What the Bible says about animals: A book
Have you ever wondered if animals have souls? Or why the Biblical Old Testament has lists of “Clean” and “Unclean” animals? Or why do we eat animals?
Jacquelyn Wilkins of rural Geneva, Nebraska struggled with these questions, which ultimately led her on a five year journey of in-depth Bible study and prayer.
Jacquelyn’s passion for animals is what inspired her new book What the Bible Says About Animals which is the product of her quest for answers.
Even though she grew up in the Christian faith, she found there was a huge lack of knowledge when it came to animal topics. She wanted to know if the Bible actually gave answers to some of these deep questions. “I was overwhelmed by what I found.” she said. “Not only is there so much more in the Bible than I ever realized, the content is very moving, and really opened my eyes to a lot of spiritual truths and incredible insights! I was shocked at just how much God tells us about the animals, and the animals tell us about God. I knew that this information needed to be out there. For so many of us, animals are a big part of our lives, and these questions and topics are important and really matter.”
Jacquelyn, her husband, Jim, along with their son Jaeden operate the J Bar D Ranch in Nebraska. The ranch was started by Jim’s father, John Wilkins, and has been breeding performance Quarter horses since 1957. At one time, for 6 years in a row, John was the third leading breeder in the world for horses making money in cutting. The ranch is home to many famous stallions, including Doc’s Jack Sprat, and the well known “Jae Bar” horses. Jim trains horses for the public, and Jacquelyn works with and helps train the home bred stock. She also runs a horse program every spring for youth from a correctional facility. The whole family loves to show cutting horses, but also enjoy just about any sport or job they can find for their horses to do.
Excerpt from chapter one:
“Animals of every shape and kind fill this planet with their presence. Created by God, even before we were, in anticipation for us.
“He knew we needed them. He knew that a young woman living on her own would need a good dog, not only for protection, but also for a soft place to land when healing from a broken heart. He knew that horses would inspire millions over the ages to find courage, strength, and freedom. He knew that the elderly woman, alone and tired, would find solace in a cat that shared her appreciation for quiet mornings and lazy afternoons and that the cat would give her a reason to live because he depended on her care. God knew that a whitetail buck in all its glory would cause a hunter to pause for a moment, in awe, and ultimately direct the hunter’s thoughts back to God Himself.
“Animals infiltrate and influence so many aspects of our lives. They comfort us, teach us, provide for us, work beside us, inspire and challenge us. So, do these creatures actually have a soul?”
This is an insightful book for anyone who is and has been involved with animals or who just wants to have a deeper understanding of God and the Bible
The book, “What The Bible Says About Animals” can be purchased at Amazon.com, Barnsandnoble.com or Christianbook.com
