The God of the Garden

Thoughts on Creation, Culture, and the Kingdom

By: Andrew Peterson

Narrated by: Andrew Peterson

Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

There’s a strong biblical connection between people and trees. They both come from dirt. They’re both told to bear fruit. In fact, arboreal language is so often applied to humans that it’s easy to miss, whether we're talking about family trees, passing along our seed, cutting someone off like a branch, being rooted to a place, or bearing the fruit of the Spirit. It’s hard to deny that trees mean something, theologically speaking.

This book is in many ways a memoir, but it’s also an attempt to wake up the listener to the glory of God shining through his creation. One of the first commands to Adam and Eve was to “work and keep” the garden. Award-winning author and songwriter Andrew Peterson, being as honest as possible, shares a story of childhood, grief, redemption, and peace by walking through a forest of memories: “I trust that by telling my story, you’ll encounter yours. Hopefully, like me, you’ll see that the God of the Garden is and has always been present, working and keeping what he loves.” Sometimes he plants, sometimes he prunes, but in his goodness he intends to reap a harvest of righteousness.

©2021 Andrew Peterson (P)2021 B&H Publishing

I like trees too.

I feel God's love in all the world around me too. This book is a inspiring account of healing, through the goodness of God's creations especially trees and gardens. I'm often surprised by the gentleness of God's encounters with His children. This is a gentle account. God's gentleness enables our own free will to believe, trust, and diligently seek Him.

Great Story

Wonderful story about trees and grief and life and earth. Highly recommend, short, but beautiful read.

Tree-Mendously Good

Andrew Peterson’s music has long been a huge part of my life and spiritual journey. It never fails to lift my heart to God. This book is no different. Beautiful, vulnerable, and sacred journey to find the love of Jesus. Hope you take the time to read it. It was my best Christmas gift this year.

Perfect

This is a beautiful picture into the soul of a sojourner. Andrew Peterson reading this makes it even better. It has spoken to me in a season that I desperately needed it. The words he speaks about the way he has discovered and continues discovering the love of God have ministered to me in a special way. I am thankful.

Must Read!!!

This book has brought so much connection and excitement for something I already enjoyed, trees! But most of all to connect with the author in so many areas of life, in brokenness, and finding that common ground that we have in Christ, our Hope and Redeemer. Praise the Lord for such a wonderful testimony.

This was good for the soul

Andrew Peterson has a precious story to tell. He shares his heart in a way that makes me reflect on my own messiness. This is another great book to add to my library and one I will probably listen to again just to think on it more deeply.

Excellent!!

Another fantastic work by Peterson. As someone who dwells in the shade of many old Carolina oaks I loved this reflection on trees (and creation in general). Peterson is a wonderful story teller who helps me process my own living, moving, and being in this world of worry and wonderment. I highly recommend this work to anyone!

I cried… a few times

Part autobiography part treatise on trees part essay on city construction all beautiful. Thank you for awakening something good inside. Certainly worth every moment spent listening… and waking up.

Andrew Peterson at his finest

Absolutely loved this book. My eyes kept sweating. This will become a regular listen. I now feel that I need to ask Andrew for permission before cutting down sweet gum trees in the Carolinas 😂

An ode to remembrance 

Like the author, I am a sentimental individual and also a man who is desperately seeking Jesus in creation. The book is not that long, but it is impactful with all of Peterson’s references to his childhood and the splendor of the God-given gifts of trees. Well worth re-listening to as well as rereading. I will be reading this again later this year!