At the heart of the Christian life lay the tension of the single-minded pursuit of the glory of God and the deep enjoyment of the things that God has made. How can Christians enjoy the good things of earth? Whether it’s a delicious meal or a game night with friends, listening to jazz or watching baseball, earthly joys often seem to compete with a deep love for God. Scripture supports both the enjoyment of the Creator and the enjoyment of the creation, revealing that this tension in the Christian life is also found in the Bible. In this accessible book, Joe Rigney displays how Christians can delight in God and enjoy his good gifts.

God’s world is full of good things. Ice-cold lemonade. The laughter of children. College football. Scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. A late night with old friends around a blazing campfire. God certainly knows how to give good gifts to his children. But where is the line when it comes to enjoying all the pleasurable things our world affords? In The Things of Earth, professor Joe Rigney offers perplexed Christians a breath of fresh air by lifting the burden of false standards and impossible expectations related to the Christian life—freeing readers to gratefully embrace every good thing we receive from the hand of God. Helping us avoid our tendency to forget the Giver on the one hand and neglect his gifts on the other, this much-needed book reminds us that God’s blessings should drive us to worship and that a passion for God’s glory can be as wide as the world itself.

Minty Mae Gray is having a very bad day. A girl in her class made some rude remarks about how she looks, and poor Minty is crushed. But just as she's sinking into the depths of despair, something odd happens ... the unicorn picture on Minty's wall COMES TO LIFE! Led by her lovable, pink-spotted unicorn friend, Minty sets off on a magical journey through some of history's greatest works of art. As she meets the subjects of these great paintings, and the artists behind them, Minty comes to realise that true beauty comes from the inside, and that she's perfect just the way she is. This warm, funny and incredibly empowering book from superstar creators Fifi Box and Freda Chiu will encourage young readers to feel comfortable in their own skin, and help spread the message that beauty isn't skin-deep. Readers will cheer along with the irrepressible Minty as she learns how to let her sparkle shine!