Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God's Image Hardcover – August 6, 2019

The title is what caught my attention. I have often wondered just what is meant by Psalm139:13-14 that says we are FEARFULLY and wonderfully made. I had never heard of Dr.Brand before. He died in 2003. His life long compassion and continual loving for the poor and sickly in India and throughout the world impacted many in his lifetime and still does. His medical understanding of the human body and it’s amazing abilities are inspirational and motivational. His service to others throughout the world is an example we can all be motivated by, This is a fascinating and uplifting book that reveals the amazing workings of our bodies. We are all “walking miracles” regardless of our circumstances. This is a book of mysteries, awe, appreciation, and hope. For those who have contempt for themselves and their bodies, hopefully this book will give new awakening and desire to embrace and accept ourselves as never before. Knowledge is powerful!

I picked up this book because of Yancey's "Where is God when it hurts" book. I wanted to know more about Dr Rand's work. And this book enlightened me in ways I never thought I'd be.I've discovered so many scientific facts about the human body, deep truths about the spiritual body, and how everything ties together ultimately bringing glory to God.He is INDEED a GOOD GOD, a LOVING FATHER, a MASTER CREATOR, GENIUS OF GENIUSES, and a WONDERFUL PERSON.Just read to find out more. Highly recommend this book!

A merge of two earlier books, to good effect. Brand’s expertise with the human body and in nature catapulted this reader into even greater awe of God’s interconnected, amazingly diverse and resilient creation. Yancey’s contributions made the message more current.

A must read. A great way to discover how the human body and the Body of Christ function in similar ways and why.

3.5 starsA really interesting book that weaves together stories from Dr Brand's life including experiences as a doctor working with leprosy patients, interesting facts about the human body and how it works, and parallels between our human body and the church. It's not heavy reading at all and I think Yancey got the balance just right. There were also interesting lessons and insights for the church to be gained from how our body works.

When I finished reading "Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God’s Image" (Advanced Proof), I immediately wanted to experience the journey again. So as soon as it was released, I read it once more. This book inspired a deep sense of awe for creation and for our Creator. It challenged me to examine my personal relationship with God and with others, while offering an engaging look into the correlation between the medical design of physical bodies and the spiritual design of community.In a unique format, Philip Yancey delivers the insights of Dr. Paul Brand, combing two previously published award-winning volumes, into one fully updated and vitally relevant book. It is a brilliant study of unity and diversity, within the living body and in society, brimming with beautiful stories of real people. I highly recommend "Fearfully and Wonderfully," and encourage you to explore how the physical body we dwell in reveals powerful truth about the spiritual world we inhabit.

Five stars isn't enough. The combined excellence of Yancey and Brand give us pictures, analogies, and stories that help us understand what it means to be the Body of Christ. This a book that inspires us to love God rather than shaming us for all we've not yet done. It points us toward God's magnificent design of humanity, the excellencies of Christ, and the beauty of his design for His Body. The reader cannot help but marvel.I would recommend this book to anyone who's wondered if God should have established something different than a group of bedraggled believers to project his image into the world.I imagine this book would be highly encouraging and refreshing to Christian medical professionals as well.This is a book I'll return to every few years.(I read the original, "In His Image," and this updated and revised version was provided to me as part of the launch team. The glowing review is my honest pleasure.)

In 1966, the movie Fantastic Voyage took us on a journey through the human body. The premise of actually being able to view our bodies internally was intriguing. But, of course, that was science fiction. Through the eyes of physician Paul Brand and the keen writing skills of Philip Yancey, we are now able to learn more about how we tick than ever before. From our skin to our bones to our blood, our bodies are intricately woven in a way that makes us stand in awe. There is no textbook language here. Think poetic. The next layer of understanding involves using these physical concepts metaphorically to help us with spiritual truths. For instance, Yancey states, “From the skin, I better understand the one requirement on the frontline of the spiritual Body: to sensitively perceive the people we contact.” He calls “touch” the most trustworthy sense. “Skin provides a more basic kind of perception than what passes through the eye or ear—a tactile perception compiled from thousands of sensors...The best, most effective kind of love begins with...a tactile awareness that senses a need and responds appropriately and personally.” The final layer of truth in each chapter is a personal story meant to illustrate the other two concepts. My favorite is the story of Mrs. Twigg. For two hours in the middle of the night the doctor had to put thumb pressure on a broken artery in Mrs. Twigg’s throat. If he had not done so, she would have died in minutes. The price to the doctor was the muscle strain on his hand. When it was over, he said, “She knew how my muscles had suffered; I knew the depths of her fear (of dying). In those two hours in the slumberous hospital wing, we had become almost one person.” This book is hard to put down.