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Long-time readers of Meridian know that Wally Goddard is a remarkably insightful and spiritually uplifting writer, who has given readers counsel on everything from drawing heaven into your marriage to raising resilient children to understanding the depth of scripture with new eyes.

Now he has turned his warmth and wisdom into the pages of a new children’s picture book called God’s Trophies.  

Wally said that this book began years ago. “We have tried to be mindful and grateful for God’s abundant blessings. Sometimes we would be enjoying something as simple as a delicious strawberry or a wonderful apple and I would glory: ‘Someone should get an award for that!’

“It got to be quite a habit. Somehow I started thinking about sending God trophies for his beauties and bounties. Then I wondered what He would do with those trophies.”

Wally’s book centers on Rupert who is in charge of the enormous job of organizing God’s trophies—all those bursts of gratitude that come to Him from His children on earth. For Rupert, this is such an all-consuming job that he has lost sight of gratitude himself. For instance, he rues that his assistant, Vern, doesn’t have much organizational ability and puts rainbows together with kiwis—when clearly the first belongs in “Nature’s Lights” and the other in “Rare and Endangered Animals.”

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Rupert is sometimes irritated by the sheer number of trophies–173 trophies for figs alone, though not very many for broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Sometimes he wonders “Why do people need such silly trophies?”

He even asked God, “Don’t You think we should put a limit on the number of trophies people can send?

God chuckled. “Sometimes people are so glad for something that they just want to express gratitude.”

This book, charmingly illustrated by Bruce Dupree, is designed to spark a greater awareness and appreciation of all amazing things God has created for us—and behind His act of creation is His undying love for us.

Wally hopes the children and their parents who read this book will see more clearly that they have reason to rejoice. After having a visit with God, even Rupert comes around.

This is a book that can become a family favorite and open everyone’s eyes about how much there is for which to be grateful.