The mission of Lamplighter Publishing is to take rare, out-of-print books from long ago and bring them back into circulation for the edifying of Christians today. The Hidden Years at Nazarethis one such project. Originally authored in 1898 by G. Campbell Morgan, this 43-page gem is a tremendous encouragement to its readers. Beautifully bound in a pocket-sized hardcover format, the paper is new, but the original writings remain the same.

The Hidden Years at Nazarethexplores the silent eighteen years of the life of Christ between the age of twelve where we find Him in the temple and the day He stepped out into the public eye through baptism in the Jordan River. Although Scripture recounts very little of this time, the author skillfully develops a life lesson for the readers, using several verses that give us a hint into Jesus’work during these obscure years.

As Christians, we desire to have a profound impact on this world but often lose sight of the means to accomplish this goal. As The Hidden Years at Nazareth tells us, “There is something infinitely better than doing a great thing for God, and the infinitely better thing is to be where God wants us to be, to do what God wants us to do, and to have no will apart from His…” This encouraging statement reminds us that a life lived in obscurity, diligently accomplishing our own work well, and deeply impacting the people in our own circle, is a life that is well pleasing to our God. On page 39, there is a statement that I believe sums up this book: “Jesus taught us that all toil is holy if the toiler be holy.”

This Lamplighter Publishing book is recommended for teenage or adult readers. Though the words are from long ago, the content is just as relevant today as it was in 1898. Reading this book encouraged me to be diligent in my own life, accomplishing the tasks that God has set before me, not take them lightly. Just as God the Father was well pleased with the life that Christ led in obscurity prior to His baptism and entrance into the public realm, so can God also be well pleased with my faithfulness to the tasks He has given me to do in my own life.

This book is currently available on the Lamplighter Publishing website for $15.

-Product review by Erica Beyea, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June 2017