So, we have talked about a few new styles of the Bible that have been published lately-- The ever lovely Beautiful Word Bible and the latest NKJV Full-Color Study Bible from Thomas Nelson. Both of which I have enjoyed and continued to use. Today I thought I would share about the ESV Jounaling Bible from Crossway.
Writing is, in large part, how I process my thoughts. Journaling and writing has been dear to me for years. Something about writing things down helps me solidify how I feel about things. I can erase, and erase again until I have the words just how I like. It is a big part of how I learn and remember things as well. If I write something down, I can almost always remember it. I read through old journals and am reminded of when I met my husband, our first baby, first house and so on.
So Bible journaling just makes sense to me. Writing is just one of the ways that I react and process God's word. I often write in my Bible, with teeny tiny letters, wherever they fit in the tight margins. I habitually keep a pen close by when I read and often leave it in my poor, abused Bible as a bookmark. There is always something I want to underline or mark. Having a Bible with designated writing space? Well, that just sounds like perfection.
And this Bible really is pretty perfect. When I was looking through Crossway's selection they all looked nice, but I was truly impressed when I received it. It comes in its own special case, which you can see the spine of in the first picture, near the middle. The cover is a soft material, almost suede like. When opened, it lays flat on the table-- which makes it very convenient to write in, as you're not constantly swatting the pages back.
My main complaint about the Beautiful Word Bible was that, while nice to look at, writing in it severely damaged the pages. All the pens I tried on it bled through the thin pages, making the text and art on the other side unreadable. I did not have that problem with this Bible. The cream colored pages held up well to use. They have a soft quality to them as well, which makes writing on them enjoyable.
I know that these things may seem a little nit-picky. A Bible is a Bible, and what matters most is His word. No matter the page quality, cover or margins. However, there is something very enjoyable about a well-crafted, quality Bible. I know that it will stand the test of time. I was thinking as I wrote in it, this is something I can pass onto my kids. It has an heirloom quality that means the binding isn't going to fall apart and it wont be held together with duct-tape in a few years.
I am going to use this Bible to pray through the scriptures for my family. As I read through God's word, I plan to write personal prayers for my kids, husband, myself and our family as a whole. I'm also going to write different verses that stand out to me. I hope it's something that will bless my family and as I learn from God's word!
There are lots of ways to use a Bible like this. Record your own reflections and prayers or words from a pastor or teacher who inspires you. Use the margin to write how God is working in your life, how He is answering prayer or working on your heart. One idea that I had was to use it like a daily journal. As you read through the Bible daily, write down the things your family is doing and how God is working. This would be perfect to use for drawing, painting or making beautiful art on. However you use it, this Bible will not disappoint!
I received this Bible in exchange for my honest review.
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