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To Caleb, Liam, Judah, Stone, Asa, and Haddon.
Your becoming is my joy and honor to witness.
Fix your eyes on the Savior, boys.
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ORIGINAL ART AND TEXT BY
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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copy-
right © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Verses marked niv are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica,
Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Verses marked hcsb have been taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Hol-
man Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trade-
marks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Hand-lettered verses are from various translations.
Cover and interior design by Janelle Coury
Published in association with William K. Jensen Literary Agency, 119 Bampton Court, Eugene, Oregon 97404
Beholding and Becoming
Copyright © 2019 by Ruth Chou Simons (art and text)
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-7492-9 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-0-7369-7493-6 (eBook)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in
any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other—without the prior written permission
of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and
view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or
transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author’s and publisher’s rights is
strictly prohibited.
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Nearness to God brings likeness to God.
The more you see God
the more of God will be seen in you.
Charles Spurgeon
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Glossary ............................................... 6
The Art of Everyday Worship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Beholding God’s Greatness in Creation ...................... 13
Becoming: It’s Okay to Be Small ............................ 21
Beholding God’s Faithfulness in a Day ...................... 25
Becoming: Be Glad in Today .............................. 33
Beholding God’s Provision in the Unremarkable ............... 37
Becoming: Learn to Love What Must Be Done ................. 43
Beholding God’s Perfecting Work Through Daily Practice ....... 49
Becoming: Hard Can Be Holy ............................. 57
Beholding God’s Example for Family ....................... 61
Becoming: The Mission Field Is at Your Kitchen Table ............ 69
Beholding God’s Transformation in Rebuilding ............... 75
Becoming: Seek Treasure That Won’t Rust or Fade ............... 81
Beholding God’s Will in Every Circumstance ................. 85
Becoming: Let Go of Control .............................. 93
Beholding: In Praise of Failure ............................. 99
Becoming: Discover True Success ........................... 109
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Beholding: How to Measure Abundance and Plenty ............ 115
Becoming: You’re More Than Your Money ..................... 123
Beholding Jesus in Our Words ............................ 129
Becoming: Speak from Overflow ........................... 137
Beholding God’s View of You ............................. 143
Becoming: What’s True About You .......................... 151
Beholding God’s Goodness at the Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Becoming: Share the Feast ................................ 165
Beholding God’s Mercy When Things Seem Unfair ............ 169
Becoming: Remember Your Purpose ......................... 177
Beholding: Worship Follows Mercy ........................ 183
Becoming: Form a Pattern with Posture and Practice ............. 191
Beholding: Rest Is Productive ............................. 195
Becoming: Stop Making Bricks ............................ 203
Beholding Our True Home ............................... 209
Becoming: Actively Abide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Afterword .............................................. 221
Acknowledgments ........................................ 222
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A Word About the Paintings in this Book
’m convinced God had the most glorious time forming
every detail, design, scent, trait, and oddity in the flora and
fauna of His creation. Everything in creation is so inten-
tionally and meticulously crafted to reveal the design of a
Master Artist. So, as an image-bearing artist, I think of my
job in a very specific way: directing our gaze and awe toward
the Creator.
In Beholding and Becoming, I’ve thoughtfully chosen
plants, flowers, creatures, and a few other whimsical forms to point to the truth
of God’s Word and the wonder of becoming in Christ. As you take time to savor
each page, I invite you to linger long and enjoy the heart behind the imagery.
This glossary expresses my own reflections about what some of the prom-
inent images evoke in me. Use this key to kindle your personal interaction
and experience with the text and truths to behold. I painted these for your
encouragement…
Bees…workers that produce great dividends
Beetles…unwanted and unfavorable but sometimes secretly helpful
Birds…representative of God’s value and care for His children
Blackberries…the thorns and blood of Christ
Bluebells…humility
Butterflies…transformation
Cherry blossoms…fragility of life
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