Celebrating God's Creation
by Dave & Mary Jo Nutting



We have spent more than 25 years studying the problems with evolution and the evidences of creation. Over the years, we have become more and more convinced that evolution could never explain the complexity and intricacy of life or the universe in which we live. We have presented this information to thousands of people and have had many opportunities to talk one-on-one with individuals who have questions or outwardly disagree with our interpretation of the evidence. All of this is necessary—and often effective, in helping people realize that they really can trust the Bible, starting with Genesis.

At times, however, we need to step back a bit and regain our balance. After all, we are not in this battle just to present and “defend” the truth of Scripture, but to encourage people of all ages to grow in their relationship with their Creator. We want them to know Him as Savior and walk with Him as Lord. We also want them to appreciate this wonderful world He has made and to enjoy HIM forever.

Throughout Scripture, we are presented with pictures of the glory and wonder of God. His awesome character is reflected in what He has made. His perfection, His wisdom, His power, and His care are clearly seen in His handiwork.
“O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. Ps. 104:24

“The glory of the LORD shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works. Ps 104:31 “The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein...He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.” Ps. 111:2&4

“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Gen. 1:31

“To Him be glory and honor and power, for He has created all things, for His pleasure.” Rev. 4:11

“O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” Ps. 96:9

“For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
Ps. 100:5

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindess in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.
Ps. 92:1-2

We were created in the image of God, to delight in what He has made. Who doesn’t enjoy the colors and fragrances of a garden in full bloom? Who isn’t stirred by a beautiful sunset or a full moon on a summer’s night? And yet, at times, we become so busy with the affairs of everyday life, that we forget to take time to appreciate all that God has made for us to enjoy. Think, for example, of the power in a thunderstorm, the sweet smell of rain on the earth, the drops of dew on a rose, or the vibrancy of an early morning sunrise.

So, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of AOI this year, we want to encourage you to take some time to “behold the works of the LORD.” Take time to “Celebrate Creation” and bask in the love of our great and wonderful Creator.

Why Beauty?
by Dave & Mary Jo Nutting



What do you see as you look around this world? Majestic mountains, sparkling streams, fragrant flowers, beautiful birds... Everywhere we look we can see evidence of God’s creativity and love of beauty—if we will just open our eyes. From the microscopic life in a tiny drop of water to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, we see brilliant colors, intricate design, and dazzling beauty.

Beauty is hard to explain by the evolutionary model. Time, chance, and natural processes, for example, are inadequate to explain the origin of the peacock’s colorful feathers—or the ability of his mate’s eyes to “see” the colors and recognize them. What benefit would the colors be, if the fantastic mechanism of sight had not yet been perfected? Or, what advantage would there be in discerning colors, if there were none? What good would either of them be without a complex brain to “read” the signals coming in from the eyes?

Why is there such beauty in a snowflake? Why should microscopic diatoms look like finely engraved crystal? Why the diversity and color in undersea life—even at depths where the sun never penetrates?

These things have no easy answer according to a strictly mechanistic model of evolution. But, they do have an answer if the universe is the handiwork of an awesome, powerful and unimaginably creative God!

As creationists, we delight in the beauty we see, and exalt in the God who made it. The evidence lifts our eyes to Him in humility, wonder and praise. As we read the “end of the Book,” we realize the best is yet to come! “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (I Cor. 2:9) This world is just a shadowy foretaste of what is to come for those who have placed their faith in Him. Hallelujah!

The Penguin
by Jamie Pellerin

Each of God’s creatures was wisely designed with specialized features to show His glory. One example is the penguin. On land they are comical to watch. The penguin stands erect and waddles or slides on its belly across the ice.

At sea, however, where it spends up to 75% of its life, its movements are graceful and smooth. The penguin is equipped with all the swimming gear it needs. Its body is streamlined with closely spaced, waterproofing feathers (70 per square inch), legs which are positioned on the back of its body, and feet that can be pulled close together to serve as rudders. The flippers are shaped like paddles, broad and flat, with short, rigid feathers and strong muscles to propel the bird through the water. Special glands on its bill eliminate excess salt so the penguin can even drink seawater without being harmed. Some species of penguin will spend several months at sea.

Danger from predators is reduced by the bird’s coloring. A black back and whitish belly cause it to appear as dark as the ocean bottom from the top and as bright as the sky from below. When diving for prey itself, its heart rate slows preventing too great a pressure to build. The penguin also seems to be able to hunt in the dark, though how it does is still a mystery.

Although the penguin is perfectly at home in the frigid waters of Antarctica, some can even be found as far north as the tropical Galapagos Islands near the equator! An efficient thermo-regulation system enables the penguin to compensate for variance in temperature. For cold, the penguin has a layer of fat as well as downy insulation along its feather shafts. Its feet and nasal passages utilize a countercurrent heat exchange to return heat to its body. Other warming techniques include huddling together with other penguins or rocking back on its feet to reduce the surface area in contact with the ice.

When needing to be cooled, the penguin can retreat to the shade and ruffle its feathers like fans, or extend its flippers away from its body. Blood vessels in its skin will also dilate to dissipate heat from within its body.

The penguin is perfectly equipped for its environment and lifestyle. Is this because of an evolutionary adaptation or because of the special design of a Creator God? Penguins supposedly evolved from flying birds over 40 million years ago. How would they have survived the transition from air to water without the many features necessary for their present survival? All their interrelated characteristics point to the wisdom and goodness of God providing for their needs. How much more does God care for us!

Editor’s Note: Jamie is a former student of Jackson Hole Bible College in Jackson, Wyoming. Thanks, Jamie, for a great article!

Evolution is Hard to Swallow
by Dr. Dan Korow

When was the last time you
thanked God at the dinner table for your pharynx? You say, “My ‘fair-what???’” (It's pronounced “fair-ingks.”)

The pharynx is the common passage-way in the back of your throat where food and water enter the food tube (esophagus), and air flows into the windpipe (trachea). Every day, water, air, and nutrients, find their way through the pharynx to their correct locations.

Skeptics claim that the pharynx is poorly designed. “If some ‘god’ designed this,” they state, “he wasn’t very smart, especially since some people have choked to death while eating. Therefore, it must have evolved.”

To respond to this claim, let us consider the elegant and ingenious design required for food intake and swallowing.
Initially, portions of food are reduced into bite-sized morsels by a set of specially designed guillotines and grinders (teeth). The mechanics of chewing, along with enzymes in our saliva, begin the crucial digestive process.

After the teeth chew the food, the tongue shapes it into a ball, called a “bolus.” All the while, the tongue’s taste-buds detect and send information to the brain regarding the food’s flavor: sweet, sour, salty, bitter… and as a child might add, “gross!” Our sense of smell also provides protection against potentially harmful or spoiled food.



The swallowing reflex begins as the tongue pushes the bolus to the pharynx. Here nerves send signals to lift the roof of the mouth (the soft palate). This keeps food from entering the nasal cavity. Simultaneously, the larynx moves upward, tipping the epiglottis downward. Then the base of the tongue forces the epiglottis to fully cover the windpipe. While this is happening, the food tube opens as muscles of the pharynx relax. Now the bolus is routed to the stomach by rhythmic contractions. Nerves in the food tube then signal for the re-opening of the windpipe. All of this makes up one swallowing motion! Incredible!

The pharynx also permits continual breathing, which just happens to be a favorite activity for most people! Two familiar sources provide air to the pharynx: the nose and mouth. If we have a stuffed nose due to a bad head cold, we can still breathe through our mouth. If we have a mouthful of food, it can be enjoyed without suffocating since the air passes directly from the nostrils to the pharynx. Not only does the pharynx receive needed oxygen from our environment, it is the passageway for the elimination of CO2 from the body. Furthermore, as the air travels through the larynx (or voice-box), breath is transformed into communication and even praise to God! Here we see a beautiful design, not a poor design.

God has also provided an added safety feature if food does happen to block the windpipe. Since the windpipe is connected to the bellows system of the lungs, a forceful cough is often all that is required to expel the foreign object. This process is far superior to the alternative of sticking our fingers down our throat to grab the misguided piece of food! In addition, forceful bursts of air from the lungs aid in clearing a stuffed nose. Here the very system that is blocked becomes the primary means to correct the blockage.

Why then, despite this tremendous design, do people still have problems with choking? According to American Red Cross Community First Aid and Safety (p.45), common causes of choking are:

• Trying to swallow large pieces of poorly chewed food
• Drinking alcohol before or during meals (Alcohol dulls the nerves that aid swallowing.)
• Wearing dentures (Dentures make it difficult to sense whether food is fully chewed before it is swallowed.)
• Eating while talking excitedly, laughing or eating too fast.
• Walking, playing or running with food or objects in the mouth
So the primary cause of choking is not poor design but poor dining practices.
As we chew on the evidence, the elegant and ingenious design of this entire system displays the incredible wisdom of our Creator, Jesus Christ. Here we see God’s fingerprints right under our nose! “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33a)

Editor’s Note: For more information, read: Vestigial Organs Are Fully Functional by Drs. Jerry Bergman and George Howe. It is available from the Creation Research Society, Kansas City, MO.