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Hinds' Feet on High Places: An Engaging Visual Journey
A 2018 Top Shelf Book Cover Awards Winner!
Journey with Much-Afraid to new heights of love, joy, and victory!
For the first time, this beloved Christian allegory is a mixed-media special edition complete with charming watercolor paintings, antique tinted photography, meditative hand-lettered Scripture, journaling and doodling space, and designs to color. As you read and connect with the story of Much-Afraid and her trials, the pages of this book become a canvas on which to chronicle your own story, struggles, and personal triumphs.
Hinds’ Feet on High Places , with more than 2,000,000 copies sold, is a story of endurance, persistence, and reliance on God. This book has inspired millions of people to become sure-footed in their faith even when facing the rockiest of life’s terrain. The story of Much-Afraid is based on Psalm 18:33: “He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.”
The complete Hinds’ Feet story is accented by 80 full-color paintings, photography, and hand-lettered Scripture.
Journey with Much-Afraid to new heights of love, joy, and victory!
For the first time, this beloved Christian allegory is a mixed-media special edition complete with charming watercolor paintings, antique tinted photography, meditative hand-lettered Scripture, journaling and doodling space, and designs to color. As you read and connect with the story of Much-Afraid and her trials, the pages of this book become a canvas on which to chronicle your own story, struggles, and personal triumphs.
Hinds’ Feet on High Places , with more than 2,000,000 copies sold, is a story of endurance, persistence, and reliance on God. This book has inspired millions of people to become sure-footed in their faith even when facing the rockiest of life’s terrain. The story of Much-Afraid is based on Psalm 18:33: “He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.”
The complete Hinds’ Feet story is accented by 80 full-color paintings, photography, and hand-lettered Scripture.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
545 people are currently reading
1612 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Hurnard
76 books257 followersHanna Hurnard was a twentieth century Christian author, best known for her allegory Hinds' Feet on High Places.
Hurnard was born in 1905 in Colchester, England to Quaker parents. She graduated from Ridgelands Bible College of Great Britain in 1926. In 1932 she became an independent missionary, moving to Haifa, Israel. Her work in Israel lasted 50 years, although she would later maintain a home in England as well.
Hurnard's early writings (especially Hinds' Feet on High Places and the sequel Mountain of Spices) were embraced by the mainstream Christian community, but later on in her life she seems to have departed from orthodoxy.
Hurnard was born in 1905 in Colchester, England to Quaker parents. She graduated from Ridgelands Bible College of Great Britain in 1926. In 1932 she became an independent missionary, moving to Haifa, Israel. Her work in Israel lasted 50 years, although she would later maintain a home in England as well.
Hurnard's early writings (especially Hinds' Feet on High Places and the sequel Mountain of Spices) were embraced by the mainstream Christian community, but later on in her life she seems to have departed from orthodoxy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
January 6, 2021
My particular edition has stunning artwork that really enhanced my reading experience, so I’d clearly recommend 🙌🏼
This isn’t a “how to become a Christian” allegorical tale - I think it’s more of a personal tale of the author’s journey to the “high places,” or as I understand it, a fully devoted life to Jesus. It’s written beautifully & tenderly describes how precious and hard the Christian walk can be.
I won’t get too hung up on the nitty-gritty theological aspects because I have a firm understanding of how salvation & justification works from reading the Bible & I never went into this allegorical story thinking it was going to be some accurate account of someone’s salvation. I found this story to be more about our walk with Jesus & how we are continuously being likened to His image each & every day. That process can be tough at times, and it can feel like a walk in the park sometimes. But He is always with us, no matter what ❤️
This isn’t a “how to become a Christian” allegorical tale - I think it’s more of a personal tale of the author’s journey to the “high places,” or as I understand it, a fully devoted life to Jesus. It’s written beautifully & tenderly describes how precious and hard the Christian walk can be.
I won’t get too hung up on the nitty-gritty theological aspects because I have a firm understanding of how salvation & justification works from reading the Bible & I never went into this allegorical story thinking it was going to be some accurate account of someone’s salvation. I found this story to be more about our walk with Jesus & how we are continuously being likened to His image each & every day. That process can be tough at times, and it can feel like a walk in the park sometimes. But He is always with us, no matter what ❤️
August 25, 2024
Blog Post with Graphics I Made: https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...
5 Stars
What can I say about this book? It has transformed my heart. I have cried. I have felt conviction. I have felt the warm hugs from the Lord. I have felt seen and heard and loved. I am Much Afraid and she is me. When I feel unworthy, when I feel left out, when I feel less than, when I feel unloved and lonely....HE IS THERE. THE LORD IS THERE. He has always been there. In my pain, suffering, sorrow, grief, struggles...JOY COMES IN THE MORNING. He will not forsake you. He will not leave you. And when you doubt or think He has left you, HE HAS NOT. When you feel the Lord delaying or changing your circumstances - delay does not mean no. You are right where you are meant to be in His ultimate plan. When you are in the valley of humiliation and suffering, the Lord is at hand. He is there - all you have to do is call upon the name of the Lord and He will answer you in your trials and tribulations.
Little Amanda was blessed and healed reading this book. I continue to seek healing from the Lord on so many things in my heart and I fully see His goodness, His mercy, His GRACE forevermore upon me. WHOM SHALL WE FEAR? No one when the Lord is on our side.
This is a Christian allegory book that everyone should read in their lifetime. It's a timeless classic and you will look beyond your current struggles and trust in the promise of reaching the High Places in eternity with the King of Kings.
Thank you Krista at BooksandJams for hosting this readalong in the month of August. It's been a beautiful reading journey and I will be re-reading this in the future.
5 Stars
What can I say about this book? It has transformed my heart. I have cried. I have felt conviction. I have felt the warm hugs from the Lord. I have felt seen and heard and loved. I am Much Afraid and she is me. When I feel unworthy, when I feel left out, when I feel less than, when I feel unloved and lonely....HE IS THERE. THE LORD IS THERE. He has always been there. In my pain, suffering, sorrow, grief, struggles...JOY COMES IN THE MORNING. He will not forsake you. He will not leave you. And when you doubt or think He has left you, HE HAS NOT. When you feel the Lord delaying or changing your circumstances - delay does not mean no. You are right where you are meant to be in His ultimate plan. When you are in the valley of humiliation and suffering, the Lord is at hand. He is there - all you have to do is call upon the name of the Lord and He will answer you in your trials and tribulations.
Little Amanda was blessed and healed reading this book. I continue to seek healing from the Lord on so many things in my heart and I fully see His goodness, His mercy, His GRACE forevermore upon me. WHOM SHALL WE FEAR? No one when the Lord is on our side.
This is a Christian allegory book that everyone should read in their lifetime. It's a timeless classic and you will look beyond your current struggles and trust in the promise of reaching the High Places in eternity with the King of Kings.
Thank you Krista at BooksandJams for hosting this readalong in the month of August. It's been a beautiful reading journey and I will be re-reading this in the future.
February 20, 2024
My favorite book of ALLLLLL time! I’ve picked up and read countless times and I don’t think I will ever not cry at every single page. This book seriously has a way of taking a little knife to my heart and carving out the places where I’m not “acceptance with joy” 🥲 every single time
March 19, 2018
I read this for my book club, and even though the book had been recommended a year or two ago by a friend, I just didn't enjoy it nor would I recommend it. I didn't know that it was allegory and I tend to be very leery of spiritual allegory because I think it's really hard to do well. Is this tree significant to the story or is it just a tree? Who knows. But beyond that, there are some very serious theological issues.
The title of the book comes from a Bible verse and the story is about the main character, Much-Afraid, who lives in anxiety and fear in the Valley of Humiliation with her nasty relatives (Pride, Craven Fear, Bitterness, Resentment, etc.). She has a semi-regular relationship with the Shepherd but only meets him at intervals. At one point, he reveals to her that she can go to the High Places and that she will be transformed to have Hinds' Feet (instead of her deformed feet that make going to the High Places impossible). Much-Afraid undertakes this journey with Shepherd-given companions, Sorrow and Suffering. She struggles through many unexpected and difficult phases of the journey, often tormented by her own weaknesses and the jeering of her relatives that pop up from time to time. She sometimes is joined by the Shepherd, but he is always never further than a call away and Much-Afraid learns to call on him more frequently and with more confidence along the way. Eventually she makes it to the High Places and is given Hinds' Feet and everything is wonderful. Looking below at the Valley where she used to live, she is filled with compassion for her relatives and endeavors to go back down and live among them to try to help them recognize their need for the special relationship with the Shepherd/King that she has experienced.
The book ends with "Lessons Learned from the High Places" (or something like that, I don't have the book anymore) and a brief autobiography of the author.
I had real trouble with the themes in this book, not the least of which was trying to understand where salvation came into the picture for Much-Afraid. We meet Much-Afraid when she already has a relationship with the Shepherd. She's reluctant to spend time with her nasty relatives, tries to have regular contact with the Shepherd and longs to go to the High Places. Early on in the story, she has a discussion with the Shepherd in which he tells her that she can, indeed, go to the High Places, but he must plant the "seed of love" (a thorn) in her heart. He tells her that it will allow her to be loved, but it will come with pain. She fearfully accepts the seed but returns to her village to wait for when the Shepherd will call her. When the Shepherd does call, she is held captive by her relatives, but eventually breaks free to follow him. Her journey is undertaken with the understanding that the Shepherd will not be walking step by step with her every day, but that he is just a call away if he needs her. Eventually she comes to a place where she is "anointed" which really make no sense to me at all, and then she comes to a place where she "dies." She basically allows herself to be tied down to an alter by a priest and have the roots of self ripped out of her heart. At the end of the scenario the author writes, "It is finished." which, honestly, was offensive to me. Nothing but the death of Christ has the power or the influence to be worthy of that phrase. Much-Afraid wakes up and is all changed. She finishes her journey, gets a new name (Grace and Glory or Glory and Grace) and gets a crown.
Can you tell at which point she was actually redeemed by faith in Christ? For the life of me, I could not understand what the author was trying to communicate. Members of my book club had different ideas as well. One person thought Much-Afraid was saved from the beginning (she does, after all, have a relationship with the Shepherd), one person thought she was saved when she accepted the "seed of love." The problem is that there are many elements throughout her journey that I believe are applied at the moment of salvation, not at some later point of a Christian's walk. For example, Much-Afraid receives a new name after she reached the High Places. I believe we are a new creation at the moment of salvation. When Much-Afraid reaches the High Places she is out of reach of her besetting relatives. I believe that we struggle with these things (pride, fear, etc.) throughout every stage of our journey until we are with God. Much-Afraid only sometimes walks with the Shepherd, but I believe Christ is with us always ("And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”). Any representation that indicates that Christ is far off (even if he comes when we call) I think is unhelpful. And I have no idea what the anointing was supposed to represent. There are those who believe that you become a Christian at one point, but at some later date you receive an anointing or extra power to REALLY live for God without which you're not really capable of living the full Christian life. I reject such theology and this books seems to rely heavily on it. One person theorized that the journey of Much-Afraid represents the ups and downs of Christian's life, not a linear journey that one ever completes. Unfortunately the book vividly depicts several one-time events (like meeting the Shepherd, receiving the seed, being anointed and dying to self, having unbroken union with God) that I don't believe are separate events (or repeatable for the most part). Even more confusing is that she received a crown when she reaches the High Places but then she goes back down to where she used to live to witness to people. What on earth? Either the crown doesn't represent when most Christians would think it does (a reward received when in God's presence) or the author seems to think that dead people are supernaturally helping their loved ones after they die. I really had no idea what was going on there. I could not recommend this book due to the extreme confusion that I think it can cause about who we are in Christ (immediately) and what our ongoing life looks like with Him.
I also struggled with the idea of the relatives. Much-Afraid lives in the family of Fearing (or something like that). Maybe it was written this way just to be creative, but I have a problem with how easily this could lead people to believe that the really bad sins/influences come from outside us. Indeed, one or two people in the book club thought there was a connection between the "relatives" in the book being so nasty and oppressive and our actual earthly families that cause conflict. The Bible teaches that WE have pride, resentment, fear, bitterness, etc. in ourselves. We are not being assaulted from without, but from within. I believe we do have an enemy outside ourselves (Satan - of whom I could perceive no mention in this book), but he is able to entice us because of our own sinful desires. The author's depiction leads her readers to the idea that we are victims of these sins. Even more confusing is that, at the end, Much-Afraid (well, she's now Grace and Glory) returns to live among these "relatives" to try to help them. So are they sins or are they sinners? I don't know. The theology of who we are as men and sinners was muddled at best, and false teaching at worse.
I disagreed with the author's decision to weave passages from the Song of Solomon throughout the book as "songs" from the sojourner to her Shepherd. While several members of my book club thought that it was insightful and encouraging to read SOS in this light, I don't believe that the book was intended to be interpreted allegorically. I hold to the literal understanding of the book (that it is about Solomon and his wife). Indeed, I cannot make sense of the book as a representation of my relationship with Christ and to do so I think is misleading and unhelpful. I was sad to hear one person say that, "I have always heard this taught as about a man and woman, but it can be understood this way too (an allegory about Christ and believers)." How many people will come away from this book with a distorted view of Scripture?
I seldom read fiction, so there was part of me (despite my reluctance about allegory) that was looking forward to this story, but the writing itself just felt immature to me. The language was very descriptive but I found it to be limited, repetitive and contrived. It was clearly intended to have an emotional impact but there were very few scenes that delivered. I'll admit that a few depictions were poignant, but, for the most part, it lacked depth and literary interest. There was also one moment where the author addresses the reader which seemed very out of place. She also has Much-Afraid and the Shepherd speak to each other in both modern English and old English which seemed inconsistent. Some verses were quoted in, I'm assuming, King James and some where not. Many verses were quoted but only some had actual quotes around them and only some of them had references (not even all the ones that had actual quotes around them). It probably goes without saying that many of the verses were used out of context allegorically.
As I mentioned, at the end of the book there is an autobiography which I only skimmed (but it sounds like it showed how connected the author is to her main character) and several pages of what reads like a diary that the author wrote I believe either during the time that she wrote this book or reflecting on the time she wrote this book (in the span of about three weeks). Unfortunately I just could not get through it. It shed a lot of light on how the book came into being, though. The author is very mystical, writing about how she got messages and visions from God and how she was learning the secret language of nature from which she was gaining the insights for her book. She cautions against being dogmatic and instead relies on personal growth and development for spiritual truth. She clearly valued experience and emotion over concrete doctrine so it is no surprise that, according to biographical information about her that I found online, she departed from orthodoxy (not that this book is indicative of orthodoxy in the first place) and has been said to support pantheism, universalism, and gnosticism in her later book Eagles' Wings to the Higher Places. Apparently she also believed in reincarnation (this article has more information: http://www.affcrit.com/pdfs/1996/03/9...). This would make sense in light of Much-Afraid reaching the High Places and then returning back to the Valley.
To sum up, I think this book is deeply confusing at best and heretical at worst. I've already seen how it has altered peoples' views about God and the Bible and, based on some further reading I've done about the author, I tend to think that her writing is indicative not of a confused, naive understanding, but an intentional representation of an unbiblical view of God and life. I pray that God would insulate and protect its readers. I, myself, struggled to understand this book and even more to discuss it with other professing believers who all very much liked the book.
The title of the book comes from a Bible verse and the story is about the main character, Much-Afraid, who lives in anxiety and fear in the Valley of Humiliation with her nasty relatives (Pride, Craven Fear, Bitterness, Resentment, etc.). She has a semi-regular relationship with the Shepherd but only meets him at intervals. At one point, he reveals to her that she can go to the High Places and that she will be transformed to have Hinds' Feet (instead of her deformed feet that make going to the High Places impossible). Much-Afraid undertakes this journey with Shepherd-given companions, Sorrow and Suffering. She struggles through many unexpected and difficult phases of the journey, often tormented by her own weaknesses and the jeering of her relatives that pop up from time to time. She sometimes is joined by the Shepherd, but he is always never further than a call away and Much-Afraid learns to call on him more frequently and with more confidence along the way. Eventually she makes it to the High Places and is given Hinds' Feet and everything is wonderful. Looking below at the Valley where she used to live, she is filled with compassion for her relatives and endeavors to go back down and live among them to try to help them recognize their need for the special relationship with the Shepherd/King that she has experienced.
The book ends with "Lessons Learned from the High Places" (or something like that, I don't have the book anymore) and a brief autobiography of the author.
I had real trouble with the themes in this book, not the least of which was trying to understand where salvation came into the picture for Much-Afraid. We meet Much-Afraid when she already has a relationship with the Shepherd. She's reluctant to spend time with her nasty relatives, tries to have regular contact with the Shepherd and longs to go to the High Places. Early on in the story, she has a discussion with the Shepherd in which he tells her that she can, indeed, go to the High Places, but he must plant the "seed of love" (a thorn) in her heart. He tells her that it will allow her to be loved, but it will come with pain. She fearfully accepts the seed but returns to her village to wait for when the Shepherd will call her. When the Shepherd does call, she is held captive by her relatives, but eventually breaks free to follow him. Her journey is undertaken with the understanding that the Shepherd will not be walking step by step with her every day, but that he is just a call away if he needs her. Eventually she comes to a place where she is "anointed" which really make no sense to me at all, and then she comes to a place where she "dies." She basically allows herself to be tied down to an alter by a priest and have the roots of self ripped out of her heart. At the end of the scenario the author writes, "It is finished." which, honestly, was offensive to me. Nothing but the death of Christ has the power or the influence to be worthy of that phrase. Much-Afraid wakes up and is all changed. She finishes her journey, gets a new name (Grace and Glory or Glory and Grace) and gets a crown.
Can you tell at which point she was actually redeemed by faith in Christ? For the life of me, I could not understand what the author was trying to communicate. Members of my book club had different ideas as well. One person thought Much-Afraid was saved from the beginning (she does, after all, have a relationship with the Shepherd), one person thought she was saved when she accepted the "seed of love." The problem is that there are many elements throughout her journey that I believe are applied at the moment of salvation, not at some later point of a Christian's walk. For example, Much-Afraid receives a new name after she reached the High Places. I believe we are a new creation at the moment of salvation. When Much-Afraid reaches the High Places she is out of reach of her besetting relatives. I believe that we struggle with these things (pride, fear, etc.) throughout every stage of our journey until we are with God. Much-Afraid only sometimes walks with the Shepherd, but I believe Christ is with us always ("And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”). Any representation that indicates that Christ is far off (even if he comes when we call) I think is unhelpful. And I have no idea what the anointing was supposed to represent. There are those who believe that you become a Christian at one point, but at some later date you receive an anointing or extra power to REALLY live for God without which you're not really capable of living the full Christian life. I reject such theology and this books seems to rely heavily on it. One person theorized that the journey of Much-Afraid represents the ups and downs of Christian's life, not a linear journey that one ever completes. Unfortunately the book vividly depicts several one-time events (like meeting the Shepherd, receiving the seed, being anointed and dying to self, having unbroken union with God) that I don't believe are separate events (or repeatable for the most part). Even more confusing is that she received a crown when she reaches the High Places but then she goes back down to where she used to live to witness to people. What on earth? Either the crown doesn't represent when most Christians would think it does (a reward received when in God's presence) or the author seems to think that dead people are supernaturally helping their loved ones after they die. I really had no idea what was going on there. I could not recommend this book due to the extreme confusion that I think it can cause about who we are in Christ (immediately) and what our ongoing life looks like with Him.
I also struggled with the idea of the relatives. Much-Afraid lives in the family of Fearing (or something like that). Maybe it was written this way just to be creative, but I have a problem with how easily this could lead people to believe that the really bad sins/influences come from outside us. Indeed, one or two people in the book club thought there was a connection between the "relatives" in the book being so nasty and oppressive and our actual earthly families that cause conflict. The Bible teaches that WE have pride, resentment, fear, bitterness, etc. in ourselves. We are not being assaulted from without, but from within. I believe we do have an enemy outside ourselves (Satan - of whom I could perceive no mention in this book), but he is able to entice us because of our own sinful desires. The author's depiction leads her readers to the idea that we are victims of these sins. Even more confusing is that, at the end, Much-Afraid (well, she's now Grace and Glory) returns to live among these "relatives" to try to help them. So are they sins or are they sinners? I don't know. The theology of who we are as men and sinners was muddled at best, and false teaching at worse.
I disagreed with the author's decision to weave passages from the Song of Solomon throughout the book as "songs" from the sojourner to her Shepherd. While several members of my book club thought that it was insightful and encouraging to read SOS in this light, I don't believe that the book was intended to be interpreted allegorically. I hold to the literal understanding of the book (that it is about Solomon and his wife). Indeed, I cannot make sense of the book as a representation of my relationship with Christ and to do so I think is misleading and unhelpful. I was sad to hear one person say that, "I have always heard this taught as about a man and woman, but it can be understood this way too (an allegory about Christ and believers)." How many people will come away from this book with a distorted view of Scripture?
I seldom read fiction, so there was part of me (despite my reluctance about allegory) that was looking forward to this story, but the writing itself just felt immature to me. The language was very descriptive but I found it to be limited, repetitive and contrived. It was clearly intended to have an emotional impact but there were very few scenes that delivered. I'll admit that a few depictions were poignant, but, for the most part, it lacked depth and literary interest. There was also one moment where the author addresses the reader which seemed very out of place. She also has Much-Afraid and the Shepherd speak to each other in both modern English and old English which seemed inconsistent. Some verses were quoted in, I'm assuming, King James and some where not. Many verses were quoted but only some had actual quotes around them and only some of them had references (not even all the ones that had actual quotes around them). It probably goes without saying that many of the verses were used out of context allegorically.
As I mentioned, at the end of the book there is an autobiography which I only skimmed (but it sounds like it showed how connected the author is to her main character) and several pages of what reads like a diary that the author wrote I believe either during the time that she wrote this book or reflecting on the time she wrote this book (in the span of about three weeks). Unfortunately I just could not get through it. It shed a lot of light on how the book came into being, though. The author is very mystical, writing about how she got messages and visions from God and how she was learning the secret language of nature from which she was gaining the insights for her book. She cautions against being dogmatic and instead relies on personal growth and development for spiritual truth. She clearly valued experience and emotion over concrete doctrine so it is no surprise that, according to biographical information about her that I found online, she departed from orthodoxy (not that this book is indicative of orthodoxy in the first place) and has been said to support pantheism, universalism, and gnosticism in her later book Eagles' Wings to the Higher Places. Apparently she also believed in reincarnation (this article has more information: http://www.affcrit.com/pdfs/1996/03/9...). This would make sense in light of Much-Afraid reaching the High Places and then returning back to the Valley.
To sum up, I think this book is deeply confusing at best and heretical at worst. I've already seen how it has altered peoples' views about God and the Bible and, based on some further reading I've done about the author, I tend to think that her writing is indicative not of a confused, naive understanding, but an intentional representation of an unbiblical view of God and life. I pray that God would insulate and protect its readers. I, myself, struggled to understand this book and even more to discuss it with other professing believers who all very much liked the book.
May 16, 2022
Incredibly touching and beautiful. Like pilgrim’s progress, but more personal. Highly recommend
May 17, 2024
Read this already. A stunning look at what it means for Jesus to lead us THROUGH the valley purposefully as a part of his divine plan to lead us to the high places. 10/10 recommend to everyone, especially those struggling with the idea of a good God in a world full of fear and sorrow. A true masterpiece.
August 26, 2024
“In all the world I have no one but you. Help me to follow you, even though it seems impossible. Help me to trust you as much as I long to love you.” 🦌🏔️🌼
There aren’t many books I feel I could recommend to everyone. This is one of the few.
Based on Habakkuk 3:19, Hinds’ Feet on High Places is a Christian allegory following Much Afraid as she goes on a journey with the Chief Shepherd to the High Places. She is accompanied by two companions, of which she is not to certain of at first. She builds altars along the way and learns what it means to develop hinds’ feet.
I want to share so many thoughts and nuggets from this story, but I equally want you to discover them on your own as I did. This book both made me feel so seen and loved while simultaneously convicting my heart. This is a beautiful depiction of what it looks like to follow Jesus.
I highly encourage you to pick up this engaging visual journey edition, as it really elevated the reading experience for me. I can’t recommend this one enough. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There aren’t many books I feel I could recommend to everyone. This is one of the few.
Based on Habakkuk 3:19, Hinds’ Feet on High Places is a Christian allegory following Much Afraid as she goes on a journey with the Chief Shepherd to the High Places. She is accompanied by two companions, of which she is not to certain of at first. She builds altars along the way and learns what it means to develop hinds’ feet.
I want to share so many thoughts and nuggets from this story, but I equally want you to discover them on your own as I did. This book both made me feel so seen and loved while simultaneously convicting my heart. This is a beautiful depiction of what it looks like to follow Jesus.
I highly encourage you to pick up this engaging visual journey edition, as it really elevated the reading experience for me. I can’t recommend this one enough. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 21, 2025
Received this from Olivia as a graduation gift- what an encouragement! May I pursue closeness with the Shepherd all of my days! I had never read an allegory before, but it felt fitting for the Christian life. Feeling inspired to write something myself…🤭
June 18, 2022
Shout out to audio books for making the 6hr drive between Auburn and Charleston go by much faster!! The Lord so kindly lead me to reread this book, and it couldn’t have been at a better time! This book grows my love for Jesus each time I read it because it reminds me of His faithfulness, loveliness, joy, and perfect leadership! It is a must-read!!
February 1, 2024
Second time reading this book, and wow I forgot I should probably always be reading it. A good reminder that the Lord’s grace is real, and He really walks with us every step of the journey (even when we are much afraid). We need not fear the Lord seeing us where we are at.
April 25, 2023
A beautiful allegory. I really am drawn to old vocabulary and maybe an elevated story telling method for spiritual topics. I felt equally challenged and encouraged as I read this book. I loved how much scripture is in this story. It really makes a Christ character believable to me when they quote scripture in every breath. Also this version has beautiful artwork. I will return to it again and again.
February 26, 2021
Third time through this book and it is still just as incredible.
December 25, 2025
This reread (with some gals in my community group) was so special to me after our church's in-depth study of Habakkuk's questioning, doubt, and minuscule view coupled with the Lord's constant provision. Much-Afraid displays in full reality what it feels like to go to the High Places. She was willing to be changed, to be obedient, but was not perfectly unwavering & content in her journey of ascension with the Good Shepherd. My favorite chapter will forever be Ch. 9: Great Precipice Injury. There, she experiences both the grand beauty of the mountains and the fear of calling for the Good Shepherd. Through the help of her companions, she calls for Him, and as always, he comes rushing to her. Why don't we just believe that He will? He reminds us that "it is always safe to obey [His] voice" (39), because for us, like Much-Afraid, "He was there [...] just as she had known He would be" (112).
December 31, 2024
I’ll never tire of this story.
I read it with fresh eyes and a fleshly heart each time, and each time it has shaped to a greater degree my theology of suffering and my view of Jesus as my Redeemer and Shepherd.
“He has brought me here when I did not want to come for His own purpose. I, too, will look up into His face and say, Behold me! I am Thy little handmaiden Acceptance-with-Joy.”
I read it with fresh eyes and a fleshly heart each time, and each time it has shaped to a greater degree my theology of suffering and my view of Jesus as my Redeemer and Shepherd.
“He has brought me here when I did not want to come for His own purpose. I, too, will look up into His face and say, Behold me! I am Thy little handmaiden Acceptance-with-Joy.”
December 27, 2022
Probably would say this is my favorite book! I’ve read it multiple times - probably will read again in the near future. It’s a beautiful allegory for life with our Father, our Good and Best Shepherd.
February 15, 2025
Much-Afraid —> Grace and Glory
Sorrow and Suffering —> Joy and Peace
🥹🥹🥹
“For Grace and Glory—who had been lame and limping all her life—the ecstasy of leaping about in this way and of bounding from rock to rock on the High Places as easily as the mountain roes, was so rapturous that she could hardly bear to cease from it even for rests. The King seemed to find great delight in encouraging this, and led her on and on, taking longer and longer leaps, until at last she would be quite breathless. Then as they say side by side on some new crag to which he had led her, while she rested he would point out some of the vistas to be seen from the new viewpoint.” (pg 120)
Sorrow and Suffering —> Joy and Peace
🥹🥹🥹
“For Grace and Glory—who had been lame and limping all her life—the ecstasy of leaping about in this way and of bounding from rock to rock on the High Places as easily as the mountain roes, was so rapturous that she could hardly bear to cease from it even for rests. The King seemed to find great delight in encouraging this, and led her on and on, taking longer and longer leaps, until at last she would be quite breathless. Then as they say side by side on some new crag to which he had led her, while she rested he would point out some of the vistas to be seen from the new viewpoint.” (pg 120)
February 6, 2024
This book is magical and unforgettable and beautiful and overwhelmingly peaceful. Every time I opened it up I felt like I was a young child and my mom was reading it to me as a bedtime story. Transcendent, I would say.
September 22, 2025
Let me start by saying that I recognize I may be the problem. I’m a significantly less sentimental person than I’d like to be.
I wanted to love it. I wanted it to live up to the hype. I wanted to be moved to tears by its beauty and profundity, but I just… wasn’t. To be sure, there were several lines that I underlined and thought “wow, that’s a lovely way to put that.” But overall, I found myself cringing at what felt like cliche. I also had a *really* hard time getting past the large amount of Scriptures that were stripped of their context for the sake of the narrative.
I’m so grateful that so many of my friends that I deeply love have found this to be such a monumentally faith building and reflective book. I respect it for that, but I personally did not share that connection with it.
I wanted to love it. I wanted it to live up to the hype. I wanted to be moved to tears by its beauty and profundity, but I just… wasn’t. To be sure, there were several lines that I underlined and thought “wow, that’s a lovely way to put that.” But overall, I found myself cringing at what felt like cliche. I also had a *really* hard time getting past the large amount of Scriptures that were stripped of their context for the sake of the narrative.
I’m so grateful that so many of my friends that I deeply love have found this to be such a monumentally faith building and reflective book. I respect it for that, but I personally did not share that connection with it.
November 25, 2022
This book is a SLOW burn. It depicts the often tedious and sacrificial journey we walk as Christians from the low lows to the highest of highs. It wants us to sit in the tension of some of the biggest doubts we face e.g “is there a purpose in suffering?”, “Is God really for us?”. This book is an allegory for the Christian life, mirroring our struggles, fears, doubts, and ultimately our joys. 12/10 recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey.
July 12, 2024
a beautiful and holy allegory!!
“you, my Lord, never regarded me as I actually was, lame and weak and crooked and cowardly. You saw me as I would be when you had done what you promised and had brought me to the High Places”
“ Other desires might clamor strongly and fiercely near the surface of her nature, but she knew now that down in the core of her own being she was so shaped that nothing could fit, fill, or satisfy her heart but he himself. "Nothing else really matters," she said to herself, "only to love him and to do what he tells me. I don't know quite why it should be so, but it is. All the time it is suffering to love and sorrow to love, but it is lovely to love him in spite of this, and
if I should cease to do so, I should cease to exist." “
“you, my Lord, never regarded me as I actually was, lame and weak and crooked and cowardly. You saw me as I would be when you had done what you promised and had brought me to the High Places”
“ Other desires might clamor strongly and fiercely near the surface of her nature, but she knew now that down in the core of her own being she was so shaped that nothing could fit, fill, or satisfy her heart but he himself. "Nothing else really matters," she said to herself, "only to love him and to do what he tells me. I don't know quite why it should be so, but it is. All the time it is suffering to love and sorrow to love, but it is lovely to love him in spite of this, and
if I should cease to do so, I should cease to exist." “
February 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! I thought it described our struggles as Christians in a sinful world so well!
February 11, 2025
Love starting out every year with this 🥹🥹 if you haven’t read it, you’re wrong
September 29, 2025
so good 🥹 I think the acceptance of sorrow & suffering is such a key piece of a fulfilled and rich life. The imagery, characters, and storyline are beautiful. Will read again 🥰
January 23, 2026
5,000 stars! And a few tears along the way. This book will hold your hand and give you an enveloping hug all at the same time.
April 20, 2025
Oh I just loved this one so much. Much Afraid’s journey and experiences really paralleled with mine as I read this and it reinspired deeper hope in my heart! Let’s go to the High Places!
August 31, 2024
"She, too, at last was to go down to them, pouring herself forth in the Love's abandonment of Self-giving. He brought me to the heights just for this."
A beautiful allegorical story of endurance and reliance on Christ. Overall, this was so encouraging experience to read. It caused me to reflect on the memorial stones of suffering and sorrow the Father has transformed into joy and peace. After reading this I feel spurred on to keep the faith and to continue to let my light shine for Jesus. I know and I accept that everything I have endured and will endure will be for this glory. And at the end of the work Jesus started he will complete in us! I highly recommend this!
A beautiful allegorical story of endurance and reliance on Christ. Overall, this was so encouraging experience to read. It caused me to reflect on the memorial stones of suffering and sorrow the Father has transformed into joy and peace. After reading this I feel spurred on to keep the faith and to continue to let my light shine for Jesus. I know and I accept that everything I have endured and will endure will be for this glory. And at the end of the work Jesus started he will complete in us! I highly recommend this!
October 28, 2025
3.5 ⭐️’s and I feel conflicted about it.
I loveddddd the first half of the book and would give that over 5 stars! But I theologically couldn’t get behind where she took it- blurring salvation being a free gift with something you have to earn, and lack of a savior who takes on our pain, guilt, etc, and being more of a mythical voice you follow, not someone who died on your behalf. I loved the first half sooooo much and was really disappointed with how she landed the plane.
I loveddddd the first half of the book and would give that over 5 stars! But I theologically couldn’t get behind where she took it- blurring salvation being a free gift with something you have to earn, and lack of a savior who takes on our pain, guilt, etc, and being more of a mythical voice you follow, not someone who died on your behalf. I loved the first half sooooo much and was really disappointed with how she landed the plane.
October 30, 2020
Took me ten years to read but here we are finally. Great book, Not a big allegory guy.
Read
May 11, 2022I read this so that I could discuss it with a friend, and while I did enjoy it and was moved by many parts, I don’t want to give a star rating which could be misconstrued as a recommendation.
Going in I knew the history and criticism behind this book, and a little bit about the author and her background, so I wasn’t expecting a theologically accurate account of salvation, and certainly wasn’t expecting a revelatory experience of any kind since it’s not the Bible— obviously.
I definitely would not recommend this for a child, or a new believer, or anyone who hasn’t developed for themself a confident understanding of the chain of salvation through reading and abiding in God’s word. Specifically, sections which seem to depict salvation or justification could be very confusing, and if you are going in expecting a sound Christian allegory you may be in trouble. Pilgrims progress is a better bet.
However, as I said above, certain parts were unbelievably beautiful and moving, specifically the tenderness of the Chief Shepherd. Aspects which portrayed sufferings of the believer, tensions between a dead self and a new creation, and the constant loving pursuit of God moved me to tears.
I look forward to discussing this book with my friend, and overall found the experience of reading it to be an encouragement.
Going in I knew the history and criticism behind this book, and a little bit about the author and her background, so I wasn’t expecting a theologically accurate account of salvation, and certainly wasn’t expecting a revelatory experience of any kind since it’s not the Bible— obviously.
I definitely would not recommend this for a child, or a new believer, or anyone who hasn’t developed for themself a confident understanding of the chain of salvation through reading and abiding in God’s word. Specifically, sections which seem to depict salvation or justification could be very confusing, and if you are going in expecting a sound Christian allegory you may be in trouble. Pilgrims progress is a better bet.
However, as I said above, certain parts were unbelievably beautiful and moving, specifically the tenderness of the Chief Shepherd. Aspects which portrayed sufferings of the believer, tensions between a dead self and a new creation, and the constant loving pursuit of God moved me to tears.
I look forward to discussing this book with my friend, and overall found the experience of reading it to be an encouragement.
November 30, 2018
I certainly wouldn’t recommend it as a theology treatise, but many passages in this story of Much-Afraid’s journey in following The Shepherd moved me immensely - many times to tears because of the perceptive descriptions of experiences, thoughts, struggles, and life lessons I related deeply with in my own walk with the Lord. It’s a beautiful allegory illustrating our relationship with Jesus as we face the joys, pain, and suffering of our lifelong journey holding onto His promises. I will say the ending was confusing to me from a theological standpoint. But a great read nonetheless.
I feel I must mention as well that this particular edition’s gorgeous watercolour full page illustrations and verses throughout are perfection and add so much beauty to this story. I almost want to cut them out to frame them on my wall!
I feel I must mention as well that this particular edition’s gorgeous watercolour full page illustrations and verses throughout are perfection and add so much beauty to this story. I almost want to cut them out to frame them on my wall!
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