I have been waiting for weeks for this book to arrive and I was so excited when it finally came! Woo hoo! Yes, I'm excited about a BIBLE! That's because this isn't just another Bible. This is a Bible written with a busy mom in mind. Someone exactly like me, and probably you too! As moms we are so busy leading and nurturing our little ones that we often don't take the time to sit and study God's Word, if we remember how to study at all!
Over on their web page they describe this Bible.
"Today’s Christian Woman is so busy handling the challenges of day-to-day life that spending time in the Word can easily become yet another ‘should’ buried in that growing list of daily ‘musts.’ Created in partnership with Kyria.com,Christianity Today’s women’s magazine, the Everyday Matters Bible for Women is designed to help women develop spiritual practices that will make their lives richer, not harder. It offers practical encouragement and tools to renew, reinvigorate and restore meaning to everyday life.
This Bible features twenty-four disciplines—or practices—that position us to receive power and strength to do those things that we cannot possibly do on our own and make everyday life fuller and deeper. Each discipline is represented by a colorful icon whose illustration is a reminder of its meaning.
The contemporary language of the New Living Translation combines with content from today’s foremost Christian leaders to help readers understand and apply spiritual discipline."
Every discipline is explored in four ways
• Everyday Matters. Two-page articles introduce major themes and focus on an essential part of understanding and practicing a discipline.
• Everyday Profiles. Profiles of twenty-five Biblical women highlight a particular discipline.
• Everyday Q & A’s. Short articles delve into a difficult aspect of the spiritual practice and offer practical help on incorporating the discipline into your daily life.
• Everyday Reflections. Selections illustrate ways to personalize and apply God’s Word to your own situation.
More than 300 articles and features by more than 140 of today’s most well-known Christian leaders and writers, including: Kay Warren, Priscilla Shirer, Elisa Morgan, Nancy & John Ortberg, Richard Foster, Liz Curtis Higgs, and Lauren Winner.
Special Features include . . .
• 4-color throughout
• Color-coded icons identify each Spiritual Discipline addressed in contributors’ material
• How to Use This Bible in a Small Group Study
• Index of Spiritual Practices
• Resources for further reading
My Thoughts:
I LOVE this Bible! Not only is it attractive on the outside with a lovely title, "everyday matters BIBLE for women" it helps me to remember that EVERY DAY really matters to God. Before I received this, I wasn't sure if this was more of a devotional book with Bible notes so I was pleasantly surprised to find this is an actual Bible with wonderful treasures to discover! It can be read through just as you would read a regular Bible and read the wonderful notes throughout. It can also be used in a Bible study and there is a whole section on just exactly how to lead a group using this Bible. You can also study this Bible by following along with the 24 spiritual practices. I have decided to study alphabetically through these spiritual practices. I will share a bit about how the study goes below.
The first spiritual practice is Acceptance. As I look under Everyday Matters category of this spiritual practice it tells me I should check out Galations 3:28. As I turn to Galations 3:28 sandwiched between Gal. 3:27 and Gal. 3:28 is a two page devotional titled "Say yes To God". This is a wonderful piece about what our worth is to God, especially as a woman. It gives the history of women and how they were treated in Biblical days and encourages us that Jesus came to break through the social norms and bring VALUE to women not just for their role as a mother but in all aspects of life. It explains that prior to Jesus, women had very little value but as the New Testament church followed Christ's teachings, Paul encouraged the churches to desegregate and allow women into the church rather than force them to sit in the second floor of the synagogue. "You all have gifts and talents and a purpose to fulfill in God's kingdom". What wonderful words of encouragement! This devotion closes with a challenge, "Now is the time to continue the revolution that was started two thousand years ago. Now is the time to say yes to God-regardless of where we are, what church we attend, or what talents we have. And watch how he changes the world through and because of the unique, wonderful gifts he gave us, women."-Ginger Kolbaba
What a challenge! There are two of these types of devotions for each of the 24 spiritual practices to study. This is followed by a wonderful profile of an actual Biblical character that struggled with the spiritual practice. For "Acceptance", I flip back to the beginning of the Bible and find Genesis 2:18-3:20 and I read all about the life of Eve and who she was in self confidence before she sinned. Oh, to walk as Eve first walked with God, full of grace and beauty, perfectly at home in her own skin, without feelings of shame, guilt, or rejection! My eyes are drawn to the scripture surrounding the study for "Acceptance" and I am drawn in to reading the surrounding Biblical account of Eve as she is first tempted by the serpent. I know the end result and so as I read I watch her life unfold before my eyes, and I want to cry, "No, don't do it!" Her life has affected mine. Her actions affected all the world. I am drawn into the scriptures, MY life affects those around me! What actions/inactions of mine are helping/hurting those surrounding my own life! The thoughts that emerge are daunting. To be a homeschooling mother to six children, I will never fully know how many lives I am impacting beyond these six children. My future grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and beyond will become who they are as a result of the seeds that I sow into the lives of my own children.
There is so much here to study and reflect upon!
Following this section, there is a question and answer section where I flip back to the book of John 21:15-23. "How can I discover what God wants me to do with my life?" is the opening question. Nancy Ortberg offers wonderful advice to answer this question using John 21:21. I love how this Q and A is positioned right within the text between John 21:20-21. Next is Everyday Reflections followed by additional scripture of note. I plan to take my time really soaking up the truths found in the pages of the Bible. I'm so excited that I have this Everyday Matters Bible for Women to hold my hand and walk me through issues that relate to women specifically!
If you are a woman and longing to know the heart beat of God's plan for your life and long for a deeper spiritual life you will LOVE this book! I think this will make an amazing gift for any special friend in your life as well!
You can learn more about this Bible by joining their Facebook group here: http://www.facebook.com/EverydayMattersBible or their publisher's website here: http://www.hendrickson.com/
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations. I am part of The CWA Review Crew.
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