God Saw That It Was Good

I have the blessing of seeing lots of new books cross my desk. It’s rare that something surprises me as much as the delightful new work God Saw That It Was Good: A Safari Through Salvation History by Brant Law and coming soon from Paraclete Press. Today, I’m happy to share my recent email conversation with Brant. LMH

Brant, congratulations on the publication of God Saw That It Was Good. Please briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Brant Law. I am a first-time Catholic author from Alma, Arkansas. I have lived in Arkansas my entire life and have been married to my wife Christy for almost five years. We have three cats: Ana, Bella, and Pom Pom.

This book is so original! I saw in reading it that you are a Math teacher. What in the world prompted you to write a book about animals in scripture?

I am a high school math teacher in Alma, Arkansas, and have worked with some of the greatest students and educators in the state over the past fifteen years. I also have a degree in Theology from Saint Gregory’s University in Shawnee, Oklahoma, that inspired me some in the writing of this book. I was praying one night in bed, wondering if God was ever going to use me for anything in ministry, when an inspiration struck. I have always felt called to write spiritual works and remembered in Theology classes we need to sometimes see Scripture through a different lens. I love animals, so I thought it would be interesting to learn and write about God in Scripture, the lives of the saints, and my own life by studying their story. After spending most of the night thinking about different animal stories that I knew from the Bible and the lives of the saints, I thought I might have something different and fun to write about. To encourage me even more, as I opened the daily Mass readings the next morning, the first reading was the story of Noah’s Ark from the book of Genesis. I said to myself, “Alright God, let’s do this!”

How do you describe the book to people?

This book is about animals in the Bible, the lives of the saints, and in my own life, and how their stories and everyday interaction with us is another invitation to grow closer in our relationship with God. This book is different from a lot of the books on Scripture and the saints on the market because animals are the focal point. God speaks to us in infinitely many ways, and I wanted to explore a road less traveled.

What are some of your favorite animals in the book and which do you like least?

Every chapter in the book had a lot of interesting stories and background to explore. My favorite animal is the cat, so I am very partial to that chapter. I also loved learning about the donkey and writing about it from the angle of a servant. I don’t really have a least favorite animal. There is a chapter on insects though and some of those stories will make your skin crawl.

This book is a fun premise but involves much information from both the bible and the lives of the saints. How did you research your facts?

There was a lot of research that went into this book. I started out by selecting animals that we come into contact with in our everyday lives. I then looked up Scripture passages about those animals and made a selection that I felt could be looked at through a lens of drawing one closer to God. I researched those passages in books, Biblical commentaries, and websites, and compiled them with stories from the lives of Catholic saints and my own life to formulate the different chapters. Some of the chapters also contain characteristics and facts about the animals themselves which had to be looked up.

Enjoy @LisaHendey's conversation with @Mr_Blaw, the author of the creative new @ParacletePress book GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD. Love animals? This one's for you! Share on X

What was the most interesting thing you learned in writing the book?

The most interesting thing that I learned in writing this book was not necessarily from the book itself. I feel I learned in some small way what can happen when someone says, “Yes” to God while at the same time having no idea how the hoped-for task will be accomplished. I learned a little more what it means to place my faith and trust in God, and in the other people around me.

What else would you like to share with our readers?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and hopefully God Saw That It Was Good. These past few years have been rough, and I hope in some way this book can bring a smile to your face and a new appreciation for God’s creation in your life.

A question for you: What is your favorite animal? Have you ever noticed the role of animals in scripture?