NKJV Journal the Word Bible from Thomas Nelson and *GIVEAWAY*

Years ago I searched and searched for a Bible with wide margins to write in. I was so disappointed at how few options there were. Now journaling Bibles are everywhere, but they are definitely not all created equal.

The newest Bible I had the pleasure of reviewing comes from Thomas Nelson. I love journaling Bibles because I think they are an excellent way to interact with what you are reading. I see a lot of people painting and coloring in theirs. However, that is far from the only way to enjoy them.

I have one that I read through and write in the margins prayers for my family. Another idea is as you read daily, keep a prayer list and record answered prayers. You could write the things you're thankful for or how the Lord is blessing you. It's a great way to journal as you read. 

I am not a fan of tissue thin pages, tiny print and a frail cover and in these areas, this Bible delivers.

• This Bible is solid. The cover is heavy duty and looks like it could endure the various trials I put my Bibles through (spilled coffee, sticky baby hands...) 
• The cream pages are soft but relatively thick for a Bible. They don't do great with really wet markers or highlighters, but if you stick to a drier pen or pencil they hold up well. 
• This Bible is considered large print (10-pt). I really appreciate how easy it is to read, even in low light. 
• The margins are wide and lined, with ample space to write or draw.
• There is a nice little ribbon to mark your page.
• The whole things closes with an elastic band, keeping all my random bookmarks, shoved pens and church bulletins (mostly) neatly contained.  
• It lays flat when opened and doesn't constantly flop closed. This is important to me, as I usually read on the couch or in bed. 
• Personally, I like that this Bible is a little classier and doesn't have a bunch of additional coloring features or pictures. There are a lot of other journaling Bibles out there that come with various decorative stuff in them already. The lack of "pretties" makes this Bible perfect for men or women. 
• While this is a NKJV this same Bible comes in KJV too

This Bible is very simple in that there are no additional study notes, maps or concordances. Study Bibles are an awesome resource and lifelong companion. If your looking for something along those lines, I have a study Bible from Thomas Nelson that I have used for years and love. This Bible is different but still great.

Another great thing about this Bible? I was sent two! One to review and one to giveaway to a reader. Here's how to enter-- Go to the comment section and tell me one of your favorite verses or books of the Bible. One person will be randomly selected December 11th. US residents only please and 18+ years old!    Now Closed :)

(Thanks to Thomas Nelson and BlogAbout for providing me with these two copies. All opinions expressed are my own.)

Color Code Bible

My son has been carrying this Bible to church with him every Sunday so I haven't around to reviewing it yet! When looking for a Bible for my almost-six-year-old I wanted something simple and practical.

 This Color Code Bible from Thomas Nelson is just that. The additional information that is provided is helpful and easy to understand. At the beginning of the Bible there is a section that answers in plain terms some very important questions about the Bible- What is the Bible? Who wrote the Bible? Why should you read the Bible? Why did God send us the Bible? It also explains the color coding system.

Verses about different subjects are highlighted in different colors-

Gold: God

Navy: Sin, evil,

Red: Jesus

Orange: washed clean from sin, new life

Green: growth in your new life as a Christian and Faith Walk

Blue: Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving

Purple: Heaven

The text is a pretty bold size for a Bible, making it easy to read for little eyes. The Bible has a sturdy hardcover that should hold up to the abuse a little boy can inflict. This will be a great resource in the future for him and I hope that it will encourage discovery about the foundational truths of the Bible.

I received a copy of the Bible in exchange for my honest review from Thomas Nelson

ESV Journaling Bible from Crossway

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.

NKJV Study Bible

So, you might have noticed- there are a lot of translations of the Bible out there, and many styles as well. From your classic text on tissue thin pages to new styles with wide margins and illustrated verses. Personally, when I pull out my Bible, I choose to use my NKJV study Bible. I got it years ago when I began Bible college and it feels like an old friend. The cover is held on with packing tape and there are multiple pages splashed with coffee.

The newest imprint of the NKJV Study Bible from Thomas Nelson features some updated design. This Bible is marketed as "personal size". Basically, it's super thick but a little smaller all around. I love the full color pages, something my other Bible didn't have. There are maps, Bible-land photos and all sorts of different graphics that enhance your learning. Every thing under the red line in the above photo is study-notes. Obviously, I haven't read through every note yet, but the ones I have read have been helpful. The blue-ish grey boxes are reference notes.

The pages are thin, like any Bible, but they don't feel flimsy or like they will tear easily. I generally underline and write in margins with a pen. It's important to me that the writing doesn't impair my reading of the text on the other side of the page. With this Bible, I was able to underline and write with only very faint marks appearing on the flip-side of the page. It opens fairly easily and doesn't feel super tight or stiff. It may seem picky, but I hate when I lay a Bible in my lap and it keeps trying to close on me. The writing is pretty little, but not bad for such a small Bible.

My only real problem with this Bible is the flimsiness of the cover. It's just not very thick or substantial. I'm afraid it probably wont hold up over frequent use. There are a lot of other soft-cover options out there, I wish they had chosen one that was thicker.

Overall I am pretty happy with the quality of the notes, images and pages of this Bible. And of course, you just can't beat the content ;)

I received this Bible in exchange for my honest review   

Beautiful Word Bible NIV

When I had the chance to review the new Beautiful Word Bible from Zondervan I just couldn't pass it up! The concept is so lovely,

"Be drawn into God’s Word through a fresh, creative expression of the beautiful words of God. Crafted on high-quality paper and balanced with inspiring full-color art and blank space, the NIV Beautiful Word Bible will encourage a deeper and more authentic quiet time. With 500 verses illustrated to help you see the rich diversity of stories, characters, prophecies, rewards, and hope contained within Scripture, you will discover wisdom to sustain you in every season, drawing you deeper into God’s life-changing and inspired Word."

cover without dust jacket

It certainly is a very pretty Bible. Personally, I prefer the cover without the dust jacket. Ascetically I think it hits the mark throughout. There are tons of illustrated verses that are both inspirational and beautiful. It's really fun as you read to turn the page and be surprised by a new illustration. Some take up the full, double page spread, while others are in the margin.

Most are as you see in the photo, in the margin area. I like that the margins that don't have illustrations are lined and waiting for your own notes and markings.

So, it's pretty. Is that enough to make this Bible a worthwhile investment? Personally for me, with my limited funds, it's not. There were some things that I really didn't love about this Bible.

The first thing I noticed about the Bible on arrival was how thin the pages felt. I know, it's a Bible. The pages are always thin. However these feel downright tissue-y. They just feel a little cheap. The paper quality is a real issue here. I noticed immediately when I wrote in the margins or underlined text the pen showed through to the other side. Not only the pen, but the darker illustrated pictures are visible in the margins on the other side of the paper as well. If you don't plan on writing in this Bible, this shouldn't be a problem. A huge part of any Bible for me though, is marking it up.

The Bible itself is a little smaller than your standard Bible. The measurements are roughly 6x8 inches. When you add in the space taken by the margins the text room is very limited. Because of this, the font size is incredibly small. I actually compared it to all the other Bible's we have and it is considerably smaller than any of them. I have great vision and I struggle to read the words.

Here we are so far-- I can't write in it because the pen bleeds through the pages, and I can barely read the tiny font. This is just not a very practical Bible. With a list price of $44.99, I wouldn't purchase this. My Bible is constantly on the move with me- church, Bible study, marriage group, youth group. It gets used, beat up and inevitably I will spill some coffee on it. This is just not the type of Bible that is going to work for my everyday life.

It does look downright lovely sitting on my coffee table though. My children and guests have enjoyed flipping through the pages and looking at the illustrated verses. I am glad to own it and draw inspiration from both the text and the images. However, it's not something I would have purchased myself!