who thought you must surely be related to the Dr., not just because of your name, but also because of the theological richness and eloquence with which you write (and all for a childrens’ book – even better!) And I’m also one of the parents who has wept while reading it . . . what a blessing for me and my chidlren! Thank you and praise God for you – can’t wait for the “furry” edition… ??
September 6th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
ReformedMommy!
thank you so much for your generous comment. (I think I’ve met you via email since you wrote this?) and I’m so blessed in turn to see the ways in which God is using the book. It’s His Story. I’m so honored I get to tell it for children. (oh and yes, the furry edition is out now actually… more info available at my site : ] )
September 7th, 2007 at 4:47 am
[...] We just finished going through The Jesus Storybook Bible with our son Timothy. It’s one of the best Bible books for kids I’ve come across. Read an interview with the book’s author. [...]
September 13th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
[...] Like the title of this post says, the book is called “The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name“. I found out about it here, and then read more about it here, and then promptly moved on to amazon to pick it up. I don’t typically (actually, never) impulse buy on the Internet (the grocery store is a COMPLETLY different story… is it a coincidence that they put the Ice Cream and the Beer in the same aisle @ Hannaford?)… but I HAD to get this. [...]
January 15th, 2008 at 8:31 am
We praise God for this book. Growing up in a religious background where the bible was a good moral book but its authority was continually questioned…not just doctrinely, but practically-the opportunity that we now have to introduce a doctinely sound storybook to our little ones is immeasurable. The fact that this storybook submits to the bible as a whole…and not divided parts for storytelling is wonderful. Thank you for your hard work and what I am sure was countless hours in producing this masterful children’s book. It was recommended to my husband and I via our Pastor and it has encouraged great discussion during family time from our two oldest. Blessings, The Nobles
January 30th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
[...] When he mentioned that last one, my jaw dropped. This book written by Sally Lloyd-Jones has been overwhelmingly received of late and I’ve been dying to get my hands on a copy. This is a quote from the book (and here is an interview the author gave with my former Bible teacher in high school): Some people think the Bible is a book of rules telling what you should and shouldn’t do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing. It’s about God and what He has done. Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you the people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it but as you’ll soon find out most of the people in the Bible aren’t heroes at all. They make some big mistakes, sometimes on purpose. They get afraid and run away and at times they’re down right mean. No, the Bible isn’t a book of rules or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a story. It’s an adventure story about a young hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave prince who leaves his palace, his throne, – everything, to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fair tales that has come true in real life. You see, the best thing about the story is – it’s true. There are lots of stories in the Bible but all the stories are telling one big story. The story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. [...]
May 13th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
[...] Eucatastrophe is a blog by Daniel Cruver that’s very much about being Christ-centered and gospel-driven. Check out the interview with Sally Lloyd Jones that’s on the Eucatastrophe site here. [...]
May 27th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Hey, Dan!
I just found this interview just now! Where have I been?
This is one of our favorite books. Sally, THANK YOU for writing it. I still can’t really get my 4.5-year-old past the David & Goliath story, and as we read it over and over and over, I remind myself that maybe God’s trying to tell me something. I, too, have wept over these stories — the Lord’s Prayer and most recently. It’s such a blessing to see the Gospel so clearly.
Thank you!!
June 21st, 2008 at 8:45 pm
[...] When he mentioned that last one, my jaw dropped. This book written by Sally Lloyd-Jones has been overwhelmingly received of late and I’ve been dying to get my hands on a copy. This is a quote from the book (and here is an interview the author gave with my former Bible teacher in high school): Some people think the Bible is a book of rules telling what you should and shouldn’t do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing. It’s about God and what He has done. Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you the people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it but as you’ll soon find out most of the people in the Bible aren’t heroes at all. They make some big mistakes, sometimes on purpose. They get afraid and run away and at times they’re down right mean. No, the Bible isn’t a book of rules or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a story. It’s an adventure story about a young hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave prince who leaves his palace, his throne, – everything, to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life. You see, the best thing about the story is – it’s true. There are lots of stories in the Bible but all the stories are telling one big story. The story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. [...]
January 2nd, 2009 at 10:00 pm
I heard of this book the other day while talking with my cousin who sat down and read this book to her 5 year old in one sitting because he kept asking for her to read more. At the end of the reading he wanted to pray and trust Jesus as best as his child’s heart can. Jesus is the point of God’s Word and the central thing that our hearts need whether we are 5 or 95! I went to the book store just tonight to see if this book was there and read many of the stories just to see how “sound” they were and my heart is now so refreshed and thankful for my Rescuer! I am giving this book to my college friend who is turning 22 tomorrow. It is my prayer for her and for myself that “no matter how big [we] grow, [may we] never grow up so much that [we] lose [our] child’s heart: full of trust in God.” May we always “[b]e like these children.” (Pg. 262)
January 27th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Hi Leah–I just (where have I been?) came across your post here and I’m so blessed to hear it. What better thing to hear?
Also, Leah and Camille (love that David and Goliath is his favorite and he can’t get beyond it), thank you for your encouraging words!
Bless you
: }
February 13th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
[...] The Jesus Storybook Bible has forty-six Bible stories that span Genesis to Revelation. The artwork is really good and this is at the top of my ‘buy for my daughter’ list. And if you’re interested, know that sample pages (pdf) are available to preview. Also, Sally was interviewed in the spring of 2007 about this book. The interview and her comments in the discussion that followed were great…makes me more excited to read the book! [...]
September 9th, 2009 at 7:44 am
[...] Read the whole thing here. [...]
September 15th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Excellent interview. I just quoted from it and linked to it at my blog. Thanks!