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/L-cover/without%20spine/9780802429896.jpg "Landscape of Hope: An Illustrated Journey Into the Psalms")
The world is noisy and disorientating. Our hearts need beauty and truth.
Heather Holdsworth experienced the death of her father followed shortly by the death of her mother. A few years later she battled a sickness that left her without the strength to stand, walk, or even speak. She opened the book of Psalms. She began writing. And from her writing emerged drawings that brought solace and joy to her soul.
Through the medium of art and words, artist and Bible teacher Heather Holdsworth shares an illustrated journey into the Psalms. Landscape of Hope takes passages that have become familiar—perhaps too familiar—and reveals their soul-strengthening, heart-restoring power. Through artwork and commentary, readers find themselves deeply engaging with the Bible and the triune God.
Heather invites us to come alongside her in discovering the artistry, symmetry, and wonder of this ancient text. Readers experience the presence of Jesus Christ as they engage with the truth of life's fragility and find hope in a renewed vision of God.
"One of the most damaging self-inflicted losses to the church in recent years has been the neglect of the Psalms in public worship and private prayer. They are such a rich source of praise, lament, protest, suffering, faith, endurance, repentance, and thankfulness—and more. And they resonate with the deep music of the gospel itself and the story and mission of God. Heather Holdsworth's unique and intriguing artwork and thoughtful reflections on the first fourteen psalms bring them to life in ways that not only catch our eyes but warm and challenge our hearts. I hope there is more to come!"
—Rev. Dr. Chris Wright
Global Ambassador and Ministry Director, Langham Partnership
"Heather has given us a fresh view that is different from any other book on the Psalms. In this work you will have the rare privilege of being instructed by one who is truly spiritual, completely real, and genuinely humble as she stewards her amazing gifts and shares them with us. She will help you to visualize the precious truths of Scripture in ways you may have never been able to do previously. The Psalms are a great gift of God to His people, and Heather has gifted the body of Christ by aiding us to experience these spiritual truths."
—Dr. Bill Thrasher
Professor of Biblical Spiritual Formation, Moody Theological Seminary, Chicago
"With the help of Heather's beautiful illustrations, her pastoral wisdom, love for God, and deep compassion for people shine through these pages. It is good for the soul to be guided by Heather to stop and listen to the Psalms—to stop and listen to God and to let Him do what He would do in us."
—Dr. Mark Stirling
Director of Chalmers Institute, Scotland
"Reading this wonderful book on the Psalms was like going through a doorway and coming into a world full of light and truth. Heather combines her profound insights with visual interpretations to help us weave the Psalms into our own life stories. As expressions of the whole of life—including the places that are broken—this book shows us why the Psalms are the best of guides for journeying with God. Ponder this little gem of a book reflectively and you will be changed."
—Andrew Fellows
Pastor, freelance speaker, and author of Smuggling Jesus back into the Church: How the Church Became Worldly and What to Do about It
"In this book you can expect to encounter not merely compelling, insightful, and—at times—breathtaking reflections on the Psalms, but the Lord of the Psalter. He speaks on every page, striving to make his voice heard amidst the clamor, uncertainty, and sorrow of modern life. Holdsworth points beyond herself, beyond our present moment, beyond even the psalmist to an inexhaustible fountain of refreshment, consolation, and—most of all—hope."
—Rev. Dr. Jared Michelson
Theologian, minister, honorary chaplain, University of St Andrews
"In our busy lives of microwave-ready meals, here is food for the soul: wise words and intriguing images to be slowly savored and patiently pondered. Or, in a verb from the book of Psalms on which it is based, to 'meditate.' Written by the author out of a personal and painful experience of extended weakness, it offers an invitation to "taste and see that the Lord is good.'"
—Rev. Peter Grainger
Former Senior Pastor, Charlotte Baptist Chapel, Edinburgh
"In Landscape of Hope, Heather Holdsworth uses her significant gifts as an artist, Bible teacher, and writer to bring alive, in a remarkable way, the first fourteen Psalms. Her creative use of calligraphy and insightful meditations combine together to draw us into the powerful messages of these Psalms. This is indeed a unique publication."
—Malcolm McGregor
Architect and designer, Former SIM International Director, Scholar Care Coordinator for Langham Partnership Scholars
"Throughout the Scriptures, we see God using both word and image as ways to communicate with His people. In Landscape of Hope, Heather Holdsworth has artfully combined the two with her lovely meditations on the Psalms. Her sketches often set the biblical text within the images as a way of opening us to a deeper understanding. It's a beautiful and creative way to lodge the message of the Psalms in our hearts and minds."
—Terry Glaspey
Author of Discovering God through the Arts
