Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship

Rate this book
You are in the process of becoming. Every day is an opportunity to be shaped and formed by what moves your heart, drives your thoughts, and captures your gaze. Is it any wonder that where you direct your eyes and your heart matter in your day-to-day? We become what we behold when we set our hearts and minds on Christ and His redemption story here in the details of our daily lives--not just on Sunday, not just on holidays, not just when extraordinarily hard or wonderful things happen...but today. Today is an opportunity for God to demonstrate His love and His faithfulness in the midst of your mundane. No circumstance is too ordinary or too forgotten for Him to meet you there in worship. His transforming grace turns your "everyday ordinary" into a holy place of becoming.

Audio CD

First published September 10, 2019

435 people are currently reading
6246 people want to read

About the author

Ruth Chou Simons

55 books1,044 followers
Ruth Chou Simons is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author of several books and Bible studies, including GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, When Strivings Cease, and Now and Not Yet. She is an artist, podcaster, speaker, and the founder, CEO, and Chief Creative Officer of GraceLaced, an art and lifestyle brand. Simons uses each of these platforms to spiritually sow the Word of God into people’s hearts, making deep truths beautifully accessible with her signature art and relatable communication style.

Simons has been featured on Good Morning America, Fox, Christianity Today, and Hallmark Home and Family. Ruth and her husband, Troy, live in Western Colorado and are grateful parents to six boys—their greatest adventure.

Connect with Ruth on social media at @ruthchousimons.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
2,741 (70%)
4 stars
865 (22%)
3 stars
217 (5%)
2 stars
32 (<1%)
1 star
14 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 671 reviews
Profile Image for Terri Conlin.
9 reviews
July 29, 2019
Beholding and Becoming is filled with some of my favorite things: bees, blackberries, thistles and peonies, and love for our God who made them all in delightful detail. Ruth paints the page with words and watercolors illustrating in living color how touchable worship can be in everyday life.

When you read this book, you’ll remember our world is a cathedral. As soon as I reached the last praising page, I began again, this time more slowly in awe of my ordinary and wonderful life. and your's, too.

Beholding and Becoming is an invitation to slow down, notice small things, and smile in alleluiahs.
Profile Image for Krista Mc.
121 reviews3 followers
July 21, 2019
This is a beautiful, multi-layered book. It's primary purpose is to encourage the reader to worship the Lord. The text is the kind of text to savor--it can be read and re-read for the truths in it to nourish the heart. The artwork is beautiful--there is a glossary at the beginning of the book that explains the meaning behind the images the author/artist chose. What a joy it is--I will be reading this again to study the art and to annotate the text.

This book would make a wonderful gift to a special friend.
Profile Image for Elisabeth (Bets).
81 reviews56 followers
October 24, 2025
Highly highly recommend this book! It’s very refreshing and biblically sound. And the artwork is gorgeous which just makes it even lovelier for early morning devotions 🥰
Profile Image for Sarah.
52 reviews2 followers
July 30, 2019
What does it mean to practice “every day worship?” It doesn’t take long inside the pages of this stunning book to realize that Ruth is telling the beautiful story of sanctification—our becoming like God—showing the reader what a joy it is to behold Christ in what we may perceive as the mundane—the million tiny moments that make up most of our lives.

The form of the book complements its purpose. Over 16 chapters, Ruth explores different areas of beholding God—from creation to the kitchen table—and how in that exact place, God can transform you into becoming like him. The paintings throughout are gorgeous, linger-worthy, and full of deeper meaning (a glossary of repeated motifs, creatures, and flowers makes the paintings come alive with purpose!).

There is a lyrical seriousness, a mature beauty in both the written word and water colors, that appropriately gives this book the feel of Gracelaced’s older sister. For those of us who read Simon’s first book and loved it, this is a perfect companion as we mature in our faith. If you’re looking for a book that lays Christ before you as a prize worth having, this is it.
Profile Image for Bailey T. Hurley.
423 reviews13 followers
July 30, 2019
ARC - this book is exactly the message our world needs right now. Beholding and Becoming are two themes interwoven amongst Ruth’s art. The central idea is that what we behold, worship at our core, is what we become. Ruth’s insightful and truth-filled words convict and led me to repentance but also realigned my worship back to God.

Her art is beautiful. She ties in hymns and quotes into the book that strengthen her message and deepened my worship. This is a must read!!
Profile Image for bibanon1.
283 reviews19 followers
July 30, 2019
I have been a fan of Ruth Chou Simons for years and have been anxiously awaiting this new release and it does not disappoint! I love how Ruth ties in each beautiful watercolor illustration to her words. The imagery is symbolic of messages within the written text. So, the two go hand in hand to really get Ruth’s message across. I knew this book was going to speak to me right away when it began with a commentary on our modern day fixation on social media and the digital world. I often feel disconnected from my faith life by all the “noise” in my life. And I appreciate how Ruth reminds us all to turn away from all of that noise and reconnect with God in each chapter.

As with her other books, I found that I enjoyed reading one short chapter and stopping to reflect on Ruth’s words and meditate on her paintings. There is a lot to think about and pray about within each chapter. I found that my favorite chapter was Ruth’s reminder to “Be Glad in Today.” Something that isn’t always easy to do in our busy, hectic lives and something that I continually work on. Whether you read this book straight through or pick it up every so often to read one chapter or focus on one painting, you will find dozens of gems to reinvigorate your faith life.
Profile Image for Jamie.
127 reviews31 followers
July 31, 2019
I am honored to share my review of Beholding and Becoming by Ruth Chou Simons. Beholding and Becoming is an exquisite book: nourishing, thought-provoking content that engages the heart; but also gorgeous artwork by Ruth Chou Simons that draws readers in as they ponder this book's message.
Beholding and Becoming guides readers to carefully examine their own hearts, looking deeply at their own hearts and examine their actions in light of the faith they profess. I found my own heart challenged as I realized that often my actions do not line up with the faith I so deeply profess.
This lovely book draws readers toward God, who heals and restores. Beholding and Becoming is a definite must-read, lovely to share, most importantly, impacts lives for eternity. I am honored to highly recommend Beholding and Becoming.

*I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from the publisher. The opinion stated is my own. I have not been compensated in any way.*
Profile Image for EmG ReadsDaily.
1,615 reviews145 followers
November 2, 2025
An incredibly beautiful book.

‘I’m convinced God had the most glorious time forming every detail, design, scent, trait and oddity in the flora and fauna of His creation. Everything in creation is so intentionally and meticulously crafted to reveal the design if a Master Artist.’

'We become what we behold when we set our hearts and minds on Christ and His redemption story right in the midst of our daily lives.'
3 reviews
July 30, 2019
I’ll start by saying what may already be obvious, this book, Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship by Ruth Chou Simons, is *beautiful*. The artwork throughout is entirely comprised of watercolors by Ruth. I have been familiar with and loved her work so much over the years, and even so, the beauty in this book exceeded my expectations. One of my favorite things is the glossary where she gives the meanings of the recurring things she painted and invites you to sit awhile to experience the words and the art together and be encouraged.

The beauty in Beholding and Becoming is not limited to the artwork. The words are just as lovely. Each of the book’s 16 chapters is broken down into 2 sections: Beholding and Becoming. Ruth gives us a concept or attribute of the Lord to Behold and then gives us encouragement in allowing Christ to work in us so we can Become. The first chapter starts out with a bang in “Beholding: God’s Greatness in Creation” and then moves to “Becoming: It’s OK to be Small”. Ruth asks us the question of, Are we ok with God being great and us being not great? How do we see us and the Lord? Are we in control or is He? Other examples of chapters throughout the book are “Beholding: God’s Provision in the Unremarkable/Beholding: Learning to Love What Must Be Done” and “Beholding: God’s Example for Family/Becoming: The Mission Field is at Your Kitchen Table”. My favorite is the last chapter “Beholding: Our True Home/Becoming: Actively Abide”. In it Ruth talks of how nothing of this world will satisfy; our true home is in Him, the Lord Himself. Our longings will be satisfied solely in Him because He is whom we were created for. We were made to abide in him, but that abiding is an active thing not a passive one. It is a choice, a “deliberate pursuit”.

If allowed, this book will pierce and prod, it will challenge and encourage. It offers us an opportunity to really question how and what we think of the Lord. It encourages us to allow all the workings of our everyday lives to be places and times of worship not just something to grit our teeth and get through. Being called to be worshippers is not just a calling to do a thing, it’s calling to know and respond to a person.

My very favorite thing about Ruth is her consistency, day in and day out, in pointing us to see Jesus: to be looking to Him for all things and in all things. Beholding and Becoming is a beautiful extension of Ruth’s daily encouragements to worship in the midst of the everyday. I highly recommend.
Profile Image for Donna.
4,568 reviews171 followers
December 28, 2022
Genres: Nonfiction/Christian Living

I heard this author being interviewed on a podcast and thought I'd check out her books. I liked this one but from reading the other reviews makes me feel like I missed out on a visual experience. I listened to the audio version so I was unable to be wowed by the artwork.

So based on what I listned to, I thought this was very light and fluffy. Sometimes that is just what I need. I loved her emphasis on simple worship in all that we do. I have another one of her books and I'm hoping to get to it this week. All in all though, 3 stars.
Profile Image for Danielle Bullen.
Author 3 books243 followers
June 29, 2025
I was skeptical about this one. But, this was so convicting and beautifully written. looking forward to reading it again.
Profile Image for Shuana Michele Hackworth.
19 reviews10 followers
July 29, 2019
This book is beautifully done and life changing if you allow it to be. The book is filled with beautiful art and encouraging words to help us behold what we are becoming. Their are parts in the book where it may sting or hit is hard but it’s all in love. Ruth draws the reader in with stories, scripture and art it’s as if you are conversations with her. This book captured me I am still going back to read quotes. The book is a beautiful book that could be used as a coffee table book as well the only thing is you will have to give a copy to everyone who picks it up. I admonish you to pick up several copies. Ruth says this about the book “
The question isn’t whether we will use our everyday moments to worship because we will—in the midst of ordinary places, people, sights, sounds, joys, and pains. How we direct our eyes, minds, hearts, and hands in the everyday will determine whom we ultimately worship and what we ultimately become. We were made to behold Him and be transformed in Him. The art of everyday worship is the journey from canvas to masterpiece. This is my invitation to you to be transformed, one everyday moment at a time” this book will surely be instrumental in transforming you.
Profile Image for Sandi Greene.
4 reviews2 followers
July 31, 2019
As I was reading Beholding and Becoming I felt like Ruth had looked into my heart and written this book just for me. I’m sure that I won’t be the only one who feels this way as they read her words and and lingers over her artwork.

This book is so full of encouragement to find and worship God in all areas of our lives. “When we believe the Giver of every ordinary moment in our every day is the faithful God who is trustworthy for each next step we take in our daily lives, we have reason to rejoice in the gift of another day.”

This is a book that I will return to often to linger in the beauty and wisdom that Ruth Cho Simons has poured into this book.
Profile Image for Elise.
572 reviews
December 11, 2024
I absolutely loved this devotional. The physical copy is beautiful, but it's easy enough to follow along listening to the audio, too. Packed with scripture and tons of wisdom to gnaw on.

This was just what I needed to read to start my year, and I'll definitely read it again. I cannot wait to explore other titles by this author!

Here's a quote from the final page that really sums up the book:

"The more we behold and treasure Him, the more we become like Him and see His purposes in our circumstances. We are transformed as we walk with Him. The most ordinary days become extraordinary places of transformation when we hope in Christ instead of our circumstances."
Profile Image for Mackenzie.
265 reviews2,074 followers
April 24, 2021
I’ll be returning to this for the artwork alone 😍

I love how tender this book read for me. It makes the outstretched arms of Jesus feel all the more inviting than they already are. It almost makes you look forward to the mundane, so you can see God even in those moments.

Found so many little golden nuggets of wisdom that I will definitely hold onto in the weeks & months to come. You can just tell Ruth has such a gracious demeanor, it shines through her writing. Really want to read her other book, Gracelaced, like, right now!
Profile Image for Laura.
623 reviews135 followers
April 3, 2021
I really enjoyed my time that I spent with this devotional. I feel as though the devotions were four star devotions, but the presentation and beauty of this book really bumped my four star up to a five star. I look forward to rereading this in future years.
Profile Image for Emma Hinkle.
862 reviews20 followers
February 2, 2022
This book was beautifully crafted and illustrated and so full of gospel truths that were encouraging at just the right moments!
Profile Image for Meredith.
170 reviews
April 6, 2023
Beautiful to read and beautiful to look at. This was such an encouraging, peaceful book to just slowly work through and enjoy.
1 review
July 24, 2019
I enjoyed Ruth’s first book, so I was excited she was writing a second one. But this book went beyond all my expectations! The gospel truths in this book are so relatable to every day life and struggles we all go through. Ruth shares truth about control, success, family, money, and purpose, among others. Ruth shows you how to “set your heart on what is truly worthy of worship” in your everyday circumstances. It’s amazing how much encouragement and truth she can share in such a concise way. The art work is amazing and so thoughtful that it really does add to her words. The art work is definitely not just decor for the book. It reminds you to look at God’s creation in nature to see Him in unique and beautiful ways. I would highly recommend this book to revitalize your relationship with Jesus. This book creates such a desire to rest in Jesus and draw close to Him!
Profile Image for Sharon Weinschreider.
192 reviews32 followers
June 8, 2021
It’s my second time through this book and it was just as wonderful as the first time. This book is a balm for the soul; a place to stop and rest and meditate on God’s truths while also enjoying the beauty of the artwork in the book inspired by nature.
2 reviews
July 30, 2019
I’ve been a fan of Ruth’s work for years, with the way her simple yet beautiful art work makes me draw in my breath and then release it peacefully. Even more, I love her heart for God’s truth, and the simple yet profound ways she reminds me of what cannot be improved upon, God’s words and His work in creation and redemption.

I got a little tingly when I first heard about this new book, “Beholding and Becoming”. I just knew this was meant for me in this season. I’m mothering a little one, often feeling like I’m failing more than thriving, investing in my marriage, trying to keep a house and a little homestead from falling apart and dying. I’m working full time, growing another little one in my belly, fearing changes ahead and constantly navigating the swirling opinions of others. This book reminds me to slow down, to gaze upon God’s truth for what it is- my lifeblood, the words of a loving God for ME, the gift of my salvation, and the only thing I should depend upon.

I loved how Ruth infused such meaningful and symbolic elements into the art in this book. I didn’t think it could get any better than the first few chapters, but I was so wrong. The second half was somehow even more beautiful than the first! The colors and interesting elements in her paintings will draw your heart out even more to the words on the page, and will help you to slow down and reflect.

This book was an easy read, but don’t think for a minute that it’s light in content. There’s nothing fluffy here. Ruth thoughtfully uses quotes both new and old, poetry, hymn lyrics, and difficult examples from daily life to draw out truths your heart may not want to hear, but will echo with certainty. I love the structure of the book, drawing your mind out in a “beholding” chapter, followed by a more practical “becoming” section, providing time-honored wisdom in how to cultivate the truth in your daily life, in any season. Each section left me smiling, pausing, sincerely convicted, and called to action.

If the season you’re in could be described as tough, confusing, boring, frustrating, hopeless, busy, overwhelming, or scary, there is so much here for you. Savor it a little or a lot at a time-your heart will not be disappointed.
Profile Image for Lauran Burnham.
95 reviews3 followers
July 31, 2019
I have so enjoyed the depth of thought that went into this book. Whenever I look at any of Ruth Chou Simons’ work, I know that she has put much thought and prayer into the process and completion of her work. This book is no exception. This book is about who God is and what those attributes imply about our worship of Him. It is meant to inspire worship. We behold his glory and we become worshipful. Due to this purpose, each chapter is split into two sections: Beholding and Becoming. Her thoughts on each subject is clearly written with a beautiful use of similes and metaphors of everyday life as well as Biblical examples to point to God’s attribute, so the reader can feel confident in finding worship of God’s grandeur even in the mundane task of everyday life.

However, this book is not meant to be just read. One of the first things that I noticed as I flipped through the pages was that Ruth had given a list of symbols that she used in her artwork and explained what they represented to her; this allows you to study her artwork and not feel like you have to be an art scholar to find an intended message. Sometimes I would just stare at the paintings and try to identify its connection to her message within her chapter by looking at the symbols. For example, the first chapter deals with how small we are, yet we find security in God’s greatness, so much of her artwork in that chapter includes moths, which she explains represents “the temporary, earthiness, fading.” Each picture places the moths among greenery and fruit, which gives it a much more hopeful message because while the moths may represent fading, fruit and greenery represents provision and security.

Readers can quickly grasp the message as they read, but the format of this book allows such deep meditation of God’s Word. In several pieces of her art, Ruth provides simple suggestions that may inspire worship in what may be a lackluster day for the reader: “catch falling leaves...watch clouds...listen to the wind...go on a walk.” This book is well-worth your time and money, and I hope that each of you can soon find a copy in your hands, so that you may admire the wisdom and value found in her work.
Profile Image for Emma Ruwe .
12 reviews
December 1, 2025
I confess that I judged this book by its cover assuming that being gifted in art and being rooted in truth and wisdom rarely coexist. I imagined it to be like so many other devotionals marketed towards women which can be mildly heretical and at the very least fluffy and lacking in spiritual depth.

Instead this book was quieting, sobering, convicting, hopeful and a much needed respite. Ruth Chou Simons is both an artist and a story teller who incorporates hymns, scriptures, poetry, liturgy, nature, and wonder for creation in her writing and illustrating. She even includes a glossary with descriptions of the symbolism behind each of the illustrations and what they represent. (E.g., bluebells: humility, cranes: life/direction, moths: temporary/earthiness, sweet peas: tenacity).

“The question isn’t whether we will use our everyday moments to worship because we will—in the midst of ordinary places, people, sights, sounds, joys, and pains. How we direct our eyes, minds, hearts, and hands in the everyday will determine whom we ultimately worship and what we ultimately become. We were made to behold Him and be transformed in Him. The art of everyday worship is the journey from canvas to masterpiece. This is my invitation to you to be transformed, one everyday moment at a time.”
Profile Image for Karīna Liepiņa.
113 reviews20 followers
July 13, 2020
Baudījums acīm un dvēselei! Ļoti negribējās, lai šī grāmata beidzas, tāpēc to lasīju lēnām, pa vienai nodaļai dažas reizes nedēļā. Īpaša grāmata īpašiem mirkļiem!❤️😇👌
Profile Image for Andrea Sickler.
36 reviews
January 17, 2026
Listening to this devotional- read by the author herself - is like sitting down with a friend and having your heart encouraged! Good, solid, biblical truth!
This will be a repeat listen!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 671 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.