First and foremost, I would like you, the reader, to know that except for the Preface, every word of this book is taken directly from the Bible.

At one time, I was in a discussion with my uncle about Christianity and the Bible. He started telling me about a couple of books he had read that pointed out supposed discrepancies. When I got home, I borrowed one of those books from the library and read it. As I did, I became upset. It felt like everything I had learned and believed about the Bible wasn’t quite correct. I’m not going to reference those passages here, because I don’t want to create argument. I just want to explain the path that led me to write this book. I remember sitting in my den, Bible in hand, when frustration got the better of me. I looked at my empty trash can and tossed the Bible into it. Then I walked out the door. Up to that point, I had read the Bible cover to cover twice. The first time, I read it like a novel. That way, it became a page turner. I couldn’t put it down; it was full of history, heroes, drama, ambition, betrayal, war, and triumph. I would highly recommend everyone read it this way; it’s an amazing story. The second time, I read it slowly, studying as I went, sometimes stopping to reflect or referencing other books. This reading took me over a year, and I discovered passages I hadn’t noticed before, just like when you watch a movie a second time and see new details. I came to love the study of history. If I had life to live over again, I would want to be a history teacher. For me, it’s not about dates but about the story, and history, like the Bible, is full of drama and human struggle. Alongside my study of history, I began to study religion, mainly Christianity. This led me through Catholic history, Protestant reformers, and many divisions within the Church. I realized that people often held strong, conflicting views, each believing they alone were right. That made me question deeply and search for answers. Going back to the moment when I threw my Bible away — it bothered me. Weeks later, I realized the Bible still carried a message. The details and discrepancies weren’t the point. The message was. So, I pulled my Bible out of the trash can and started over. I began typing out verses and passages that spoke to me. Over time, I had pages and pages of material. Then, I reordered and organized it until I could see the message clearly: a message of love, kindness, and generosity. The title I chose comes from Jeremiah 22:29: “Earth, Earth, Earth, hear the word of the Lord.” My goal is not to replace the Bible but to highlight its central message. This story doesn’t depend on what religion you belong to, or even whether you consider yourself a believer. It’s for anyone willing to listen, really listen, to what the message is saying. There’s an old saying: “There are none so blind as those who refuse to see; there are none so deaf as those who refuse to hear.” I hope that everyone who reads this book will have eyes to see and ears to hear.