There’s a strong biblical connection between people and trees. They both come from dirt. They’re both told to bear fruit. In fact, arboreal language is so often applied to humans that it’s easy to miss, whether we're talking about family trees, passing along our seed, cutting someone off like a branch, being rooted to a place, or bearing the fruit of the Spirit. It’s hard to deny that trees mean something, theologically speaking. This book is in many ways a memoir, but it’s also an attempt to wake up the reader to the glory of God shining through his creation. One of the first commands to Adam and Eve was to “work and keep” the garden. Award-winning author and songwriter Andrew Peterson, being as honest as possible, shares a story of childhood, grief, redemption, and peace, by walking through a forest of memories: “I trust that by telling my story, you’ll encounter yours. Hopefully, like me, you’ll see that the God of the Garden is and has always been present, working and keeping what he loves.” Sometimes he plants, sometimes he prunes, but in his goodness he intends to reap a harvest of righteousness.

Date palm and almond tree, cypress and pomegranate, wheat and cucumbers: these are just a few of the familiar plants mentioned in the Holy Bible. Shrubs, trees, vines, flowers, and food-bearing plants appear throughout the pages of the Scriptures, often used to emphasize a message in a Bible story. Now the gardener in the city or the countryside can become better acquainted with these very special plants by growing and tending them. Gardening with Biblical Plants, by Wilma James, is a complete guide to Scriptural plants and how and where to grow them. "Whether you garden indoors or out, you experience a sense of God's presence while working with plants that kept company with biblical people and become more aware of the important role plants played in the stories of the Scriptures," writes Ms. James. Gardening with Biblical Plants covers over 100 trees, shrubs, herbs, spices, water plants, flowers, and food plants. Ms. James prefaces her instructions for growing each plant with a discussion of habitats, the purpose it served in the Bible, and ways the plant was valued in biblical times. Bible verse that mention each plant are specified, and one verse is directly quoted. In addition to instructions for growing biblical plants indoors or out, Ms. James offers ideas for groupings in keeping with the Scriptures. Carefully prepared line drawings, by Arla Lippsmeyer, aid in identification. Experienced and beginning gardeners alike will not only find that Gardening with Biblical Plants enhances their appreciation of God's Word, but also provides concrete help in planting.

""With original illustrations, this beautiful gift book clarifies the biblical references to fifty plants in four categories-trees and shrubs, edible plants, medicine and incense, and flowers-and provides delightful new insights into the Bible. Includes indexes to each plant and corresponding Scripture references, a calendar of Jewish festivals and their associated plants, and tips for growing your own backyard Bible garden""--

Zeus, Medusa, Hercules, Aphrodite. Did you know that these and other dynamic deities, heroes, and monsters of Greek and Roman mythology live on in the names of trees and flowers? Some grow in your local woodlands or right in your own backyard garden. In this delightful book, botanist Peter Bernhardt reveals the rich history and mythology that underlie the origins of many scientific plant names. Unlike other books about botanical taxonomy that take the form of heavy and intimidating lexicons, Bernhardt's account comes together in a series of interlocking stories. Each chapter opens with a short version of a classical myth, then links the tale to plant names, showing how each plant "resembles" its mythological counterpart with regard to its history, anatomy, life cycle, and conservation. You will learn, for example, that as our garden acanthus wears nasty spines along its leaf margins, it is named for the nymph who scratched the face of Apollo. The shape-shifting god, Proteus, gives his name to a whole family of shrubs and trees that produce colorful flowering branches in an astonishing number of sizes and shapes. Amateur and professional gardeners, high school teachers and professors of biology, botanists and conservationists alike will appreciate this book's entertaining and informative entry to the otherwise daunting field of botanical names. Engaging, witty, and memorable, Gods and Goddesses in the Garden transcends the genre of natural history and makes taxonomy a topic equally at home in the classroom and at cocktail parties.

What in the world was God thinking when He began creation? Have you ever wondered why God even wanted to create our world in the first place? Have you ever thought about the decisions God had to make each day as He went through the creation process? What did He have to do first? How did God decide where to put His creation, what He was going to include, what each thing would look like, what each thing would be named? For whom did God make His creation? What might it have been like if you had been there looking over God's shoulder and seeing the creation process unfold through His eyes? God Plants a Garden takes a fresh look at the creation story and gives you the opportunity to imagine journeying with God through the creation process each day, exploring some possible answers to these questions and to appreciate all that God must have had to do as He created His garden—and perhaps even discover a different kind of love story along the way.

A rabbi whose faith was challenged by the death of his daughter and who rediscovered his spirituality while gardening discusses the healing benefits of observing nature, citing lessons that can be learned by caring for the land.

This book is a lively exploration of the amazing revelation known to Mormons as the “Word of Wisdom.” It counsels us how and what we should eat to reach our highest potential, both physically and spiritually. New and surprising insights are presented through the perspective of what has been proven to be the healthiest human diet, a way of eating supported both by history and by science: a whole food, plant-based (WFPB) diet. WFPB vegetarian diets have been scientifically proven to both prevent and cure chronic disease, help you achieve your maximum physical potential, and make it easy to reach and maintain your ideal weight. In this book, you’ll find the stories of dozens of people who are enjoying the blessings of following a Word of Wisdom diet, and you’ll get concrete advice on how to get started! You will discover: What we should and should not eat to enjoy maximum physical health. How food is intimately connected to our spiritual well being. Why Latter-day Saints are succumbing to the same chronic diseases as the rest of the population, despite not smoking, drinking, or doing drugs. How the Word of Wisdom was designed specifically for our day. How you can receive the “hidden treasures” and other blessings promised in the Word of Wisdom. Why eating the foods God has ordained for our use is better not just for our bodies, but for the animals and for the earth. You may think you know what the Word of Wisdom says, but you’ll be amazed at what you have missed. Learn why Mormons all over the world are “waking up” to the Word of Wisdom!