Picturing God by Ruth Goring

In this vibrant children’s picture book, author and artist Ruth Goring uses beads, shells, stones, colored glass, fabric, paper, embroidery, buttons, twine, and more to create collages and mosaics, combining her mixed media artistry with explanations of biblical metaphors for God. Her goal is to help children grow in their knowledge of and love for our heavenly Father, redeemer, and comforter.

For example, Goring shapes bright pottery shards into a bold, radiant candle to illustrate that “God is the Light of the world that shines in every darkness—the beautiful darkness of night, the darkness of hiding when we are afraid, the deep darkness of being all alone.” Goring uses embroidered fabric, colorful stones, and woven fabric trim to form a vine to remind children that Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches. She uses brown paper shaped like a loaf of bread to remind readers that Jesus is the bread of life that “feeds us and fills us up.” Goring also explores other biblical metaphors for God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit—Living Water, Rock, Door, Shepherd, Wind, and more.

A visual feast, Picturing God will be a helpful resource for Christian parents, Christian school teachers, and church school teachers, and a lovely, meaningful book for children to pore over again and again. (Beaming Books)