NIV Essentials Study Bible

• Hardcover: 1728 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (November 26, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310442419
• ISBN-13: 978-0310442417

My thoughts on this Bible:

The NIV Essentials Study Bible really is an essential tool for anyone wanting to not only dig deeper into God's word but because this Bible is written in the NIV translation you're actually going to understand what you are reading.

The cover of this one says that it grasps the fundamentals of scripture through the lenses of 6 bestselling NIV resources such as the NIV Study Bible, Quest Study Bible, Archaeological Study Bible, Student Bible, Great Rescue Bible and the Essential Bible Companion, so really it's like getting six Bibles rolled into one. The first thing that I noticed is this isn't a heavy Bible which makes it great for me to take along to church, the next thing that really jumped out at me was the size of the font, it's actually very easy on the eye. There are so many useful features included that I am only going to touch on the ones that really were the most helpful for me. Each book of the Bible has an introduction which is so much more detailed than most that I have seen, it provides key concepts, verses, teachings and terms for each book, as well as maps photos and a timeline which really makes it easy to grasp the time period in which the events in that particular book took place. Other useful features were People in Focus that shines a spotlight on particular characters of the Bible, highlights peppered thru the scripture are really short notes that explain some of the tougher to understand scripture. Of course there are plenty of study notes alone the bottom of each page as well.  Also included are several reading plans, a subject index,a concordance,several color maps and a place to jot down notes as well. I really find this Bible an essential tool in my daily study, and feel like it is one of the most useful study Bibles that I own. Anyone looking for an in depth study Bible that will expand your knowledge and perhaps strengthen your faith can't go wrong with this one. Perfect for every new Christian and would make a wonderful gift for the new convert!

Publisher's Synopsis:

The NIV Essentials Study Bible helps you quickly and easily understand, interpret, and apply God's Word to your life. The variety of features in this Bible presents a multifaceted, exciting format for studying Scripture. There are many different ways to explore God's Word: question-and-answer studies; detailed in-text study notes; timelines, photos and charts; helpful devotional insights; and profiles of Bible characters. Now you don't have to choose, because the NIV Essentials Study Bible provides you the chance to explore the Bible using all these study methods and more. With each of these lenses included in one Bible, you will discover how to best understand the essentials of Scripture.This edition includes the entire NIV Bible text with the world's best notes for learning. It incorporates the finest content, images, and study tools from the most popular Bibles that are loved and used by Bible readers just like you. It features:* Flyover Lens: Start each book of the Bible with the right perspective from easy-to-read introductions from the popular Essential Bible Companion.* Unpack Lens: Easily understand and interpret Bible passages with bottom-of-the page study notes and in-text charts from the best-in-class NIV Study Bible.* Dig Deep, Look Close Lens: Understand the fascinating historical significance of the Bible with articles and photos from the bestselling NIV Archaeological Study Bible.* Qand amp;A Lens: Get concise, easy-to-grasp answers to your most perplexing questions about the Bible with questions and answers from the beloved NIV Quest Study Bible.* People Lens: View Scripture from the perspective of the 100 most important people in the Bible with notes for the student of any age excerpted from the timeless NIV Student Bible.* Guided Tour Lens: Get a bird's eyes view of Scripture with a Guided Tour, also excerpted from the category-leading NIV Student Bible.* Insight Lens: Find meaning in the Bible by reading these magazine-style call-outs from the NIV Student Bible.* Rand amp;R Lens: Reflect and amp; Respond with this quick inspirational focus time, which unveils the sweeping narrative of the Bible as seen in the award-winning The Great Rescue, NIV.

A complimentary copy of this Bible was provided for review.

The Ragamuffin Bible

Format: Hardcover, Jacketed Printed

Language: English

ISBN 13: 9780310405238

UPC: 025986405236

Weight: 2.24 lb

Size: 8.81 × 5.63 × 0 in

Length: 1472 Pages

Synopsis:

Do you believe that God not only loves you, but that he also likes you?
It's just one of the soul-searching questions posed by bestselling author Brennan Manning who confesses he has been 'John the beloved, Peter the coward, and Thomas the doubter all before the waitress brought the check.'
The NIV Ragamuffin Bible offers a collection of Manning’s raw, painfully honest, yet grace-filled devotions, meditations, and reflections of his journey limping back to---like the prodigal son---his overjoyed father. When you journey through this Bible, you will likewise find yourself returning to your Heavenly Father, basking in the knowledge that God not only loves you, he delights in you.
Features:* Complete text of the world’s most popular modern-English Bible, the NIV* 104 Devotions guide you into a deeper connection to God and his Word * 250 Reflections help you understand what it means to be a child of God* 150 Quotes offer short but thoughtful insights into God’s kingdom.



My thoughts on The Ragamuffin Bible:
The Ragamuffin Bible is for anyone and everyone who has ever struggled with their christian identity, wondering whether God even loves them. I found this a delightful Bible to use that was easy on the eye because of the nice size of the print. It is a dual column that does have a few footnotes. Brennan Manning's insights are peppered thru the scripture with 104 devotions that guide to a deeper connection to God and his word, 250 reflections help explain what it means to be a child of God, along with 150 quotes for thoughtful insight. Each insight is placed strategically with the scripture that it pertains to, allowing for reflection as well as the author's thoughts on particular topics. I found myself just flipping thru this Bible in order to read Mr. Manning's writings because they are so uplifting and encouraging. I also need to comment on the cover of this Bible, I like that fact that the hardbound cover is actually identical to the jacket,which is bright and colorful, something that isn't always the case with a Bible. The Ragamuffin Bible would be wonderful to use as a devotional Bible, and would also make a great gift for anyone who might need a spiritual boost. My only complaint where this one is concerned is that I would have loved more of Mr. Manning's writings. 
4/5
A complimentary copy of this Bible was provided for review.

New Believer's Bible ~ New Testament NLT Tyndale

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; 2 edition (July 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414302576
• ISBN-13: 978-1414302577

From the Back Cover

Welcome to the family! 
A great adventure awaits you as you begin your walk with Christ. But you may be asking, “Where do I go from here?”
The New Living Translation, “the truth made clear,” makes this Bible perfect for both reading and in-depth study. 
Pastor, author, and evangelist Greg Laurie has written devotional study tracks to help you get into God’s Word and start growing:

• Cornerstones—Learn the basics of Christian belief: the Trinity, angels, Satan, heaven, hell, forgiveness, peace, joy, love, and other essential teachings of the Bible.
• First Steps—Discover God’s plan for you as well as how to know you are saved, find the right church, study the Bible, resist temptation, talk with God, and much more.
• Off and Running—Find out how you can enjoy God’s blessings and direction in all areas of your life: career, marriage, family, finances, and relationships.

My thoughts on this Bible:

I was given a copy of this Bible by a friend and found that it has been one of the easiest most useful Bible's that I have had the privilege to use. The text is NLT which is a very easy version to read and understand, but along with the easy text there are so many useful features included in this Bible that are great for new Christians, but are also very helpful and informative for a more seasoned follower of Christ. Here are a few things that I found useful!

1.The first and most important thing is called How can you Know God? It is several pages long and has subtopics such as, what is missing in our lives, the solution, what God has done for you, and adopted and assured. 

2. There are more than a few reading tracks such as cornerstones, first steps, and off and running along with a list of big questions. I found these readings to be very informative.cornerstones explains who God and Jesus really are but doesn't stop there we also learn about the Holy Spirit, the devil, angels and demons,heaven and hell. The neat thing about these topics are that they are peppered thru the scripture, which not only allowed me to read the relevant scripture but made me feel like I was following a path thru the Bible. Along with all this we also find hints on how to study the Bible, helpful topics to investigate, along with a list of 23 great Bible stories and where to find them in the Bible. If this isn't enough there is also a listing of prophecies about Jesus, a glossary of Christian terms along with a listing of helpful memory verses and where to find them in the Bible. 

I never imagined when I started reading this copy of the New Testament that there were so many added tools to further my Bible study. Anyone looking for a useful Bible that is certainly overflowing with guidance will certainly want this one. With a dedication page it would make a wonderful gift for any new Christian, perfect for pastors to present to new Christians in the flock, or just use to hand out whenever they come across someone who is seeking God. I really can't say enough good things about this Bible and have already ordered the Old and New Testament combined just because I like reading the Old Testament as well. 

NIV Integrated Study Bible ~ Zondervan

Chronological and Integrated. Fresh and Illuminating. Read the Bible in 'real time' with this Bible set in an innovative, new, chronologically-based format. Explore Scripture through this integrated approach and see the Bible unfold in a new way as the events of the Bible are set in parallel. It's more than just a chronological Bible---not only are passages of Scripture arranged in their sequential order, but so are individual events. And when there are multiple versions of an event, these stories are told side-by-side, connecting the dots to open up deeper understanding as you read the different accounts together. This Bible allows you to see the beautiful and intricate interconnectedness of the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. Set in a chronologically-based format, this Bible will open your eyes to the way that the Bible reflects upon itself throughout its pages. For instance, you can read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John's telling of Jesus feeding the 5,000---presented in four columns right next to each other. When you read David's story about hiding from Saul in the wilderness, on the same page you'll read the psalm he wrote as he lay waiting, wondering when God would deliver him. Features include: The entire text of the NIV translation with the order of events arranged chronologically Parallel passages (or passages that are related) are arranged side-by-side in columns. Sectional introductions on chronology and dating (e.g. Creation Through the Patriarchs, Exodus to Conquest) Some examples: 2-column: David in the cave (1 Samuel 22:1--5 || Psalm 142 ) 3-column: Peter's confession (Mt 16:13--23 || Mk 8:27--33 || Lk 9:18--22) 4-column: Feeding 5,000 (Mt 14:13--21 || Mk 6:32--44 || Lk 9:10--17 || Jn 6:1--13) General Editor: JOHN R. KOHLENBERGER III John R. Kohlenberger III (MA, Western Seminary) is the author or coeditor of more than four dozen biblical reference books and study Bibles, including The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, NIV Interlinear Hebrew-English Old Testament, NIV Bible Concordance, NIV Greek-English New Testament, and the award-winning NIV Exhaustive Concordance and Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition. He has taught at Multnomah Bible College and Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon.

My review of the Integrated Study Bible:

Instead of being written in the traditional order the NIV Integrated Study Bible is written in chronological order and is divided into seven major historical themes which are:
Creation thru the patriarchs, Exodus to Conquest, Conquest thru United Kingdom,divided kingdom and exile, return to the land, the life of Jesus and the early church. As someone who has only read the traditional written Bible this one took some getting used to, but once I started using it I found it quite easy to understand. It really made it easier for me to understand how events actually unfolded in the Bible. There is actually an index in the back that helped guide me to particular scripture. Along with the scripture index there is also a table of weights and measures included. I would say that this Bible isn't really for a beginner instead I think it would be great for someone who already knows a bit about the Bible. The pros of this one are the easy to read print, sturdy construction, a timeline running along the bottom of the pages, and the fact that I enjoyed reading Biblical events in chronological order. The only negative thing I can really say about this Bible is that the cover isn't very appealing. Overall, I use this Bible along with my traditional KJV and find that it has enhanced my study of the Bible.

A complimentary copy of this Bible was provided for review.

New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, New Living Translation Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word By Edited by: Jack Hayford

• Series: Signature
• Hardcover: 2064 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Reprint edition (June 11, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401674992
• ISBN-13: 978-1401674991

Product Description

Discover the Holy Spirit throughout the Bible!Dr. Jack Hayford, founding pastor of The Church on the Way, has led a team of anointed leaders to produce the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible. Even after more than twenty years, the Spirit-Filled Life Bible offers a fresh look at the Scriptures and the work of the Holy Spirit. This Bible addresses important issues of Spirit-filled living in the context of solid biblical scholarship.

Contributors include: Barbara Amos, Bishop Charles Blake, Reinhard Bonnke, Paul Cedar, Billy Joe Daugherty, Joy Dawson, Steve Fry, Joseph Garlington, Jane Hansen, Jack Hayford, Marilyn Hickey, Freda Lindsay, Bill McCartney, Lloyd Ogilvie, Fuchsia Pickett, Oral Roberts, Pat Robertson, Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, and many others.

Features include:

• Kingdom Dynamic—41 themes throughout the Scripture that give us values as we advance the gospel throughout the world
• Word Wealth—More than 550 key terms defined and brought to life pulling the language from the original Greek and Hebrew to everyday English
• Truth-In-Action—Practical charts pulling out practical application from every book of the Bible
• Detailed book introductions to each of the 66 books of the Bible
• Verse-by-verse study notes
• Concordance
• In-text charts and maps
• Eight pages of full-color maps
• Blank lined pages for personal notes
• Articles
  • Bridging the Testaments
  • Harmony of the Gospels
  • Dealing With the "Last Things"—The Rapture, Second Coming, and the Millennium
  • In Studying the Book of Revelation
  • Holy Spirit Gifts and Power
  • The Holy Spirit and Restoration
  • Aflame With Passion for World Evangelism
  • The Believer's Potential and Pathway for Ministering Healing To the Nations
  • Understanding Messianic Jewish Ministry
  • How to Lead a Person To the Savior
• Presentation page
• 9.5-point text size
• 9.50" x 6.50" x 1.50
• Free Bible Study Tools download available

My thoughts:

I must say I am usually a King James Version kind of reader, it's really what I grew up with, but at the urging of my wife I have been expanding my horizons where my Bible translations are concerned, and it really has opened up a whole new understanding of the Bible for me. There are so many great features included in this NLT study Bible and some of my favorite were word wealth which helps me understand God's word by providing easy to understand definitions for more than 550 important words in the Bible.There is even a word wealth index included in the front of the Bible that shares the word and then steers us to the scripture where the definition is located. Another great feature was called truth-in-action that shares practical ways to apply the Bible's great truths. While this is peppered thru the Bible there is a handy index that makes it easy to locate the feature thru the Bible.Charts maps, concordance and study notes are also included and are great tools for furthering Bible study. I have actually been using this study Bible for a few months and not only have I been able to dig deeper into the scripture, I have also come away with a greater understanding of what I have read. A great Study Bible that would make a wonderful gift!

A complimentary copy of this Bible was provided for an honest review.

A Hopeful Heart by Amy Clipston

Trey Peterson had lost everything he held dear a little over a year ago, and because of that he couldn't bear to stay in the home he once shared with his wife and daughter. His wife had always been intrigued with the Amish so he decided to sell his home and pursue a different life in Pennsylvania by opening a bed and breakfast, and in doing this he felt like he was keeping his wife's dream alive. He finds himself staying at the Grand Hotel in Lancaster while scouting out sites for the next phase of life. Hannah Glick never dreamed that she would be widowed at 34. Working at the Grand Central Hotel isn't something her Amish husband would have wanted for her, but with his death, finances dictated that she take a job. While working there an embarrassing first meeting between her and Trey soon turn into a much deeper relationship. Thing is her husband's brother Joshua has feelings for Hannah. Joshua would be the safe path, but sometimes the heart has other ideas.

What an interesting story, I was especially intrigued with the idea of Hannah being an Amish widow who needed to take a job outside the home, even community. Hannah and her three children, Matthew Lillian, and Amanda were easy to understand characters, I couldn't help but wonder how, or if a relationship could or would work between Hannah and Trey because of the children. I was a bit surprised with the path that was ultimately chosen. Overall, I found this story unique because of the choices made, and the path that not only Hannah ultimately decided to take, but her daughter Amanda chose as well. Overall, an interesting story that allows the reader to see how the heart  doesn't always chose the easiest path. A story of second chances and new beginnings. I am anxious to see where the author takes this storyline next.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.

The House That Love Built ~ review

My review:
"The House That Love Built" takes the reader on a trip to Smithville,Texas. After the death of her husband Travis a couple of years ago, Brooke Holloway still finds it hard to believe that she is now a single mother to her two children Meghan, who is six and Spencer who at the age of ten has matured so much since his father's death and no longer is her cuddly huggy little boy. She spends her days working in the family run hardware store.Her mother Patsy, has just moved into assisted living, her choice, and really thinks that Brooke should give love another chance. Thing is Brooke doesn't know if she will ever be ready. When  the new owner of the Hadley place, Owen Saunders comes into the hardware store to buy supplies and hoping to find advice. He is dealing with issues from a cheating ex wife and figures he might be through with the opposite sex. The friendship that develops between Brooke and Owen has both thinking that perhaps there might be such a thing as second chances after all.

I found this such a great little read. The author does an amazing job of creating a family feeling story that pulled me in from the beginning. I really empathized with Brooke, such a difficult thing to lose a spouse, it was interesting to see how God worked in not only her life but Owen's as well. I enjoyed seeing a friendship blossom and then turn into something more. I enjoyed the antics of the children and thought the mystery that surrounded the Hadley house was interesting. The author does a good job of throwing in a few plot twists to keep the story moving, and interesting. Fans of sweet, contemporary romances that deal with issues of loss, forgiveness and second chances will find this story a great selection. 

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.

Threads of Grace by Kelly Long ~ review

My take on this book:
I find myself reading Amish fiction on a pretty regular basis and the one thing I notice about Kelly Long's writing is that she often takes us outside the box with her Amish fiction stories. In "Threads of Grace" she touches on a few interesting subjects that I hadn't read of before in this genre,such as spousal abuse and autism.  With the main female character,Grace Beiler, we learn that she was married to a much older man, Silas, who was an abusive man, the reason she married Silas was interesting in itself, and his treatment of her honestly seemed to be to try and break her spirit. Truly the only good thing to come out of the marriage was her son Abel who was Autistic. It was interesting to see that Grace was strong enough to move away to try and start a new life, but Tobias, her brother-in-law shows up and threatens that new life. An interesting love story develops between Grace and Seth Wyse the next door neighbor. A great story about moving on, and working thru hurts of the past. A few secondary characters added an additional layer to the story and I can only hope that we may get another installment to see how things will work out for Grace's sister. If you enjoy Amish fiction that isn't the run of the mill same old same old then your going to enjoy this one.
A complimentary copy was provided by Booksneeze for review.

Waiting for Morning by Margaret Brownley ~ review

In "Waiting For Morning" I was transported back to the year 1896. Life hadn't been easy for Molly Hatfield and her brother Donny. Their parents are dead, and Donny is bound to a wheelchair, something that Molly blames herself for. She works in a saloon and takes care of Donny the best that she can, but when a fire causes them to lose the only home they have she knows she will have to do something else. Unfortunately finding a job isn't such an easy thing to do, so when she learns of a job opening in Arizona where a ranch owner is looking for someone to take over the management of his ranch in return of owning it in the future,she jumps at the chance. Working on The Last Chance ranch is far from easy but Molly is determined to make it work. As if she doesn't have enough on her plate the towns unmarried doctor takes an interest in her and Donny. Will she find what she was looking for at The Last Chance Ranch and realize that God has something great in store for her and Donnie?

A very enjoyable historical read. I found myself totally drawn to the character of Molly. It was easy to see that she sincerely loved her brother Donny. There are several secondary characters that really move the plot of this story along. I also enjoyed the story of  Orbit and Magic and think there appearances really enhanced the story. As a historical fiction this was an engaging story that I would recommend. 

A complimentary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.