"The Word Of Promise" NKJV New Testament Audiobook by Thomas Nelson

It's nice to change it up once in a while. The Word Of Promise New Testament AudioBook is a 20 disk audio cd set packaged in a portable, attractive case. I was stunned to find 20 disks tucked away neatly in this small case. The organization of it all is quite amazing. Using the full NKJV New Testament text, this set can literally be thrown into a purse or bag and be taken with you where ever you go. It is not cumbersome like some of the other New Testament sets out there. It is a dramatized version with music and background sounds. The cast list includes:

 Jim Caviezel (The Passion of The     Christ, Déjà vu) - Jesus

Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss (Mr. Holland's Opus, The Goodbye Girl) - Quotes from Moses

Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, What Women Want) - Mary Magdalene

Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach (Prison Break, Hemingway) - Paul

Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Louis Gossett, Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman, Roots) - John

Kimberly Williams-Paisley (According to Jim, Father of the Bride) - Mary, Mother of Jesus

And many others

  Being a Catechist, I was so excited to receive this audiobook. The value this product beings to the enhancement of my lessons is immeasurable. I love being able to have my students read along in their Bible when we are doing a lesson in the New Testament. I also like having the Scriptures  playing when the kids come into the room in the morning. It  puts everyone in the right mindset for the daily lesson. 

 

 The Word Of Promise New Testment Audiobook also helps me at home immensely with my own children. I use it everyday in different capacities. Whether we are in the car  running some errands or taking a mini road thrip to grandma's house, the Audiobook is always with us. I really do put it right in my purse and carry it with me on errands and to and from school. At breakfast and lunch times we listen to a special story about Jesus from the Gospels. If I forget to put on a story for that day (which is rare) the kids promptly remind me. My children love the background sounds and music. My 6 year old told me that he feels like he is really there with Jesus in the story! Isn't that the end goal? 

  I would recommend this audiobook set to any parent or teacher. Really, it would be an invaluable tool to any believer or student wanting to get more out of the Bible. You don't realize how much information and memorization you glean from listening daily to the Bible. Coupled with actually reading along in the text one could become a Bible Scholar in no time at all. The Word Of Promise New Testament Audiobook gets a firm 5/5 from me. 

**Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Whatever Is Lovely-A Coloring Book For Reflection And Worship

Color your way to peace and worship.

We live in such a busy, hectic world—but what waits for you inside this cover is a way to quiet the noise, express creativity, and spend some sweet time with God. Each page features an original design from one of a dozen different artists, beautifully illustrating a contemplative quote from an inspirational writer, a beloved hymn, or Scripture. 

 

When we create, we echo the heart of our Creative God who designed everything and gave us the capacity to recognize beauty. 

The allure of the Adult coloring book is in full effect. This beautiful and thoughtfully made coloring book has that "little extra" that others do not... FAITH! Inspired by Holy Scripture and  religious poetry, this mind-freeing devotional makes your "quiet time" with the Lord to a whole new level. The cover is done in a vibrant metallic finish and the actual coloring pages are heavy and durable. You could even use markers on the pages without worrying about bleed through. Each illustration surrounds a faithful quote or scriptural citation.

One could easily frame a completed pie

ce and give it as a gift or hang it in their own home as a beautiful work of art. What is better still- most if not all the pages have the entire poem or Bible Verse from where the art was inspired from listed on the back of the page. The artist and or the author of the written work is listed as well. If you are inclined you may look up other works by that author or illustrator. 

 The book has a lovely introduction explaining its premise and tells the reader how Whatever Is Lovely came to be. For those of you lucky enough to obtain the book- it comes with a special link to a playlist that the colorer can use to enhance their faith art experience. 

 I would recommend this coloring book for reflection and worship to anyone looking to enhance their walk with God. 

The NIrV Beginner's Bible Devotional Pack

   The NIrV Beginner's Bible Devotional Pack by Zondervan hits the one-two punch of children's faith studies. The pack is truly an all in one for teaching your child about the Bible and daily Bible devotion.Both books are durable and hardcover in a personal edition size format. This makes the duo easy to throw in the diaper bag or purse to bring along with you to church or even an over night trip to grandma's house. 

   The Bible itself has the complete NIrV text and makes for an easy read for the targeted audience of 6-10 year olds. The text is accompanied by beautiful, vibrant pictures peppered throughout the book. This makes for an easy transition for children moving up from a "picture Bible" to a more grown up Bible like mom and dad have. I love to be able to sit side by side with my six year old while studying or reading the Scriptures. 

   And to sweeten the pot-this pack also comes with an equally vibrant and beautiful devotional. Also by Zondervan- this devotional is based on the 365 day calendar year. The dates aren't weekday specific so it can be used for many years or even passed down to a younger sibling. Each devotional page consists of:

    

      The Scripture passage 

      The devotional text

      A small concise summary of the   

       devotional text       

      A picture and a prayer. 

   

  The pictures are kid friendly and the colors are so very rich and eye catching which is important to children who tend to be more visual learners in the beginning. Another wonderful feature is the ABC's of Salvation. This is really great. I have heard of the ABC's of Salvation, however- Zondervan has taken it a step further with providing their little readers with acronyms for the whole alphabet(with the exception of letters X and Z).

   I had to have this pack when I saw it. I was looking for a Bible for my six year old who has recently expressed an interest in mommy's grown up Bible. The NIrV has the look and feel of a grown up Bible, but has the readability and features of children's Bible. It's the best of both worlds. The NIrV text uses language suited to 6-10 year old readers. It uses words that they can better understand. The text is also printed in a larger kid-friendly font. When accompanied with the devotional it makes for an all inclusive faith learning experience. 

  I almost can't wait to give this generous pack to my son for Christmas. I love the time we spend together learning about God and His Word. It is the most precious, treasured time of my day. When all is said and done I would give this pack a 10/5! Yes! That's how incredibly fantastic it is!! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend The NIrV Beginner's Bible Devotional Pack to anyone with a little one. Even if you have itty-bitties at home who are using a picture Bible at this time-Buy this Devotional Pack NOW. The price is right and you will get your monies worth 1000x over. 

**Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Life-Changing Magic, A Journal "Spark Joy Everyday" by Marie Kondo

Marie Kondo does it again. After the success of her #1 New York Times Bestselling Book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Kondo is trying her hand at an accompanying follow up with The Life-Changing Magic A Journal. The premise of the Journal is to "Spark Joy" Every Day. This elegant 3 year record guides journalers in applying Kondo's electrifying principles in identifying and appreciating the things that spark joy to ones daily life. The journal encouragers writers to expand the scope of her patentented "spark joy" principles to one's activities, relationships and experiences. Journaling prompts include:

     "Does it spark joy?"

      "Identify what is truly precious."

                      AND

      "Pursue ultimate simplicity."

   The point of this 3 year journal is to to foster a daily practice of gratitude, happiness and focus on the things that create a joyful life. 

   When I saw this the description of this journal I was thrilled. I have been waiting for a journal like this. And to offer a 3 year layout was the icing on the cake. The journal is hardcover and durable. The colors are muted but exquisite. The quality of the paper is great an enables you to use nice pens without worrying about bleed through. A title page begins the journaling sections as a well as a small introduction. Peppered throughout the text are full page inspirational words, which I am guessing have been written by Kondo herself. 

 

  I am honestly a little disappointed in this journal. Although it does serve the purpose of 3 three year record, there are only 6 lines for each entry for each day. 

How it works: let's say it is March 2nd. Below the date there are 3 sections each of which begins with a 20__ an then follows the journaling lines. There are no prompts- besides a few words on the top right corner of the page saying the things mentioned above. Even so, these prompts are few and far between.The prompts are in very small print and I almost missed them looking through the book. I expected a plethora of prompts in this journal. 

   Now let it be said, I have not read Marie Kondo's first book and it is quite possible that this may make sense to her devoted followers. And boy does she ever have many many devoted followers. If you are interested in learning more about Marie Kondo, please refer to the end of this post for a link to her Bio.

   On a positive note, the journal leaves you some leeway in the creativity department. I'm positive the reader could find many uses for this specific journal. Also, the journal is compact which means you can easily toss it in your briefcase, purse or backpack. 

  Kondo delivers a solid piece of work here and it could have many different uses. That makes it entirely versatile. The layout, cover and idea  is A+. The only lacking is the confusing premise of the journal itself. I'm not exactly sure what it's premise is, aside from what the author explains in the introduction. 

   All in all Id  give this journal 3/5 stars. It is a nice journal but there really is no theme. Normally I wouldn't be looking for one, but the author did promise journaling prompts. This would be an excellent gift for any person who loves to journal.

Marie Kondo Bio

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/222813/marie-kondo/

* I received this book from the publisher in return for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own. I only review products I use myself. 

The NKJV Prophecy Study Bible "Understanding God's Message In The Last Days" with John Hagee

   Did you know that approximately one- fourth of the Bible was prophetic at the time it was written? That amount is equal to the entire New Testament. The NKJV Prophecy Study Bible is here-and it has been designed to help you...

   Understand God's Prophetic 

     Program

   Understand God's prophets

   Experience power for living 

   AND

   Become equipped to share 

     with others

 John Hagee, whom is the general editor of this NKJV is world renowned in Biblical Prophecy. When I saw his name attached to the  "NKJV Prophecy Study Bible" I knew it was the real deal. This study Bible offers readers hundreds of pages of special features that include:

      Introduction to Bible Prophecy

      Index to Prophetical Passages

      Top 20 Questions About Bible 

         Prophecy

      Diamonds For Daily Living (a       

         devotional)

      God's Great Promises

      God's Great Salvation

      Evidences

      Spokesmen for God

      Bible Insights

      Bible Prophecy Charts

      Full concordance

   Christians will greatly benefit from these many helps to "see how God's perfect plan comes together for the benefit of believers throughout the world and down the ages." The NKJV PSB has a very attractive cover. The binding is sturdy and glued. My only gripe is regarding the actual paper the text is printed on. The pages are very thin (even for bible standards) and there is a fair amount of ghosting. If you are like me, then this could prove to be quite distracting. However, the amount of information provided with the richness of the content will probably outweigh any negative initial judgements.

   What I enjoyed most about the NKJV Prophecy Study Bible was the clarity and conciseness of the content. Hagee does a wonderful job with the layout. Not only are the helps numerous, they are "layman friendly". Anyone could pick up this Bible with absolutely no information about Biblical prophecy and come away with a tremendous amount of understanding and enrichment. You don't have to be a Bible scholar to understand what Hagee is proposing the the reader. What's even better? All of Hagee's features are fully indexed! What a breath of fresh air! Many study Bibles on the market today are full of features but lack an index. If publishers knew how frustrating this was to the reader they would never forget the index again. I was especially fond of the "Events of the Endtimes" feature. Being a novice in the Biblical prophecy and Endtimes department I was drawn to this section. As I began to read I felt myself wanting more and more. I was able to glean so much useful information from only 4 pages. Topics included: the last days, the rapture, the tribulation, the second coming and encouragement for living. Endtimes study can be very solemn and discouraging- maybe even invoking fear and anxiety. Encouragement for living gives the reader hope. Hagee uses just the right amount of Scriptural citation to back up his claims. Any believer can appreciate this courtesy even if they don't necessarily agree with the content. It is hard to completely refute information given backed up by scripture itself.

    I just cannot get past the thin pages. The well runs deep with information however I could not use the NKJV Prophecy Study Bible as an everyday Bible to read out of. The ghosting is too distracting. With that said I would give this Bible a 4/5. I would recommend this Bible to anyone looking to learn about Biblical Prophecy. The NKJV PSB will not leave you wondering or craving for more. It is complete and reader friendly. My copy will find it's home on the top shelf and be referenced often. 

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

   

The NIV Understand The Faith Study Bible from Christianity Today

If I had to use one word to summarize this Bible it would be SHARP!! Published by Zondervan, this beautiful, durable Bible comes with a deep blood red cover (the pictures really don't do it justice), crisp white pages adorned with red accents all through out. The red is extremely eye catching. It also reminds me of the Holy Spirit, who is after all, the one we turn to while studying scripture. 

  The layout is typical of any NIV Bible as far as the Sacred Text is concerned. What is special about this Bible is that it is marketed towards "Grounding Your Beliefs In The Truth Of Scripture". The features include:

     104 Everyday Faith devotions

      25 thought-provoking Culture 

        Connections

      40 Living Parables 

        Commentaries 

      75 Doctrine 101 articles

      12 Up for Debate tables 

       8 Charts and graphs

   In addition to these generous features that are peppered throughout the text, The Understand The Faith Study Bible provides an ample commentary of 156 pages, a subject index and unique to this Bible- Glossary of Theological Terms. 

   I couldn't open the box fast enough. My first impression of the NIV UTFSB was that it was larger than I expected. That's a good thing! The font size was larger than expected as well. Because it is so large, I wouldn't suggest it to anyone looking for a Bible to bring to church or carry with them. It is very easy on the eyes. The pages are a crispy white and although there is minimal ghosting, it really didn't distract me from the text. Blood red accents draw the eye to chapter headings and special features. I really enjoy the way this bible is layed out. One of the best features of the NIV UTFSB is the 75 Doctrine 101 articles. I believe that this Bible is absolutely perfect for those who are interested in theology or want to learn more about the different sub sects of Christianity. The Doctrine 101 features allows the reader to explore Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant views on selected passages and their meaning. It affords the reader an unbiased portrait of the elements that make a Catholic a Catholic or a Protestant a Protestant. This is extremely helpful in today's world where we may encounter those who share the same belief in Christianity, but have different views on the same theological concepts. In short, Zondervan, with the help of Christianity Today has produced a work of HARMONY. 

   The only negative thing I have to say about The Understanding The Faith Study Bible is that I wouldn't actually call it a study bible. When I think study bible I think commentary and cross references. This Bible has almost none. That isn't a bad thing, however if someone is looking for that quintessential study bible they may be disappointed. Also, if I had my say there would be a feature index. Sometimes while studying, I like to look up a feature or devotion and go from there. The features are hard to find if you are searching for a specific topic. One positive thing is that most features are linked with other similar features that include the page number.

   I would give this Bible 5/5 stars due to the attractive layout and cover, as well as the wealth of information inside. It is a niche Bible in my opinion but paired with the right believer- there is no limit on the information you could glean from it. The layout is easy to navigate and the price point is just right.

   I would happily suggest The Understand The Faith Study Bible to a new believer or anyone looking to get to the bottom of why they believe what they believe. 

***Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning

In itself, this book is a journey to spiritual freedom and Manning is our tour guide. Along this journey we are afforded a different, truer image of God; an image of love, acceptance and most importantly Grace. Manning states several times throughout the book- "This is book I wrote for myself and anyone who has grown weary along the way." This is a place we all have been before. I am fortunate that Manning has shared his deepest sorrow and intimate personal relationship with God with his readers. Because of this, readers are given the chance to have the weight lifted and to know they aren't alone. 

   What I most appreciated about this book was the authors appreciation for the human condition. Manning uses real life and Scripture to paint a portrait of God's love for the ragamuffin, God's love for us. Chapters that include: Tilted Halos, Cormorants and Kittiwakes, The Victorious Limp and A Touch of Folly offer us a full circle definition of love and grace. Each of the eleven chapters is comprised of well placed and relevant scripture references, real life stories that help us apply Manning's message to our own situations, and a touch of humor to lighten the load. After reading the introduction to the book I realized that this copy was actually a 25th anniversary reprint of the original. The accolades written in the Introduction, Testimony and Acknowledgements genuinely got me excited to begin reading. I chose to read this book at a time when I was going through a troubles and seemingly my faith was being tested. I couldn't have chose a better book for my affliction if I tried. This book has everything needed for a spiritually sick and suffering person. It is an incredibly easy read. The chapters seem to have this progressive flow in regards to the amount of spiritual bankruptcy to the amount of love and grace God FREELY gifts to us. That's right, one of the main points Manning continually drives home is that we cannot earn, buy, bargain for, or win God's love or grace. It is a FREE gift given to us by God just because He loves us. That's it. We need nothing more. There is nothing we could ever do to make God love us any less. These God-given gifts (love, acceptance and grace) offer us true freedom. Another thing I loved about this classic is the author's beautifully human portrayal of Jesus Christ. By illuminating Jesus' human qualities we can clearly see how indiscriminate the Father's love is. Manning uses Scripture liberally to show us examples of Jesus' compassion for the likes of us, the sinners, the ragamuffins. Parts of the book rang so true to life that I found myself tearing up on occasion. Isn't that what we want? I know I appreciate a book that appeals to my insecurity. It makes me feel as if I'm not alone. We aren't ever alone. One brief trip through the Bible shows us this. Even 2000 years ago we see examples of Jesus associating with sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes. Here is an interesting fact-this kind of activity was illegal in Jesus' time. Jesus risked more than just His public image to show ragamuffins the love of God. I didn't know this interesting fact until I read this book. It is full of interesting little tidbits like this.

   All in all I would whole heartedly give this book a 5/5. I feel it is an indispensable tool to those  who are feeling especially tapped in the spiritual department. It is for anyone that has ever doubted that God loves them. Mainly this book is for the sinner. You will not feel lonely, ashamed, or worthless after reading this book. That is my guarentee. Whatever your ailment, this book is your cure. Come along on the journey to spiritual freedom. It's the trip of a lifetime. You won't be sorry. 

   FTC Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the Blogging For Books program in return for my honest review.