Author Sarah Shin, a Korean American theologian, and her husband, illustrator Shin Maeng, creators of the children’s picture book, The Deliverer Has Come: A Christmas Story, join forces once again to share the good news of Jesus’ redemptive work for the nations and the cosmos.
Young Anastasia and her mother, Anika—featured as a child in The Deliverer Has Come—belong to God’s chosen people, Israel. Every night, Anika shares stories with her daughter about God’s wondrous deeds in the past on Israel’s behalf. The stories inspire Anastasia’s dreams. She dreams about unlikely boys becoming kings, about brave women who stand up to injustice, about laughter and dancing being restored after sorrow and hunger, and, especially, about the prophet Ezekiel who had a dream about the bones of the dead coming back to life. Anastasia calls that story the Great Waking Up.
Anastasia wishes that the Great Waking Up would start right away. Anika tells her daughter that the prophets said it will follow the coming of the Deliverer. Anika assures Anastasia that the Deliverer, Jesus, is already with them.
Anastasia and Anika learn more about who Jesus is as they listen to his teaching. They also witness Jesus raising Jairus’s daughter from death, and, later, Lazarus being raised. But when Jesus is arrested and crucified, Anastasia and Anika are confused. How will the Great Waking Up happen now?
A few days later, when Anastasia and Anika follow some women to the tomb where Jesus was buried, they are shocked at the appearance of angels who declare the glorious news that Jesus is alive. When Anastasia encounters Jesus, she asks, “Is the Great Waking Up here?” Jesus assures her that it has begun, that he is “God’s promise that death has been defeated and sin is being undone. And one day all will be made new.”
The Great Waking Up captures the power and joy of Easter, and it would make a God-glorifying addition to a family’s devotional collection. End notes include “A Guide to Anika and Anastasia’s Stories” for readers who are interested in finding the Scripture references for the narrative and illustrations that portray an imagining of Jesus’ earthly ministry, journey to the cross, and resurrection.
(WaterBrook)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.