about the book
The Earth is the Lord’s: Handle with Care
Environmental stewardship and evangelical Christianity are not mutually exclusive. In fact, many devout Christians have long been dedicated to responsibly raising environmental awareness.
The first edition of The Earth is the Lord’s: Handle with Care, first written in the late 1980s, was published in 1990. It is an inspiring, practical handbook and devotional which includes essays by Christians of various backgrounds, as well as relevant Bible passages, beautiful nature photography, original art, beloved classic hymn lyrics, practical tips on responsible environmental action, a section just for kids, and related books and resources.
The book was called “a beautiful family-friendly guidebook and devotional” by KPRZ radio, and by a later reviewer as “prophetic and ahead of its time.”
Editor Vicki Hesterman has long been encouraging others to care for and respect God’s amazing earth. She comes from a family of educators, artists, fishermen and farmers that respected, appreciated and conserved natural resources. As early as her college days, she and her boyfriend distributed flyers (printed on scrap paper) about how to save water and trees. She studied literature, education and biology, and enjoyed writing about natural places and the intricacy of creation.
She helped organize a group of like-minded believers in the 1980s. Originally called Christians for Environmental Awareness, they have had a presence at various Earth Day events since 1990, and volunteer to speak in schools and churches. (She also endured being affectionately known as “E.W.” or “environmental wacko” by some of her less enlightened friends and colleagues!) Unable to find the kind of book they felt was needed to gently encourage Christians to be environmentally responsible, she and her family put together and published this unique, inspiring book. Many readers said they like it as a devotional, as it ties the concept of caring for the earth to loving obedience by citing many Scriptures that credit God with caring about His creation.
The book is now out of print, although limited copies are available. For more information or to obtain a copy, contact info@christiansforearthcare.org.
