Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation, The Explorer's Guide to the Awesome Works of God, Second Edition
This could be the one! This could be the book to break through with the message of God s Creation to both average Christians across the U.S. (not to mention overseas!) and even soften the hearts of the general public to the message of creation science as well. This book has the size and feel of a large Time-Life type book. At 240 pages, it is finely bound and full-color throughout. Each two page spread covers one topic in a professional way, yet clearly described for the layperson.  This is well illustrated and a fine book for a family to read through together. Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation is not filled with difficult technical terms though it could serve as a catalyst for those who want to first get an overall view of creation theory today and then to study particular areas of interest in detail later. But as if all of this weren't enough the best part is the companion CD. The CD includes the entire digital book and a virtual museum. It is split out into four wings or sections within the full virtual museum. One may peruse the contents of this multi media museum together in a classroom or individually in your own home. This fine volume should be on coffee tables and in classrooms everywhere! --Paul Abramson, editor of Creationism.orgHere is a condensed encyclopedia on Creation that will spark minds, young and old, to become more awestruck than ever by the wondrous works of God. Readers often call Creation Illustrated The Christian answer to National Geographic, and now Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation can be crowned The Christian answer to National Geographic books. Every page stuns the reader with full color backgrounds and sharp, informative photos, graphics, and charts. It will stand up to any award-winning nature/science volume.  To claim the book is a homeschooler's dream come true, a disciple's outreach tool like none other, or a Bible student's/teacher's priceless resource may seem presumptuous, but one look at the artistically packed wealth of information dissolves any doubts of such claims. At first glance, the amount of information and the powerfully designed graphics could startle a reader into a state of overwhelm, but a careful examination reveals an orchestrated format in four major sections.  Petersen did not cower at the daunting task of presenting these vital, controversial, and complex areas of knowledge and debate. He develops each with supportive evidence in science and Scripture and detailed references. With a Masters degree in Museum Science and 30 years of Bible teaching and pastoral work, Petersen claims no scientific or theological superiority in Creationism, but rather points to a providential series of events that led to piecing this unique presentation together.  It relies on the expertise of others, especially the guiding hand of God. My dream is that others are impacted as I was impacted: to see God in an awesomely more profound way, Petersen says about his journey of discovering these truths about the Creator. This book came together not because I am especially capable. It resulted from the Lord working uniquely in my life, the author adds with humble yet firm conviction that all the glory MUST go to God.  Readers will be able to partake of many profound discoveries that might otherwise take several years to find and assimilate, says Petersen. But the author does not pretend to have all the answers. He leads the reader to THINK! There are many highlighted questions that urge readers to go past feeding on information. The unlocking the mysteries theme running through the book encourages inductive reasoning rather than succumbing to the preaching of a certain position. This style prepares readers to always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15). It prepares readers for further inductive approaches to other Biblical subjects and social hot buttons.  Not surprising, for a single volume on worldviews, the story does not end on the last page. The book closes with an overview of what next? How can the average person use this material to reach others with the amazing truths about creation? Various resources (web sites, references, indexes, CDs, and other tools for creation evangelism/discipleship) inspire the reader to carry the torch­ as an everlasting light of truth into a dark world where beliefs on origins have been convoluted beyond recognition. So brace yourself. This is not just a good book that will be used by a few students or perused by the casual reader and later discarded for pennies at a garage sale. It will become a mainstay and hold a prominent position on the living room table or bookshelf in any home that takes God s word seriously concerning the evidence for a Bible-based worldview. Its quality of presentation makes for a gift that will be cherished for many years to come by any reader (regardless of their faith) and will have a lasting impact on their life­ perhaps even an eternal impact. --Tom Ish, editor of Creation Illustrated MagazineYou could set this book on your coffee table for a guest to read a short topic at any page where he happens to open. But the trouble is, he would turn that page and read the next... and the next. Both the text and the pictures would compel him on. And the marvelous colorful layout...  In layman's language, this book explains many creation-science topics as well as eye-opening ancient history topics. In science, you can learn what to really think about the ozone scare, about chemical dating methods, about the shrinking sun and diminishing magnetic field, and other topics, and what each can tell us scientifically about the earth we live on.  Are some dinosaur survivors still alive in our modern world? Petersen shows actual pictures and tells of sightings, which couldn't possibly have happened if dinosaurs lived millions of years before man and are now extinct.  In Utah in 1971, a quarry bulldozer uncovered a couple of human skeletons in a rock formation said to be 100 million-year-old sandstone that contained dinosaur bones not far away. Humans and dinosaurs living together? Evolutionists couldn't allow this. The university never analyzed the bones and never released a report to the press. Several such incidents related in this book show how an evolution bias manages to sweep such information out of sight.  What really happened to the dinosaurs, and when? Those questions are answered satisfactorily here for any family member who loves dinosaurs.  As for ancient history, do our textbooks have it wrong too? Was ancient man really primitive and simple? Or did he know as much or more than us in many areas? Could we make buildings that last as long as the pyramids of Egypt or the more numerous pyramids of Central America? Modern technology could not cut blocks to razor edge perfection and move their hundred-ton weight over long distances as the ancients did. We may just be beginning to rediscover an ancient method of lifting by sound waves.  The simply engineered air conditioning system in an ancient Mayan building still works after 1000 years. Ancient low-tech irrigation systems are superior to ours in several ways. In Israel s Negev desert, farmers are reviving these long forgotten methods. In ancient sea travel, music, metallurgy, and numerous areas we are uncovering the fact that there is nothing new under the sun.   This one-book exploration of Biblical creationist thinking will serve you well if you have time to read only one creationist book. Homeschool families, or any family, can profit from studying these topics one at a time and using the thinking questions that accompany many of them. And the coffee table use can draw your family and guests into many memorable conversations. --Ruth Beechick, author of Adam and His Kin: The Lost History of their Lives and Times and Genesis: Finding our Roots