A review of the NIrV "Minecrafters Bible"

My second-grader pretty much as Minecraft on the brain or at least as his background soundtrack all the hours he's awake, and some of those during which he's asleep. I thought this might make a nice birthday present for him. Educationally, it's also a step-up from all the paraphrased storybook bibles we already have in our collection. At 1144 onion skin pages, the NIrV Minecrafters Bible includes the full text of the Old and New Testaments, along with 24 thicker full-color pages with illustrations of stories that lend themselves to be recreated in the "boxy and pixelated" style that my son loves so much. If you're not aware of Minecraft or other video games that use this low-res style, you might find the illustrations a little odd, especially when they include a block-headed Jesus. However, the familiar look of the pictures were a big draw even to my 5-year-old who is just beginning to learn to read.

The New International Readers Version strikes me as a good choice for young readers. It dispenses with a lot of the poetic (and for children, indecipherable) language of other versions. For example, Psalm 23 begins "The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need." The beatitudes in Matthew 5 begin "Blessed are those who are spiritually needy. They kingdom of heaven belongs to them." Paul encourages the Philippians in v. 4:12-13: "I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. I am content whether I am well fed or hungry. I am content whether I have more than enough of not enough. I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me strength." 

Of course, these details matter more to me than to my son, who mainly has skipped over the black and white text in favor of the color plates, which feature paraphrased stories that lend themselves to building-focused illustrations. Many of these stories do not coincide with the adjacent text. For instance, Solomon's temple is inserted into the psalms, and Jesus' miracle of feeding sits next to Jeremiah. Often, the colored pages will set up the beginning of a story and end on a cliff-hanger, with encouragement to flip to the verse reference of the actual story.

Overall, I think this version can be useful to cause Minecraft-loving kids to crack open the pages of scripture. The easy to read translation is also a plus for younger readers who might find the Bible's more esoteric passages hard to digest.

 *I received this Bible from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

Children's devotional "I AM" develops trust in God, delves into His many names

The Parrino house has quite a collection of children's Bibles. The title of Diane Stortz's sparkling (literally) new children's devotional, "I AM: 40 Reasons to Trust God," told me I had to get my hands on this one. The name is drawn from Psalm 9:10- "Those who know your name put their trust in you." I really like that thought-- the more of God's names we know, the more we meet Him in the fullness of His personality, the more reason we have to trust Him. Moreover, I love that this story bible takes as its central theme the many names of God because I feel it's important for kids get a taste of the complexity and wonder bound up in God's many attributes. 

The book covers 40 stories, evenly selected from both Old and New Testaments, with about four to six pages per story. The Old Testament stories include both the Hebrew name and an interpretation-- and I found myself learning some new names: El Emeth (God of Truth). El Kanna (Jealous God), and El Nehkumah (God of All Comfort) among them. The New Testament stories focus on both the names people called Jesus, such as Rabbi and Son of God, as well as names Jesus gave Himself, such as The Bread of Life and the Good Shepherd. 

I liked that the collection included some less common in the children's bible genre, such as the story of Ruth in the Old Testament and Jesus with Mary and Martha in the New. 

Each chapter contains a verse containing one of God's names, a retelling of  a Bible story that illustrates the featured facet, and a page of devotional content, including a couple of paragraphs subheaded "What Does It Mean?", a two-sentence prayer and a "Learn More" box with additional verses and a few sentences answer to the question "What Happened Next?"

With my own littles, (aged 7, 5 and 2) I stuck mainly to reading the name, verse reference and story. They tended to stop paying attention to the devotional portions. If you're someone who feels most secure when the devotional package is completely spelled out, I AM's format will appeal to you. Personally, I don't like everything to be scripted out for me. I like there to be some wiggle room to pause and let the boys raise their own questions, so after the first couple of chapters I stopped reading  the boys the devotional content. 

One other (minor) qualm I had was with the illustrations, which are vibrant and eye-catching and full of action-- but also, I found them a little bit too big-eyed, red-lipped, gown and hair-flowing, Disney-perfect. Kids really are drawn to this style, so my mention of it is more a matter of personal taste than criticism. 

Overall, I found this a worthy addition to our growing collection of illustrated Bible resources. 

I received my copy of I AM from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Home churching with Legos

The Parrinos are in a season of doing church as a family at home. Usually, this involves reading the bible with the kids and dancing around in the basement to Go Fish worship videos. Two Sundays ago, we tried a group reenactment of Genesis 1. Yesterday, we had planned to read about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden out of The Big Picture Story Bible. We didn't really want anybody to have to be Satan in a skit, so we decided to build the scene with Legos... Duplos in this case because the vast majority of the boys' Lego sets don't have flowers or trees or animals. 

A portion of our homemade Sunday school involved Joe putting on an impromptu puppet show with a Ninjago snake mini figure, giving him the crafty voice of Satan. I was totally uncomfortable with this, thinking it would freak the boys out ... but the older two really got into it (Ollie had already wandered off to play with Magna Tiles at this point). Joe's snake voice told Stephen and Rockam that he would give them whatever they wanted as long as they decided to disobey God. 

"What do you want... Sssss....Rockam?" The minifigure rasped. 

Rockam, true to form shouted, "I want a sword so I can CHOP YOUR HEAD OFF! HYAAA!"

Love that kid.

Stephen's response was that he would try to outsmart Satan and ask for something he wanted, but then turn around and obey God anyway. Of course, we liked Rockam's answer better, but I think in reality, we all would answer more along the lines of Stephen's "strategy." We didn't jump on the chance to correct him, but gently reminded him of how crafty and clever the enemy can be. 

Using Legos was a great way to make a lesson less of a chore and using creative play helped Joe and I discover what is inside our boys' hearts. I think Lego modeling might become part of our go-to Sunday home school curriculum in the future.

McKnight avoids pat answers to questions about heaven

A couple of years ago, several Christian authors started an eschatological fray with books about hell. Scot McKnight's newest book, The Heaven Promise: Engaging the Bible's Truth About the Life to Come, puts forth a hope-filled side of the afterlife, with the premise that the Bible contains clear promises about heaven, such its existence: there's a "first heaven" and a "final heaven" (46), what it will be like:"a utopia of pleasures" (76), and who will be there: "Jesus and those who are in him" (157). 

Sink into your comfy chair and wile away the hours with "The Message 100" bible

I grew up with extreme loyalty to one bible translation, believing it was the most accurate. But as I've gotten older and less dogmatic, I've discovered the value in comparing passages across several versions to get a multi-faceted view of scripture. One of the main versions I like to use in my YouVersion Bible app, (along with NLT, NIV, NKJV and AMP), The Message is a contemporary translation created by long-time pastor and biblical scholar, Eugene Peterson and published by NavPress. It's not the bible most of us have lodged in our heads as memory verses from youth group, and Peterson often paraphrases by a few verses at a time, so sometimes entire passages seem quite different than what I remember. One example is the oft-quoted James 1:19 (quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger). Peterson translates it: 

"Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear." 

To me, the rendering isn't quite as catchy, but the unusual personification of anger did cause me to do a double take. For other verses, Peterson's metaphoric style really did add something special. Consider a few verses later in James 1:21: 

"In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life."

What a gorgeous word picture!

ZonderKids "Good Samaritan" a good intro to Jesus' parables for new readers

I have to confess my kids and I rarely stay on with a devotional or children's bible all the way to the end. Lately I've been trying to build my collection of stand-alone bible stories. I've also got a first-grader learning to read, so Zonderkids' I Can Read book, Adventure Bible The Good Samaritan seemed like a good fit-- plus, it's one of my favorite parables. With only a sentence or two on each of its 32 pages, this slim paperback Level 2 reader kept my three sons' attentions.

I liked that this version puts the familiar story into context as a parable Jesus told in response to a question about obtaining eternal life. I also liked that the text and illustrations of the priest and the Levite didn't portray them as "bad guys" but rather as people making the wrong choice because of fear and anxiety. This choice leaves the characters open for discussion. My son wanted to know, "Why did they just leave him there?" The book also ends with a simple description of the relationship between Jews and Samaritans, "In Bible times, the Jews and Samaritans did not get along. They were foreigners and did not know a lot about each other" (32). I felt this provided another jumping off point for relevant discussion.

Review of Believe Storybook by Randy Frazee

The Parrinos have been on the move lately...in particular, we've moved from Hopkinsville, KY to Cleveland, OH. With our family in flux, I'm longing for some consistency. Just before we moved, I began reading the Believe Storybook: Think Act Be Like Jesus, written by Randy Frazee and illustrated in a rich, evocative style by Steve Adams. Unlike most of the children's bibles in our collection, this is a weighty book. A hefty 256 pages measuring 9 x 11 inches, and 2.8 pounds, the Believe Storybook is arranged into three 10-chapter sections: Think, Act and Be. Each chapter teaches a particular theme using one old and one new testament story.

According to the cover, this devotional, based on the popular Believe series of devotionals, is geared for ages 4 and up. I have a 4-year-old, but he only sat next to his big brother and I for about 30 seconds before scampering off to grab another book off the shelf.

Reflections on John Walton's "Lost World of Genesis One"

I had a lull in my review schedule, so I decided to read a book that's been on my shelf for a while, John H. Walton's The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate.

A little bit about me. I'm a Christian, I love the inspired word of God, I majored in Geology and I don't find these things incompatible. Like Walton, I see no credible evidence for Young Earth Creationism, but I'm still not exactly sure what I believe regarding the when and how God created the universe. (And part of me thinks that's no big deal either!) The lovely thing about this book is that it minimizes the importance of the material creation of the world and refocuses our attention on the key point that God is the source and continues to be the One in control.

In a nutshell, Walton proposes that reading the Genesis creation account literally means we take account of cultural context for the first audience of the book. And as an Old Testament scholar at Wheaton College, Walton shows that in the Ancient Near Eastern worldview, the concept of existence is tied to functionality rather than material presence. To establish this idea, Walton analyzes how the Hebrew word for create (bara) is used throughout the OT. While Walton thinks that yom in Genesis is best interpreted as a 24-hour period of time and not an age or millions of years as some theistic evolutionists propose, he also believes that the material creation of the universe happened long before the Genesis narrative. In this way, his view is similar to the "Gap Theory" I grew up with in the church of my youth, which also sees the Adam and Eve taking place long after the dinosaurs and Lucy.

I think this quote, from page 130, sums up Walton's view (and my own):

The view of Genesis offered in this book is also teleological but accepts that all of creation is the result of God's handiwork, whether naturalistic mechanisms are identifiable or not, and whether evolutionary processes took place or not. God has designed all that there is and may have brought some of his designs into existence instantaneously, whereas others he may have chosen to bring into existence through long, complicated processes. Neither procedure would be any less an act of God.

The book also contains a thoughtful proposal for the way origins should be taught in public schools (a proposal in which neither the prevailing system nor Creationists or Intelligent Design proponents win completely). Additionally, a Q&A section in the prologue of the book is written in very accessible language, offering a good cool-down to the mental workout the rest of the book provided. If you're interested in how the scientific consensus of our day and the Biblical explanation of origins mesh, and if you don't mind whipping out your dictionary from time to time, I recommend this book.

Review of "Bible Favorites: One Sentence Storybooks"

It's not easy finding bible stories balancing simplicity and meaning for very young readers. These days, I typically focus on materials for my 6-year-old because I assume I'll be able to use them later when my 3-year-old and 1-year-old get older. This new set from Tyndale Kids and Focus on the Family targets preschoolers aged 3-5. Combining early literacy and familiar Bible stories, the Bible Favorites: One Sentence Storybooks collection by Nancy I. Sanders and illustrated by Hannah Wood features 10 booklets in a box with a Velcro closure. I was surprised by the diminutive size of the books-- at 5.75 inches by 4.75 inches, the set is just a little fatter than some people's smartphones. Each of the books are just 12 pages long, and really do consist of a single sentence, revealed a few words at a time to present one simple concept from each story. The first five books cover Old Testament stories, including the creation narrative in Genesis, Noah's Ark, Moses and the burning bush, David and Goliath, and Nehemiah rebuilding the wall. The last five cover New Testament passages, including the Wise Men, Jesus walking on water, the Good Shepherd, the Prodigal Son and Jesus' resurrection. 

I love the soft, almost luminous paintings and find that my boys are drawn to this style of illustration too. The simplicity is also attractive, and I read all 10 books to 3-year-old Rockam in one sitting this morning. He enjoyed the suspense of the steadily building narrative and the growing detail in each picture. For example, my favorite of the set, "The Sad Son," builds this way:

1. The sad son
2. The sad son came back home
3. The sad son came back home to his dad
4. The sad son came back home to his dad for a hug.

I thought this rendition of the Prodigal Son was so sweet and included just the right amount of detail for my wiggly, fun-loving preschooler.

An older or more mature child would probably enjoy the last pages of each book, which recap the key vocabulary, give some spiritual significance to the story and provide a memory verse and a prayer. Rocky wasn't too interested in these elements, so I skipped some of them. I also noticed that while the stories are ultra simple, some of the devotional content was more than a couple logical leaps removed from the narrative. For example, in "Two Mice and the Ark," the story begins and ends with three pairs of animals boarding the ark. The devotional segment "One Truth to Learn" reads: "Sin is anything bad someone thinks, says, or does. God sent a flood to get rid of sin on the earth. But He used an ark to save Noah, his family, and the animals." I would need to recount much more of the story to help my son understand the connection between mice on an ark and God getting rid of sin with a flood. The memory verse and prayer take another turn, focusing on God's forgiveness and salvation.  I felt that the devotional's more advanced concepts seemed imbalanced with the playful simplicity of the story. But I also think the format allows parents to use or skip as much of the content as they deem helpful. As I mentioned in my previous post, it never hurts to read children's devotional books beforehand so you can make the most of the moment when you read them with your kiddos.

Overall, I think this is a good addition to my small collection of bible materials for the littlest readers. My son's spirituality is still in its nascent stage, and I count the One Sentence Stories to be a fun and adaptable way to plant some seeds in the soft soil of his heart.

*Thanks to Tyndale Kids for sending me a copy of these books in exchange for my honest review!*

Review of "I Can Learn the Bible" by Holly Hawkins Shivers

As a mom of three little boys, I'm always on the lookout for devotional materials for the preschool and kindergarten set. With my oldest, I've read several children's bibles, such as The Big Picture Bible, The Jesus Storybook Bible, I Can Read New Testament, and Jesus Calling Bible Storybook to name some. Holly Hawkins Shiver's I Can Learn the Bible: 52 Scriptures Every Kid Should Know, is a children's adaptation of her father's popular devotional, The Joshua Code. It is listed as being for ages 4-8, so I was keen to get my hands on it. The book is designed to be used over the course of a year, but I decided to test out a few of the devotions on my 6-year-old and 3-year-old over the course of a week. As with all devotionals and children's story Bibles, I feel that the key is to adapt the material to my children's level of comprehension and interests. In Shiver's new resource, I found plenty of material to help my boys ponder their Maker, but most of that required me to be a very active reader, tweaking some of the wordings and being open to their honest questions. Here's some of the highlights and hiccups we encountered:

Highlights
I've not read The Joshua Code, so I can't comment on how much of Shivers' exposition is her original insight or thoughts adapted from her father's book. However, I liked the way she explained Romans 8:28 by comparing God's working all things for good to cooking up a batch of homemade biscuits. While individual ingredients, such as baking powder or flour would taste awful by themselves, Shivers explains, "Like those yucky ingredients, some things in life 'taste' bad to us or make us very sad" (31). I thought this was clever, and my 6-year-old was held by the metaphor. Other deep yet kid-friendly moments included Shiver's use of "Opposite Day" to describe God's Kingdom, in which the King is a servant, the greatest shall be the least and the first last. In week 17, Shivers presents the Bible's famous shortest verse, "Jesus cried." She explains that Christ's tears were not because he was sad that Lazarus died, after all, he could easily resurrect him. Instead, Jesus was feeling empathy for his friend's bitterly grieving sisters. This opened up a moment for me to ask Stephen whether he'd ever cried when someone else was very sad. My son couldn't relate to this, but quickly came up with his own example of how he laughs when his friend laughs or feels happy when those he cares about are happy.

Hiccups
As much as I liked Shiver's treatment of the Lazarus story, I couldn't completely rely on the text to enlighten my children. The book's illustrations are in a quirky, whimsical style and employ a mix of animal and human characters. Because "Jesus Wept" is accompanied by a cat crying a puddle of tears, my 3-year-old innocently asked, "Is that Jesus?" We all got a good belly laugh out of that. Additionally, the second part of the devotion shifts to talking about Psalm 56:8, in which God keeps our tears in his bottle. At this, my oldest shouts, "His bottle?! Does God drink our tears?" In my own reading of the psalms, I've always found this wording a little bit weird and figured something must be lost in the translation. So I told Stephen that the psalm also says God writes our cares in his book, an idea that is a little easier for him to grasp and conveys the spirit of the verse without conjuring up Alice in Wonderland scenes.

I didn't read the entire book to my boys, but read through it myself--something I recommend doing for all devotionals parents plan to read to their kids! There are a few other weeks I might skip or verbally rewrite when I do get a chance to share them with my boys. For example, week 26 features God looking at our hearts rather than external appearance in 1 Samuel 16:7. I think this an entirely appropriate topic for children, however Shivers writes that, "You might think things like, I am too short, I am too skinny, or My hair is ugly" (116). This gave me pause. Many children between the ages 4-8 are still blissfully unaware of their physical appearance. My 6-year-old has always been at least a head shorter than his classmates, but only recently realized it and doesn't see it as a flaw. For some children, hearing that they might think these negative thoughts would actually be their first introduction to these thoughts. As a side note, this is why it's so important that we as parents don't practice negative self-talk in earshot of our kids. Other parents may have kids who have already expressed discontentment with their physical appearance, and this would be a perfect devotion to read with them.

My final critique is Shivers' exposition of "God's phone number," Jeremiah 33:3. The verse reads, "Pray to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you important secrets. You have never heard these things before" (54). Despite the obvious emphasis on God speaking and, presumably, the praying person listening, the entire devotion emphasizes that we can talk to God and tell him everything and get things off our chest, and thank him when we're done. She writes, "When you are talking to a friend, one of you is talking and the other is listening. That is the way communications works. Well, prayer is the talking part of our relationship with God" (55). She also implies that God's answer is simply that He picks up the "phone" and will always be ready to listen to us whenever we pray. I don't dispute any of this, of course. But Shivers implies that we do all the talking. And, if I'm honest, many of my prayers are one-sided conversations. This is why I've been intentional about encouraging my son to listen for God's still small voice. To hear God's answers to his questions, and to even, like Samuel, hear God's speaking when he hasn't asked for an answer.

So, in conclusion, I plan to continue using I Can Learn the Bible with my sons because it is a book that opens up space to talk about God's word with simple metaphors and playful images. However, this book, like all children's bibles, requires that I tune into God's moment-by-moment rhema word to be able to flesh out some of the devotions and trim others to best meet my children's needs.

*Thanks to BookLook Bloggers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

Channeling my inner indignant Martha

This blog has always been about the books I read, but I've long felt that I'd like to include musings on The Book I read the most. With New Year's resolutions fresh on my mind, one of my goals this year is using my time and energies wisely. Probably the poster child for misappropriating her efforts, Martha is often cast as the villain and Mary the protagonist in Luke 10:38-42. Given the choice, I prefer time listening to and gazing at Jesus to scrambling and hustling for Jesus, but I had to ask myself what I really choose most moments of every mundane day. I also tried to put myself into the story and ask what would the Mary and Martha story be like if everyone did the "right" thing?

Is there a way the story could have happened where neither sister missed out and nobody goes hungry?  Perhaps Martha cooks simply or announces that tonight's meal is a potluck? Where ever Jesus was, there were big crowds following. Perhaps they limit the number of house guests? But even if it was only Jesus and his twelve disciples, that's still a hefty dinner party. Perhaps, if Martha feels so bold as to confront Jesus, she could have requested he come and sit in the kitchen with she and Mary while they both prepared food and listened? Not exactly at his feet, but still intimate.

Maybe Martha could cook (again, a simple meal) and Mary could do all the dishes and clean up so Martha could recline at table afterward?

Perhaps Mary and Martha should have more open lines of communication between each other. That fact that Martha resorts to shaming her in front of Jesus and everyone else shows that they didn't discuss the big event before it was upon them. Though, maybe Jesus's arrival was a bit of a surprise.

Of course, everyone wants to be the Mary of the story. But she's not exactly blameless. Still, Jesus doesn't blame her. He diagnoses Martha as "worried and distracted by many things." Yet, it's hard not to be concerned when your guest list is out the door and there's too few cooks in the kitchen. Would it have been righteous to serve dinner late or not at all?

Or is it OK to ask Jesus to perform miracles that don't need to be performed like "Please feed this full house without me having to slave alone in the hot kitchen even though I could do it and have always done it?" Feeding the 5,000 + women and children with a fish sandwich is a worthy request, but what about "God, can you please make my life simpler so I can have the energy to obey you? So I have time to pursue my dream of writing children's books for 30 minutes a day? So I can spend time in trying out new prayer exercises each morning?

Even as I write, I'm very near to all my own worries and distractions. I don't want to lash out at others who don't exhibit the same vulnerability to these pressures as I do. But I also don't know how to manage my practical responsibilities (real or perceived) without forfeiting "the one thing," the "better part."

How do I choose that better part. Is it my turn to choose it? I want to be a Mary- shedding gender roles and other's expectations to just bask in the creative glow of communion with my Jesus. If Martha was indignant, "Lord, do you not care?" --what must the disciples thought about little Mary auditing their class with the Master? But then how will we eat? How will I obey in all the little things, some of which happen to be feeding three little mouths and two big ones?



Is the answer merely in better communication between myself as a Martha-type and whoever happens to be my Mary-counterpart? Cuz, honestly, as this little drama unfolds in my head, it's not Martha, Mary and Jesus. It's me, my better half and "free" time. No. Let's call it quality "me" time.

Yikes. Does that mean I long for "me" more than Jesus? I'm gonna give myself the benefit of the doubt here, seeing as at the moment, "me" time is actually time interacting, trying to interact with Jesus. And that refocuses me. I pray He'd teach me to choose the better part when its mine for the choosing. There must be a choice, right? There must be points at which I can choose one part or the other. But if it's a part of the whole, does that automatically mean someone's gotta take the worse part? Is it really a closed system, a limited economy? Does one get Jesus and the other suffers? One's rich and the other's poor. I don't think that's the God in whom I believe.

It circles be back to the idea of sharing responsibilities and benefits.

And Jesus, what did you mean when you said that "better part" would "not be taken away from her"? Is it simply that you refused to shame Mary as her big sister was? Or, ever the double entendre wielding prophet, where You saying that the "part" or choice and path Mary took was life-imparting, so that some element of the divine was being inwrought in a way that couldn't be taken from her, just as we can never be separated from God's love?

Now back to Martha. The story makes me think Martha is the oldest. I see Lazarus and Mary as the younger siblings because when Jesus arrives on the doorstep of his favorite place in Bethany, "Martha welcomed into her home." She might not have been the breadwinner, but she certainly seems to be the matriarch of the house. She wasn't even really concerned that she was missing out on Jesus. She was upset because she wanted to lavish this huge feast on Him and everyone watching. She was probably a gifted hostess. But she needed to really outdo herself, and that involved more than herself. I'm sure I've felt this so many times. She's so at home with her self pity. She was upset because Mary was, in her mind, supposed to be more interested in food prep than gobbling up God's word.

Jesus gave Martha a personalized "word of wisdom" when she confronted both Jesus (for lack of concern over her plight) and Mary (for lazing around with the the men). As an aside, despite all her apparent social bumbling in this story, I have to admire the level of intimacy Martha has with Jesus. You have to be close to chide the Messiah. "Martha, Martha!" He calls her by name, as if to shake her out of an obsession, "You are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing."

So. What is the "one thing"? Is it the same as Mary's "better part"? Is one thing simply to still oneself and sit and listen to what Jesus is saying? I don't have certain answers. Just more questions. What would have happened if nobody cooked? What would Jesus have said or done? Would both sisters have a part of the better part? Would Jesus have whipped up a miracle meal or have directed his disciples to procure one from a mysterious source? What are your thoughts on this story, and how do you apply Jesus's words to Martha?

Review of the Study Bible for Women

I own several Bible versions and have the YouVersion app on my phone, but I've never owned a women's study Bible. So when the opportunity came to review the Holman Study Bible for Women, published by B&H and edited by Dorothy Kelley Patterson and Rhonda Harrington Kelley, I jumped on it! As you can see in my photos above and below, the leather bound Bible itself is very pretty to look at, with gray and pale teal design elements throughout. I'm personally relieved that for once something designated for women isn't pink. But moving past the superficial, let's get into the meat. 

The immensity of a 2000-page study bible packed full of sidebars, charts, maps, footnotes and character profiles requires some selectivity on my part. I decided to offer my critique on one passage each from the Old Testament books of history, wisdom literature, the New Testament gospels and the epistles.

Exodus 1:15-21- Those Audacious, God-fearing Midwives

Perhaps because my second two sons were delivered by midwives, I really get into the brief story in Exodus 1:15-21 of Hebrew midwives Shiphrah and Puah, who defy Pharaoh's orders to kill any baby boys they help deliver. The Study Bible for Women offers lots of extra commentary for this story, which is the context for Moses' clandestine birth. The sheer number of sidebars helps readers slow down and really consider this passage. I found the "Biblical Womanhood" segment helpful in imagining Pharoah's directive in a  human context. The editor notes that Pharaoh "apparently did not prescribe the means of killing the babies, but his order would clearly require deception, betrayal, and the denial of conscience" (69), which helped me imagine what it would be like to be in Shiprah's sandals. The footnote for 1:19-21 didn't quite ring true to me, saying that the midwives' excuse to Pharaoh was plausible. Would anyone believe that all the babies were born before the midwives could get there? I do agree that they "exploited the king's concern for the difference in strength he had observed between the Hebrews and Egyptians," but to me, it seems the midwives are mocking and insulting Pharaoh rather than trying to talk their way out of punishment.  The "Hard Question" sidebar considers how God rewarded the midwives with families of their own (v. 21) in light of modern women who pine after such a reward. It encourages singles and those struggling with infertility to invest themselves in the service of others, as midwives do, and to "delight in being a daughter of the King, a member of the family of God and the household of faith" (68). I think the advice is sound, but would have liked more exploration into the modern day role women can have in being activists for social justice, but that might be a little too progressive for this Bible. Overall, I enjoyed the Study Bible for Women's treatment of this story.

Proverbs 31- Everyone's Favorite Acrostic on Godly Women

I was pleased with the way this Bible unpacked a passage that could have the effect of making even the most capable woman feel inferior. While I do sometimes overdress my children in wintertime, and prepare ingredients from afar (bananas anyone?), and even occasionally rise while it's still dark to make pancakes for my picky children, I think most of the boxes on my Proverbs 31 to do list are still unchecked. Happily, at the very beginning of a full-page sidebar, the editors dispense with the perceived pressure to be as perfect as King Lemuel's mom, saying, "The poem provides an 'A to Z' ideal, not to prompt despair that no such woman exists but to encourage the pursuit by every woman to the highest standards of excellence" (824). On the adjacent page, another "Biblical Womanhood" feature also places this poem in context, describing its traditional use in celebratory recitations to honor and thank moms and wives at the Sabbath dinner table. Finally, I was encouraged by the editor's idea that even though nobody can match all the virtues of the Proverbs 31 Woman, her "very diversity in giftedness and skills enables every woman to reach out a touch her in some way" (825).

Matthew 19- Jesus' High View of Marriage and Wives

The half-page "Hard Question" feature in Matthew 19 caught my attention, asking "Is divorce ever okay for a follower of Jesus?" The context of this question is Jesus answering the Pharasees' "trick" question whether it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds. As the note indicates, the chauvinistic culture of the time allowed men to dump their wives on a whim, while women, being seen as property, had very little reciprocal power. Jesus uplifts the view of a woman's worthiness in the marriage equation with the oft-quoted, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." I like that the editors wanted to show how revolutionary Jesus was in treating woman as people (a concept beautifully explored in Sarah Bessey's Jesus Feminist). The sidebar also states that God intends marriage to be a life-long commitment, making the preservation of even rocky marriages a top priority for godly Christians. Having been married for a brief 13 years, I fully agree that it's worth it to press through the rough spots, personality conflicts and misunderstandings with which most marriages are fraught. A mindset of commitment and mutual submission is the mind of Christ. However, the last bullet point readers are exhorted to heed deeply troubled me: "Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse in a marriage situation must be dealt with in a compassionate and firm manner within the context of church discipline." I read that sentence about four times, then discussed it with my husband, hoping I was misinterpreting what this sentence advises battered wives to do. Yes, wives and husbands in abusive situations should be ministered to by their church body, but I do not agree that the discipline of perpetrators of abuse should be dealt with solely in the context of the church. If you are in a family in which someone is abusing another member, you need to go to the police. In the editors' defense, they did not explicitly say to minimize, cover up such abuse or spiritualize the solution to such abuse. But I think some readers, especially those held in bondage to an abusive spouse, might understand this sentence to mean that they are not free to go to non-church authorities for help and that God requires they not divorce their abusive spouse. I pray not.

Philippians 4:8 - Dwell on These Things

Philippians is my favorite book of the Bible, and this has been my anthem for this particular season of my life. The Study Bible for Women does not provide specific commentary on 4:8, but I thought I would highlight the HCSB translation. The publisher calls it an accessible translation faithful to the original text. Depending on which version you've memorized scripture in as a child, you might find this version less poetic than say than the traditional King James or contemporary wording of the Message. But it is written in an easy-to-read and understand style. I liked the way Philippians 4:8 reads: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable--if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise--dwell on these things." The implication is that we should really sink into the things that reflect God. To dwell on something is to ponder it and to live it. 

In conclusion

There is plenty of commendable content to dwell on in this study bible. The full-color maps, including an especially interesting map of Jesus' ministry around the Sea of Galilee and one of The Passion Week in Jerusalem, would be excellent focal points for a personal or group study. Character Profile features sprinkled throughout give a snapshot of more than 100 women mentioned in the bible, from heroes like Esther and Priscilla to the five Marys, to lesser known or unnamed women. While the theology and doctrine on gender roles is far more conservative than my own, I found plenty of light and inspiration and would recommend it to Conservative Evangelical women hungry for scripture.

A Give-Away!!!

Since I have begun reviewing complimentary copies of books, such as this one generously provided by B&H Publishing in exchange for my honest review, I felt God leading me to bless others with these free materials. If you would like to own this very gently read bible, and if you live near enough to Hopkinsville that I can deliver it to you in person, enter my drawing to win it by commenting on this post!

ZonderKidz Early Reader's New Testament

Stephen and I just finished reading through the 29 New Testament Bible stories presented in "easy reader" vocabulary in The Early Reader's Bible New Testament by V. Gilbert Beers. I suspect this version is out of print, as I got mine second hand on Amazon. However, the full bible version is available new.

Before I launch into how this Bible went over with Steve, I should clarify that this kids' Bible is written with a very limited vocabulary-- drawn from school standard lists for beginning readers. The stories, which are about three short pages long, introduce no more than five new words each. Comprehension and discussion questions follow each story.

I liked this Bible for several reasons: 

• The paperback is lightweight and small enough to bring on trips without adding a ton of weight to Stephen's backpack. 
• The stories are simply written, so I didn't really have to paraphrase (though at times, I had to enrich with extra details to make them more interesting). 
• The comprehension questions showed me how much Stephen was (or wasn't) absorbing.
• Some of the stories included were less commonly included in children's bibles: The parable of the rich fool, Satan tempting Jesus for 40 days in the wilderness, Philip and the Eithiopian Eunich, Paul's writing to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus. Also, it included Mary's conversation with the resurrected but not yet ascended Christ.
• Stephen seemed to like reading this at first too. We could often read a few stories per night. When he was very sleepy, one story was quick enough to squeeze in.

A few things I didn't like:

• Because of the goal to adhere to public school standard reading lists, some of the stories seemed a little flat to me. Now, if Stephen was actually able to read, I think the stories would be great. As I mentioned earlier
• The discussion questions seemed to lead the same answers every time: Show God you love Him by telling others about Him, singing songs to praise Him, being good etc. This is an excellent message to drive home, but I think Stephen's eyes glazed over pretty quickly when it came to life application. He always wanted to discuss the story itself in more depth.
• Terri Steiger's artwork, while plentiful, was not really my style. The figures all look kind of lumpy and overtly angelic or lumpy and overtly naughty. On the plus side, the rather nondescript illustrations did not distract Stephen from the story...something that tends to happen with a lot of other books we read. There is also a significant lack of multicultural faces in the life application pictures.

My final take:

This is a good story bible to get for cheap (I got mine for a penny plus 3.99 shipping off Goodwill) if you've got a beginning reader or a listener with a short attention span. It contains a good selection of New Testament stories, which is great if you're like me and often start reading children's bibles at Adam and Eve and then rarely make it to the New Testament.

A lightweight New Testament sparks heavy questions

Stephen and his peers received this easy reader paperback version of the Gospels and Acts after "graduating" from one class to the next at our church, Restoration House Family Worship Center. We've read 2-4 stories from the book every night for the last couple of weeks.

Oddly, I couldn't find the exact title on Amazon, though another Read and Share Early Reader Bible Stories by Gwen Ellis appears to be a slightly longer version of the one we have. Published by Tommy Nelson, our version contains 45 illustrated two-page stories centering on Jesus, John the Baptist, the disciples and Paul. While many popular children's Bibles, including the Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm and The Jesus Story Book Bible by Sally Lloyd-James, point to Jesus through the entire scriptures, I liked having a slim volume devoted to a plain telling of the life of Jesus. (I do highly recommend the Big Picture Story Bible. Both boys have enjoyed it. I also have some close friends who love the Jesus Storybook Bible.)

My 5-year-old, Stephen, is extremely inquisitive. This, unfortunately, means that he likes to ask questions about every other sentence whenever we read. For this reason, I really liked the brevity and simplicity of the Read and Share. Ellis doesn't embellish or insert opinions or interpretation into the stories, which I found could at times make the Jesus Storybook Bible a little cumbersome to read aloud.  This leaves room for me to add in my own asides and for Stephen to ask questions without losing continuity. A few longer stories- such as Jesus' parable of the prodigal son- were broken up into multiple parts. Each story ends with a brief explanation or question. Stephen always understood and answered the questions immediately, which is a big deal in my mind because he doesn't always exhibit such focus.

The illustrations, as you can see from my photos, are cartoon-like, but nicely expressive. I'm amused by the Sesame Street noses. The selection of stories, which cover Jesus' birth, John the Baptist's ministry, Jesus' life, death and resurrection and a little of the nascent church, is pretty good too. If I were running the show, I would have cut the story about the fish with the coin in its mouth and included Mary's magnificat -- something that is absent from every children's bible we own-- I dunno, do authors think it too Catholicky to include? I might also include the Mary who poured out the costly ointment rather than Jesus riding into town on the borrowed donkey. Those are just my personal preferences though.

While we're thinking wishfully, would someone write a similar volume to continue on with the rest of Acts and the Epistles? I want to teach my children about Priscilla and Aquila, about those naughty Corinthians and how Peter grew from the overconfident disciple to a mature church father.

But, bottom line? I like this little book, and Stephen has as well. As someone who chronically starts without finishing, I found this a great tool to see something through to the end. It has provoked Stephen to wonder why Jesus didn't want to Peter to retaliate and why God didn't give the angry mob a big spanking. These questions have opened the door to his heart to listen as I introduce him to the sacrificial love of his Savior, and any book that does that is worth a hearty recommendation.

Emily wins a door prize

Over the weekend, I attended a women's event at my church, Restoration House Family Worship Center, and won a giveaway that I was fairly excited to get: The New Testament wrapped up in a sanctified Cosmo style magazine called  "Becoming."  I've never been one to read fashion magazines, and I grew up being loyal to just one version of the bible. But even Paul said he tried to be all things to all men so that he might save some. I see the NCV Becoming: The Complete New Testament (Biblezines) as doing that for the 20-30 something woman who might be open to the gospel but isn't interested in scholarly commentary and has a short attention span.

The version of this Bible I received is first edition, published in 2004. This means the content and style of the magazine is somewhat dated. Considering that most of the items in my closet are about a decade behind the times, this didn't bother me too much! Thomas Nelson has since published a few newer editions and a Wisdom Books Biblezine too.

What I liked
I'm kind of a sucker for those personality type quizzes, and this magazine is replete with them. What kind of gemstone are you? (A pearl) Do you have a tender heart? (Apparently not so much) How well do you relate to men? (According to the quiz, very well, which is good since I live with four of them) As with most magazine quizzes, they were kind of cheesy and not terribly illuminating, but entertaining nonetheless.

Becoming also divides the New Testament up into monthly portions, with a calendar and a monthly "Book Review" that is more of a promotional blurb for a Christian book than a true review. The calendar is sprinkled through with suggested enrichment activities such as doing something nice for your hairstylist or scheduling a mammogram or praying for a "person of influence" like Jamie Lee Curtis on her birthday. I like the idea of it... but if I were in charge, I might have filled that calendar up with different suggestions: Go for a walk in the woods and marvel at God's creation. Pray for a missionary family you know. Schedule your yearly OB-GYN appointment? After all, the target audience might be a little young for mammograms.

The New Century Version is geared toward easy reading in modern language. It divides longer sentences into multiple shorter ones in an effort to keep things simple, perhaps for lower reading levels. Each book begins with a page introducing the context of the book and a basic summary of key themes. I thought this was done well and gave the New Testament a sense of continuity that would really benefit many people who might struggle to read the entire Bible from cover to cover.

The fluff
As a magazine, Becoming makes ample use of side bars, info boxes and mini features--many of which tie into the theme of the corresponding scriptures. The beauty tips, in my mind, were the least useful. I really don't want to be thinking about how to make my lips look plumper or my eye lashes fuller when I'm getting into the Word, even if said tips conclude with an exhortation to be careful about what those luscious lips say or alluring eyes see. Those who do care about such things would find the beauty advice overly simplistic, or perhaps distracting from the spiritual principles this magazine aims to deliver.

There are also a bunch of "All About Men" features. I found some of them off-putting. Info boxes about the evils of porn are juxtaposed with my favorite verses in Philippians chapter three, ensuring that I wouldn't be lingering on that page. It's not that those issues aren't relevant for a lot of women, it's just that it didn't really aid me in meditating on scriptures.

My take-away
I really like what the folks at Thomas Nelson were trying to do with this and other Biblezines. I could easily see these in doctor's office waiting rooms or as a good gift to give an un-churched friend who's about to go on a road trip. It's a great tool for the gospel and to allow new believers to explore a wide variety of topics while also learning to cultivate a love for the Bible. For a Christian who is on to a more meat than milk diet, Becoming might not be the best reading material to wile away the hours. I'll probably do the rest of the quizzes and then give my copy away to someone who might be blessed by the innovative format.