“What we behold determines who/what we become”. We are all designed to adore and worship, but the object of our worship is often misplaced. We are designed to adore and worship the One True God, the King of Kings, and Ruth Chou Simons writes so beautifully about her journey to grasp this truth, as well as educates us in practical ways to train our eyes and heart to worship the Lord unceasingly – in outdoor nature, in our homes, in our vocations, our words, our view of Self, our identity. Simons’ desire is to see us fully engaged in the dance of Worship and Transformation, for example: behold God’s goodness, become generous as an outpouring of that truth; behold God’s mercy, become a merciful and tenderhearted person; behold the rest of God, and become someone who rests in HIS sovereign power and unending care. Once you fix your gaze upon Jesus and his truth, you begin to see yourself becoming more like Him because He is the object of your affection. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, our eyes come OFF of ourselves, and we become more like Him. See this truth beautifully portrayed through the author’s delightful artistry and words; Simons' art is refreshing and compelling, as it is infused with biblical scripture truths. You will enjoy this book immensely.

We all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is in Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18


Art, painting, is like poetry in color.


These words ring true when describing the latest masterpiece by Ruth Chou Simons, of Gracelaced. 

She described her own work as harkening back to William Morris and Art Nouveau. With repeating motifs, balanced designs, and harmonious colors, the paintings that fill the pages of this book are inspiring and delightful to meditate on. Each time that I stepped away from reading, I was filled with a sense of joy and inspiration. It is easy just to stick to one or two pages, soaking up the watercolor paintings that Ruth has so lovingly created.

Beholding and Becoming is a long form meditation on what it means to live our lives in a transformative state. She offers relatable examples and simple solutions to live our lives as we are called by Christ. Each chapter is split into two, creating a rhythm to the teaching that Simons lays out. As the title suggests,”Beholding” - what we perceive and how we look at the world, and “Becoming” - how we should seek to daily transformed as guided by the Word, the Creator and the Holy Spirit.

There is a strong focus, not only on scripture but also on Hymns of Praise, to reset the mind and refocus the spirit. You cannot help but singing the familiar words in the back of your mind as you read.


It is hard not to want to mark up this book, if you resonate with the writing. It is truly a work of art from cover to cover. Ruth has done it again and I am sure will continue to grow as an artist and writer with each new book.

“We become joyful and glad about this day—today—as we take our eyes off of what we must do and behold the One who created us to do it in the first place.” Page 18

First, let me say that the paintings in this book are beautiful! I often retreat to nature to feel more connected to our Creator, and it was so refreshing to be able to encounter nature while reading scripture and reflections. The author works hard to connect our ordinary, every day lives to something bigger and more important - everyday worship. Her quote: "How we direct our eyes, minds, hearts and hands in the everyday will determine whom we ultimately worship and what we ultimately become" is a touchstone for this entire book. Through using a back and forth between 'Beholding' and 'Becoming', Ruth provides a combination of reflection and action. I look forward to returning to this book through different seasons of life.

So, so, so beautiful!!! Can’t wait to have the hard copy in my hand! (Although I would love to see this and Gracelaced in kindle so I can take it with me places I would worry about ruining it😉).
I would say this is probably the most detailed one to date. I LOVE the image glossary especially because it shares the intimate meaning behind Ruth’s art. (She didn’t just paint bees and butterflies because she thought they looked nice that day). In fact, I believe this the most personal of all her work. Ruth speaks as a friend. I felt I was getting to know her better and that she felt more comfortable sharing now that she knows we actually care to hear her thoughts and processes. I look forward to seeing where this friendship takes us in the future.