When my West Texas great-grandmother decided it was time to “break up housekeeping” and move to an “old folks’ home,” she invited the family to walk through the old homeplace one last time and to take what we wanted—she “no longer needed any of it.”
I was young and not interested in china or antiques, so I foraged through the old cellar that once held Mason jars of pickles and plums. Dusty books remained, and I plopped down on the dirty floor with a stack of worn hardbound volumes, including one on eugenics—whatever that was—chosen primarily because the cover was pretty, but also because the advice was humorous. One page emphasized how important it was to sleep on a hair mattress and “camp out all summer in the woods” to increase chances for pregnancy.
Grandma’s been gone almost 40 years, but I still have those tattered books, among them, a 1924 edition of A Child’s History of the World, which introduced me to the Trojan horse story, that absurd 1904 eugenics book that gives me even more laughs today, and my beloved 1913 edition of Pollyanna that made “being glad” a worthy endeavor for life. The impact of those dusty tomes continues to this day.
We at ICR recognize the enduring value of the written word. Words have the ability to impact lives far beyond the scope of one lifetime—they can reach others for generations to come. Because Scripture is foundational to all truth and endures forever, we are committed to sharing His message with others, underscoring our dedication to communicating truth and producing creation books centered on the Word of God.
This year, ICR launched a number of vital books. We published The Book of Beginnings by Dr. Henry Morris, addressing the tough issues in Genesis. The 7 Creation Miracles of Christ by Dr. Brad Forlow presents how each creation miracle recorded in John demonstrated Jesus’ authority over creation.
ICR released a new hardcover and leather-bound Bible—The Henry Morris Study Bible. In his booklet Why Genesis Matters, Dr. Jason Lisle tells us that every vital Christian doctrine finds its root in the Genesis record. Dr. Jeffrey Tomkins and his contributing colleagues have provided an excellent science resource in The Design and Complexity of the Cell. For uplifting spiritual impact, Days of Praise for Women offers inspirational readings full of biblical wisdom. Exploring the Evidence for Creation utilizes up-to-date scientific data to confirm that the universe could not have created itself.
And this fall, we look forward to presenting you with additional creation resources, including Dr. John Morris’ new book, The Global Flood: Unlocking Earth’s Geologic History and Dr. Brad Forlow’s Biology and the Bible, books that will further equip you to share the biblical truths of our origins.
“How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15). Words are beautiful feet that carry our message of truth, and we understand that words endure long after we are gone. Keep us in your prayers as we tackle new book publishing projects to spread the “glad tidings of good things” from the Word of God.
* Jayme Durant is Associate Editor at the Institute for Creation Research.
Cite this article: Durant, J. 2012. The Enduring Value of Words. Acts & Facts. 41 (10): 3.
