Ruth: Discovering Your Place in God's Story (Drawn In Bible Study)

I am drawn to art.  Artistic expression abounds in my family and even though I do not paint or draw, like other talented ones in my family, I appreciate those that can and do so much and find joy in their creations.  The only 'art' I can do with any sort of skill is coloring which is why adult coloring books are a favorite past time of mine.

I have reviewed another faith-based coloring book in the past and enjoyed doing the study with my son.  My latest Bible study/coloring book is Ruth: Discovering Your Place in God's Story by Eugene H. Peterson and it's one I chose to do solo.

This beautiful Bible study is centered around Ruth, an amazing woman who is an ancestor to Jesus Christ.  The study is broken down into four 'sessions' which parallel the four chapters in the book of Ruth in the Bible.  Each session starts with questions that are personal to you and then questions that are relevant to the Bible chapter itself.  Even though many of the questions are simple in nature, they are also very thought provoking, which is perfect to ponder when you're coloring.

All the Scripture that is quoted is from The Message which is a Bible version which is very easy for anyone to understand and interpret.

As far as the coloring itself, I tried out several color mediums to find the best fit for this particular paper as well as my own personal coloring technique.  My Copics bled too much for my liking and my Crayola colored pencils were too light.  I finally settled on Crayola SuperTips markers.  There is a lot of variety as far as color choices and there was no bleeding onto the next page unless I colored over one spot too many times.

This was not only a wonderful Bible study but also a beautifully designed coloring book.  I highly recommend for anyone and everyone!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review

0

Open

It’s so easy to get into a rut.  Life can get so mundane and routine and sometimes it takes some unforeseen circumstance to knock you down and make you realize all the things you have unknowingly taken for granted.  

For Emma Jameson it was the ending of a relationship.  She’s in her late twenties, feeling sad and lonely, and at a crossroads.  Isn’t life supposed to be better than this?  Where is she supposed to go from here?  Where is God in all of this?

Haven’t we all had times like these in our lives? Those moments when life doesn’t go the way you expected it to and you don’t know which way to go?  

After a note telling Emma to go through the next open door she decides to take a chance.  What does she have to lose?  She walks through a door and suddenly is in Biblical times walking with Jesus!  As a Christian, this is something I have always dreamed of.  To be able to ask Jesus whatever you want and to be able to see Him actually teaching the disciples, walking on water, and performing miracles.  To see His smile and hear His voice.  So amazing!  The author did a wonderful job of bringing the Bible to life.  

This book is such a treasure and so easy to read.  The author has a wonderful way of bringing you into the story and the entire book just flows.  It reminded me that there are things that I can do in my Christian walk but then there are things that I simply cannot do and it’s time I stopped trying and “instead, start abiding.”

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review

0

365 Morning Pocket Prayers

"Prayer is a privilege"

This is the first line of the introduction of the 365 Prayer Devotional.  When I read this line something just hit me.  Prayer IS a privilege and one that I more often than not take for granted.  This is why I am so thankful that God has put this book in my hand.

At first glance this little book is gorgeous!  The cover is so serene and has a leather-like feel to it.  It's a beautiful shade of blue and is small enough to carry around with you in a purse or backpack and does not take up much space on a desk. 

The days are numbered but not by specific dates which I like.  Some people like to read straight through while others like to jump around and the 365 Pocket Morning Prayers allows you to whatever is comfortable for you.  

Each prayer is a specific topic so if you wake up struggling with courage there is a prayer for that.  

As you can see each day is divided into three parts: the theme, the prayer, and a Bible verse.  The prayers are short, to the point, and relevant to our lives today.  I do not believe that prayers must be written for Christians.  That's one thing that is awesome about our faith!  We can tell the Father whatever is on our hearts whenever we want but there are times when the words do not come as easily and this is book just perfect for those times.

I've been keeping my copy on my bedside table and even though I haven't been using it every single day I love that it is there if and when I need it.  With Christmas around the corner, this would be a wonderful stocking stuffer for anyone in your life! What better gift to give than to start their day with prayer!

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

0

Searching the Scriptures

I wish I could tell you that being a Christian for as long as I have that I have the whole Bible study thing down.  I don't.  I love reading God's Word but when it comes to studying its one of those overwhelming tasks that almost paralyzes you.  Do I study by topic or by book?  Is there a right or wrong way?  Which way is the right way for me?

I think that reading and hearing the Word of God is wonderful but there comes a time where that is not enough.  I think I am at that point in my walk where it is time to get off the "spiritual milk" and more into the "meat" of the Bible which is why I am so excited to be reviewing Searching the Scriptures by Chuck Swindoll.  From the first chapter I knew I was on to something.  Maybe this is the answer to the Bible study prayer that I have prayed for so long?

If you want a thorough introduction to Bible study then this is a great place to start!  For me it's perfect!  Maybe I've been trying too hard.  It's time to get back to basics!

Mr. Swindoll breaks it all down for you step by step and compares the steps to something simple and something we all can relate to: cooking.  I have read several other books about various Bible study methods and it's almost like they're written in code!  They left me frustrated and no closer to understanding the Bible than when I began.  

Mr. Swindoll even mixes in wonderful stories that help you remember certain steps.  My personal favorite is a story about the importance of observation referencing Sir William Osler.  I won't spoil the story for you but trust me it's one that you will never forget.

There are four main principles in Searching the Scriptures:

Observation - What does the Bible say?

Interpretation - What does the Bible mean?

Correlation - What other Bible passages deal with this idea?

Application - What difference does this make to me?

Mr. Swindoll goes into each of these in detail so everything is explained for you.  There is also a "Your Turn in the Kitchen" section which allows you to go deeper with your understanding of that chapter as well as getting you more into God's Word.  This interaction was truly my favorite part and am still working on some of the questions from several of the chapters so I can go even deeper in my understanding.

I could see giving a copy of Searching the Scriptures to a new believer so that they can start with a firm foundation in the Word or a seasoned Christian who might want to take a different approach to Bible study.  

This is a must-have for anyone and will be apart of my Bible reference library for years to come.  If you would like more information about Chuck Swindoll's ministry Insight for Living please check out his website.  Also, if you like challenges there is even a Searching the Scriptures Quiz to test your Bible knowledge!

I'm off to study! :)

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

0

Gratitude: A Prayer and Praise Coloring Journal

Gratitude.  It's something that's so easy when things in your life are going peachy and very tough when things aren't going so well BUT it's something we should be doing daily despite our circumstances.

When those times are tough and you're really struggling to be grateful it's nice to have something that will help you get out of that worry/stressed mindset into that peaceful/thankful frame of mind which is why I'm so excited to be showing off my new Gratitude Prayer & Praise Coloring Journal from Tyndale's Living Expressions Collection!

I was SO excited when Tyndale asked me to review this coloring journal.  I've been doing an adult coloring book on my iPad for awhile but have been scared to try my hand at actually coloring so to say that I was out of my element is an understatement.

0

41 Will Come

 "The number 41 represents the dawn of a new day - the hope and promise that if you don't quit, the rain will stop, the giant will fall, and you will enter your 'promised land.'"  

Just reading that gave me hope.  All of us are on a journey.  Some of us are about to enter a storm, some of us are in a storm, and some of us just got out of a storm.  All of us!  40 is the storm; 41 is the rainbow.

A week after I started reading this book my 10-year-old son was in the emergency room then rushed to the PICU with poisoned blood and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Once we got D home from the hospital and fell into a new normal I picked up the book again and it gave me so much hope!  I wish I could say I'm in my promised land right now but I've got several fronts on me at the moment so it could be awhile before I'm there but that's ok!  Each story that the author references reminds me that even in the storms God is still working and oh when I hit that promised land...baby, it is on! :)

I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone!  Mr. Tate's writing style is wonderful and the personal stories he tells is great!  He's funny, encouraging, and heartfelt.  This is the author's first book and I'm positive it's not going to be his last.  Grab a copy! I promise you won't regret it.

NavPress/Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review

0