Second Chance for Mankind: Another Look at the Garden of Eden

By Joan Lee Swanson

Why did God not want man to have the knowledge of good and evil? In a sense, Adam and Eve bit off more than they could chew. Their whole world changed. Were God's words to them judgment or prophecy? Could this in any way relate to our world today? God spoke of a curse upon the earth, and today we see the planet turning on itself.

Much the same way houseplants thrive in a peaceful, happy environment, is the planet responding to the hatred, greed, fighting, and wars that are all around us? What is God's answer? How do we find peace?

As a counselor, Dr. Joan Swanson became aware of the number of clients who seemed to go through life anticipating fear, waiting for the other shoe to fall or believing that hardships come in threes. She realized she had some of these same feelings, and in prayer felt guided to look back at the garden of Eden. What was God's original plan and will for his children? Was fear to be part of their existence? This book was the result. The truths herein have played a very important part in her life. She has found a new peace and reason for trust.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449738648

Joan Lee Swanson

Dr. Joan has been a radio talk show host, teacher, counselor, missionary to Brazil, mother of five, and writer.

Book preview

Second Chance

for Mankind

Another Look at the

Garden of Eden

by

Joan Lee Swanson

logoBlackwTN.ai

Copyright © 2012 by Joan Lee Swanson, Dawn Matisse.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1-[phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4497-3863-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-3864-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012901215

Printed in the United States of America

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/02/2012

Contents

Introduction

Preface

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

POSTSCRIPT 2011

Dedicated to

My Children…

Delores Jean Swanson

Dwight Gerald Swanson

Who left this world

too soon

Introduction

There is really ‘nothing new under the sun.’ Most problems are universal and timeless … Only the manifestation of the problems appears to be unique to the individual or the times. As a counselor I find everyone seems to struggle with feelings of low self-esteem and inadequacy — my client, their parents before them and their children after them. The resulting emotional buildup can be devastating to personal fulfillment as well as relationships.

In the counseling room I have heard the following sentiments: I had a good day today but I’ll probably pay for it tomorrow! Or, indications that soon the other shoe will fall. Or, that bad things come in threes. Although it may be said flippantly, I sense a deep-seated belief that you can only expect so much good in your life without equivalent bad. Many, many times we hear after a disaster – that it was God’s will … and we cannot question His ways.

As I pondered the above, I had to face the fact … I too harbored a similar philosophy.

As a child I remembered hearing preaching