​Comfort is the word that sums up best-selling author Lisa Tawn Bergren’s new picture book, God is Here. It begins with a little girl asking her mother a question, “Mama, where is God?” The question is answered as they walk around the city from strolling through the park, to stopping by the hospital nursery, to giving food to a homeless man. It’s easy for the girl to see that God is with the newborn babies, but not the homeless man. She whispers, “But God’s not here, is he?” Her mother assures her God is “always with people who are in need.” Mother and daughter travel other places, too, shown in Greg Stobbs’s lovely illustrations. The conversation is at once casual, but also deep, touching on Jesus’ death and our salvation. I love the relationship, care, and compassion this ethnically diverse family shows as they talk about the mystery of God’s presence in their everyday lives. Ending as the girl drifts off to sleep with her bunny, reading this book at bedtime with help calm and reassure young children of God’s omnipresence. 

​Author/illustrator Miriam Arnold contacted me after reading my faith-based picture book, God's Protection Covers Me. Miriam had written a picture book, A Thick Whisper of Grace. In it, Moses tells God he is not worthy. On my favorite page God tell Moses:
"I know who you are. 
I know where you've been. 
I know what you've done. 
I know of your sin."
 
It’s a story of acceptance, grace, and redemption. The story is told in rhyme and Miriam created the adorable characters and the brilliant burning bush. 
 
 I’d like to share Miriam’s self-publishing journey. She told me:
 
“I wrote and illustrated the book myself. It has been a 3-year journey—gaining and losing momentum at different times because I was overly concerned with the opinions of others. It was not until the end of last year that God finally convicted me of my inaction and I began the publishing process. I had a couple of friends that had published works through Amazon, so I thought that that would be a good place to start.
 
“I was primarily inspired by my own spiritual journey.
 
“About 5 years ago I was pretty unwell. Hair falling out. Panic attacks. The whole nine yards. The core lies that took root in my childhood had begotten many outwardly good, but inwardly toxic coping mechanisms. From the outside, I was killing it. Working hard. Juggling all of my responsibilities without breaking a sweat. Being everything to everyone in every situation. On the inside, I was drowning. Striving for approval. Trying to create my own worth. Simultaneously hoping someone would tell me that I was amazing while knowing full well that I would never believe it when they did. An empty bucket, full of holes, begging for more water. 
 
My worldview needed a remodel, so I went to therapy. Part of the healing that God orchestrated in therapy involved thinking through what I would want my 5, 10, and 15-year-old selves to know if I were able to communicate with them. That was when I started feeling a nudge to write a book. I couldn't go back in time, but I would write something that could help other 5, 10 and 15-year-olds (maybe even some adults).” 
 
Miriam’s journey parallels Moses. How wonderful she could take her struggles and create a book! 
 
 

​This sweet, inspiring, new picture book, Dear Mama God, refers to God as "Mama." I have traditional views, but am learning how to be open to different interpretations of God. Dear Mama God, by Daneen Akers with incredible art by Gillian Eilidh O’Mara, is an expansive, child's prayer of wonder, delight & gratitude addressed to God as Mama. Dear Mama God embodies the peace and comfort of God's motherly love. I'm being stretched by this new vision of God as Mother. The author, Daneen Akers, explains: “God isn't gendered, yet for too long we've exclusively used masculine language and metaphors, and this has harmed all of us. It's entirely scriptural too--Jewish and Christian scriptures have numerous references and images of a mothering, nurturing, and feminine God.” I received a complimentary copy of the book to help promote it. I gave it to my granddaughter. While the concept of God as Mama is included, the focus of the book is the prayer. 
 

​Characters include mice and spiders in the manger—of course, there must have been! Telling about the birth of Jesus will delight the whole family. I had a hard time choosing my favorite verse, but finally decided on the angels: 
Eight angels fill the sky with light
and sing, “Good news! This holy night
to you is born God’s precious son.
You’ll find him in a manger. Run!”
I was given access to a digital copy to write this review. Highly recommended to read this Christmas season with your little ones!