Book Tour: For Our Friends the Animals: Cultivating a Reverence for Life by Robert Exhols

 

Cultivating a Reverence for Life

Christian Nonfiction

Date Published: July 31, 2024

Publisher: BookBaby

 

In For Our Friends the Animals, Robert Echols delivers a stirring spiritual call to action for Christians and all people of conscience to embrace a reverence for life in its fullest form.

Blending biblical truth, compassionate prayers, and the life-affirming philosophy of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, this powerful work urges readers to see animals not as commodities—but as beloved creations of God. In Part One, Echols explores the deep moral and spiritual responsibility we hold toward all creatures. In Part Two, he presents practical steps to confront today's most pressing animal welfare issues—from factory farming to environmental degradation.

Whether you're a lifelong advocate or someone opening your heart to new possibilities, For Our Friends the Animals invites you into a faith-driven movement of empathy and transformation. Through spiritual insight and practical guidance, the book empowers readers to become stewards of compassion, protecting both creation and Creator's intention.

“This book is not just a read—it’s a spiritual pledge. A call to embody Christ’s love by caring for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Join the movement. Embrace the message. Be the change.

 

Author Interview

Let us in our gratitude focus on the greatest gift of all—our very lives. May we always

view our lives, our creation, as evidence of God’s overarching love for us. Let us pause

for a moment and consider the miracle of life. Consider that miracle, consider how unlikely

it is that we are even here, and in that consideration may we realize that in relation to

this gift from God, our single most heartfelt and effective manifestation of appreciation

is to use our lives for His purposes. We best express our gratitude by using His wondrous

gift, our own lives, to fulfill and complete the tasks He has set before us to accomplish.

Are we required to do this? No. We can as many people do, accept a gift without

thanks and without any thought of reciprocity. But that route leads to pure selfishness

and is the polar opposite of what the love and respect for God contemplates.

Show gratitude by seeking to accomplish the tasks that God sends our way.

One such task is to live a life of affirmative compassion, to render aid and

assistance to others who are in need. May we give thanks for our lives by

providing aid and comfort to those struggling with their existence. May we

discharge our debt to the Lord by showering those who are downtrodden

and despondent with compassion and care. May we render thanks by helping

others to elevate themselves such that they, too, will seek their own ways

of discharging their obligations to God. May we understand that in helping

others, we form a united group of believers who in turn seek new members

to help and then bring to the fold. May we never be satisfied until those to whom we

provide assistance are also thanking God and seeking their own opportunities

to serve others.

Finally, as part of our being grateful, may we never forget our obligations to those

who cannot thank God as we can, the animals. They love their lives as

much as we humans love ours, and in a sense, as we should also be doing,

they show their appreciation for life by acting in the manner He intended. As

a reward for our existence on earth, may we give thanks for the chance that

God bestows on us to be stewards to and trustees of all creatures, to all life

that reflects that magnificence of His works. So while we seek to help and

serve the downcast, let us extend that help and service to the animals.

By our prayers, our caring, and our acts of kindness may we do His will,

caring for all

His creatures, giving thanks and giving back the blessings and opportunities

provided us. By extending our circle of compassion to the animals,

indeed to all life as much as we can, may we indeed achieve

“true communion with Him.”

About the Author

 

  Robert Echols is a spiritual author, thought leader, and passionate advocate for animals and all of God’s creation. As the author of For Our Friends the Animals: Cultivating a Reverence for Life, Echols blends Christian spirituality, biblical wisdom, and the moral philosophy of Dr. Albert Schweitzer to offer a powerful message: we are called to protect and uplift all living beings.

A cancer survivor and U.S. Army veteran, Robert's life journey has been guided by service—to his country, his faith, and now, to the voiceless creatures that share our planet. He is the founder and former president of the For Our Friends the Animals Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to financially supporting animal shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries. Under his leadership, the foundation funded the construction of animal shelters in Florida, putting faith into action and making his life his argument, as Schweitzer once wrote.

Robert frequently shares his message of compassion on LinkedIn, in podcasts, and as a guest speaker throughout the Mobile Bay, Alabama area. With academic credentials from Phillips Exeter Academy, New York University, and Emory University (J.D./M.B.A.), and a past career as an ethics officer and Army JAG attorney, Robert’s voice is both seasoned and deeply principled.

His current writing project is a four-volume spiritual treatise titled For Our Friends the Animals, empowering others to embrace a universal love rooted in Christ’s teachings and a reverence for all life.

“Let my words inspire you to become a steward of the earth and a champion for animals—because the love of Jesus is not just for humanity, but for all creation.”

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