Looking for the perfect Bible for your sister, friend, or female family member? The CSB Women's Study Bible is a robust, full-color study Bible, with content created by women for women, featuring helpful study notes, timelines, maps, and more on the same page as the biblical text they refer to. Help women of all ages delight in digging deeper into Scripture.
Created by a team of women who love Scripture and want to help you engage with it meaningfully, this Bible is packed with verse-by-verse study notes, word studies, profiles of women in the Bible, devotional content, and tools to help you live out what you're learning. Whether you're studying alone or with a group, this is a resource that will meet you right where you are—and help you grow.
Order your copy today wherever books and Bibles are sold or visit csbwomensstudybible.comto learn more!
My Review: I love Study Bibles and the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) is one of my favorite versions of the Holy Bible, so I am extra excited to have the opportunity o review the CSB Women's Study Bible! The Bible I received to review is a hardcover with a beautiful floral print. It's a bit heavy, but perfect for serious study; the pages will stay open as you make notes in a journal or whatever you prefer. A table or desk selected for regular Bible Study would be wonderful for this Bible, a notebook/journal, and any other learning tools you need.
The inside of the Bible is even better than the outside! Of course, the Scripture, both Old and New Testaments are the most important, but I do love the maps, charts, photos, biographies, study notes, timelines, concordance, features, and more. It has a 9.5 point text that is comfortable to read.
My personal disappointments are that this Bible is not Red Letter text and that the margins are too small for writing notes. But, there are a ton of notes already provided, and you can use colored pencils or highlighters to mark a verse or passage that has a special meaning for you. Overall, I highly recommend this Bible.
This morning I found an old blog post from December 31, 2010. My mind has gone back to what I wrote frequently today. I have thought about the words written then and the changes in my life over the past 15 years. I've laughed, I've cried, I've even gotten angry, and I am still contemplating what to do with this jumble of emotions... especially with current events bringing their own turmoil. Not all bad, or sad, but the "what if's" and "why's" do color a few of my perspectives.
The post (or more likely an old Facebook Note) is titled:
Favorites of 2010
Last night I began thinking of things from this past year that have been important to me. I had to laugh that so many of the words began with the same letter: Faith, Family, Friends, Films, Festivities, Flames, Finding...! Well, you get the point. My initial title for this note did make me giggle, but I decided it is inappropriate. Therefore, I was grateful when the word "Favorites" popped into my mind.
Faith:My faith becomes more important to me each year. This is the year I reluctantly decidedtoleave a church family I still love dearly and move to another. I was so caught up inserviceto God that I was neglectingtimewith God. I also know myself well enough to know that I was not just going to learn to say no and step down from my involvement. I still have a long way to go in learning to rest in His presence and listen to His voice. (I do tend to talk way too much!) However, I am learning to seek Him and soak in His word. Prayer needs of others also is bringing me into more time spent with God.
Family:My "babies"are all in their 30s!! How did that happen so quickly? (Frankly, I still see a 16 year old when I look in the mirror....yeah,fantasy!!) My daughter remarried this year and is growing in her faith. My prayers are still with my sons to return to theirs, but I am proud of the people my children have become and have confidence that they will continue to evolve into the people God intends them to be.
The grandkids are rushing toward adulthood with amazing speed. Zac is driving!! I still see the little boy on his tricycle, but he will soon be a man and already shows a promise of maturity. Caitlyn is at the fun, frustrating, & fascinating age of fifteen. Cody is leaving behind the world of being a child quicker than I am ready for, but I am amazed at the young man he is becoming. Admittedly, there were a few weeks there when I broke out in hives every day when he got home from school...and he wasn't too thrilled to be around me either...but I believe we are going to be okay.
Friends:This is an absolutely amazing group of people who mean more to me than they could possibly realize. Some have been around for a lifetime...and I have the sheer pleasure of also being related to them. Some are people that I have met through the years and whether the relationship is one where we share details of our lives or one of a more casual nature, each is special to me. The third group are people I have never met. There are some I can share more detail with than I have shared with people I have known for over 50 years.....yet I never expect to meet them. (Perhaps that is the type that works best for me! LOL!) Whether I have known these friends since my entrance into the world, or they have just recently entered into my world, these are people I can talk to, pray for (& can ask them to pray for me), and rejoice in getting to know them better. I hope you all know who you are and that I have let you know that I treasure you.
Films:What can I say?Beyond The Farthest Star! Alright, seriously, there is no doubt that I am so excited about this film I talk of little else...and I couldn't begin to tell you why. Honestly...I don't know. :)
However BTFS and other faith-based films have become an important part of my life. On one hand it saddens me that we have become so entertainment saturated that simply telling others about Jesus no longer seems adequate. On the other hand, I see movies, music, & books as doors of opportunity to get a conversation started. I love to read, but I realize many do not. Music is my favorite form of worship...a song can bring me to the throne of God within seconds. But movies seem to weave a common thread with others. I like a variety of movies. I don't think the purpose of each faith-based film should be to lead others to Christ. I don't have the expectation of secular films to encapsulate their entire belief system within an approximately 2 hour time frame, so why should I expect Christian filmmakers to constrict themselves?
God did lay this industry on my heart. I know I probably drive many people up a wall as I promote a variety of films, but it seems silly for me to just sit around praying for the films and the people involved with them without sharing the news. Put it this way: If you feel something will make a difference in someone's life, do you tell them? Whether a film can help me share my faith with non-believers, clarify (whether about a person, an issue, whatever...), give a person something to think about,....or frankly, just entertain someone,how will people know if no one tells them?
Festivities:Whether it is the most sacred of holidays that commemorate significant milestones in our beliefs (Christmas, Easter, etc.) to frivolous (Talk Like A Pirate Day, National Coffee Day...not sure if that is frivolous tome)to ones that give us both cause to reflect on our past and give hope to the future (any guesses here?), the festivities, celebrations, & holidays have given us an opportunity to share fun facts, favorites, fears, faith, friendship...and a common bond with one another. Hope to have many opportunities in 2011 to celebrate with y'all!!
Flames:What else, but.....mycooking...to use the term loosely. I noticed my most popular status updates were always when I mentioned my attempts to cook. While I do have the occasional success, I also have those moments with flames shooting out of the oven. My inability to boil water without some type of disaster still astounds me. I do want to thank some of you who were kind enough to believe that I merely lacked decent recipes. Some that I received did turn out quite well. Some looked promising, although my son constantly tells me that my ideas of "close enough" is usually nowhere near an adequate substitute. There are some I am still puzzling over: what is 'cake flour'? Let me leave this section with a quote I found written in my status updates that sums up this subject perfectly:
'I read recipes the same way I do science fiction. I get to the end and think, "Well, that's probably not going to happen!""
Finding:This refers to my recent attempts to clean out closets. No, I'm still not done!!!!! Once I packed away the reindeer antlers and nose.....THAT reminds me!! I never did come back and let people know about the nose. I lamented that I could not find my clown nose the day I discovered my reindeer antlers while cleaning. Well, I went to church with my daughter & family on Christmas Eve and red foam noses were being given to the children for them to wear while singing "Rudolph" during the program. I laughed and said that I needed one earlier due to the misplacement of my red nose, and they graciously gave me one!!!!! LOL! While I seldom feel the need to dress like Rudolph while cleaning (the closets were just particularly depressing)........now I can!!
Anyway...some of y'all may remember all of the plastic Easter eggs I kept finding! I am still finding them everywhere!! I apparently have bought dozens of the things over the years and just kept tossing them in the closet. Trust me, they are leaving my house.......in spite of the fact that I keep thinking of uses for them. I am also hoping I have found the last of my stashes of crayons, glue, & sticky notes. I doubt it, but I can hope. Who knows what all I may find before the forage through the closets is finished.
Facebook:Now, how could I omit this word? The previously mentioned topics would be futile and frustrating without the fun I have had here. Facebook has been at the center of so many aspects of my life, and I hope it will continue to be part of my life...but who knows what thefutureholds.
Finally...thank you all for afantastic year! May God bless each one who has been a part of my life in 2010 and I hope 2011 is filled with love, life, laughter, & joy beyond belief! *********************************************
Updates: Faith - My faith and trust in God remains strong, but I still need to grow closer. I returned to the church I had left in 2010 just eight years later. God knew I was going to need these familiar friends around me very soon. Between a pandemic, great-grandchildren, and personal health issues, I no longer attend, but I can watch online to still feel a part of it all.
Family - My "babies" are getting closer to 50! Zac, Cait, and Cody have children ranging from 5 to 11. My precious Caitlyn passed away in 2018 and my life has never been the same; I don't even see her children anymore. This is when trusting God is the only thing that gets me through the nights of grief, nightmares and waking up with tears falling.
Friends - A few have passed away and most of the "Facebook Friendships" have faded away. My fault; I withdraw rather than reach out in times I need someone. But, I think of them and pray for them (when FB actually lets one of their posts in my news feed!). As always, my cousins---my first friends---are still my closest friends.
Films - I still love them (especially "Beyond the Farthest Star") and have been blessed to work at home with various films, filmmakers, and pages. I have loved sharing about films, film conferences, etc. for the past 15 years. I am no longer able to get to a theater to watch movies, but have gone from disliking to embracing streaming services!
Festivities - I usually celebrate alone, but I am content with that. I admit, I do miss the impromptu birthday parties and activities we had when the great-grandkids stayed with me frequently, but the memories bring me joy.
Flames - I still can't cook, but it's been a while since a fire...or even the smoke detector going off. That's an improvement!!
Finding - I am better about not hanging onto things "just in case" but I still need to seriously clean closets. Clutter never just goes away. :/
Facebook - isn't as much fun as it used to be. It's partly me and partly Facebook quirks and inconsistencies, but a lot of it is also how mean people have become. The world has become a place I never would have imagined. I have truly never witnessed this much hatred and hostility in my life. A sense of humor and common sense are becoming harder to find. But, I refuse to give up hope.
Finally - It often seems like heartbreak far outweighs hope and happiness and the burden is sometimes overwhelming, but I remind myself that God loves me and everyone that I am worrying about...and He is firmly in control. I will always have "trust issues" in everyone and everything except Him. And despite the darkness and doubt of 2025, I still feel hope and excitement for 2026.
In celebration of the beloved television show’s 50th Anniversary, comes a heartwarming new documentary: LITTLE HOUSE HOMECOMING — a journey that brings together members of the original cast and generations of fans in a shared tribute to love, hope, and belonging.
Dean Butler ("Almanzo Wilder") and Alison Arngrim ("Nellie Oleson") host a virtual cinema event that allows fans to experience LITTLE HOUSE HOMECOMING with friends and family from the comfort of their home. Join Karen Grassle (“Caroline Ingalls”), Charlotte Stewart (“Miss Beadle”), and Wendi Lou Lee (“Baby Grace”) as they travel to the real-life places that inspired Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books—and reconnect with the spirit of Little House that continues to inspire audiences around the world.
Featuring heartfelt new interviews with members of the original cast, reflections from devoted fans and historians, and extraordinary footage of the places Laura lived and wrote about, LITTLE HOUSE HOMECOMING is a celebration of a legacy that still feels like home. Journey back to the prairie this Thanksgiving weekend!
Buy tickets today to see Little House Homecoming on Trellis Virtual Cinema starting November 26th! This event is a bit different than a theatrical screening ---> you will purchase 1 ticket for your household! BUY TICKET here.
Watch the trailer:
My Review: This documentary is like a family reunion of fans, friends, actors, historians and more. I was a teen when the "Little House on the Prairie" series originally aired and I enjoyed watching it. So, it was fun to see people who were a part of the show reminiscing and to learn more about the actual Ingalls family.
I definitely recommend this virtual cinema event. This is the perfect time of year to gather family, friends, snacks, and spend time together simply enjoying the past and present of a beloved family we grew to know and love through television and books. You may even find yourself planning a vacation to visit the places the Ingalls and Wilder families lived. And, you get a great bargain with 1 ticket per household from Trellis Virtual Cinema!
Giveaway: 1 free code to view film through Trellis Virtual Cinema (Note: This is limited to US winners only.) Please submit your full name and email address by 11/30/25 to enter
Disclosure: Many thanks to Trellis Virtual Cinema for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.
Join Karen Grassle (“Caroline Ingalls”), Dean Butler (“Almanzo Wilder”), Alison Arngrim (“Nellie Oleson”), Charlotte Stewart (“Miss Beadle”), and Wendi Lou Lee (“Baby Grace”) as they travel to the real-life places that inspired Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books—and reconnect with the spirit of Little House that continues to inspire audiences around the world.
Featuring heartfelt new interviews with members of the original cast, reflections from devoted fans and historians, and extraordinary footage of the places Laura lived and wrote about, LITTLE HOUSE HOMECOMING is a celebration of a legacy that still feels like home.
LITTLE HOUSE HOMECOMINGis a virtual cinema event that will be available to watch for purchase starting on November 26, 2025. Pre-order Tickets Now!
Watch the trailer:
This looks like a wonderful documentary for fans of the series and the books! I have fond memories of watching "Little House on the Prairie" during its original run on television.
“Christmas at the Cabin” is the ultimate feel-good family Christmas movie of the season! Starring Todd Terry, Marianne Haaland, Corey Cannon, Sharon Oliphant, and Stacey Sheffield, “Christmas at the Cabin” delivers a touch of chaos and laughter, plenty of heart, and one truly unforgettable Christmas. Beautiful scenery blends with original music and beloved holiday classics, making this a perfect film for the entire family. Directed by Tori Hunter. Make your plans to watch this Christmas and visit christmasatthecabinmovie.com to learn more.
Christmas at the Cabin is a fun movie to watch! Michelle (Marianne Haaland), a very focused individual person who loves a good plan...and expects things to go by her plan, needs to recover from a stressful situation at work. Her PLAN is a relaxing visit to their winter cabin with husband Josh (Corey Cannon) and sister Poppy (Sharon Oliphant). The car sliding into a snowbank gave this vacation a bumpy start, but next is the shocking discovery of Josh's old college roommate Gus (Stacey Sheffield) staying at the cabin, uninvited. Michelle is not pleased.
Tensions rise as Michelle struggles with clumsy accidents, nothing going as planned and her continued clashes with Gus. When everyone appears to be against her, she goes rushing outside in a snowstorm, soon getting lost and trapped. Her rescuer, Luke (Todd Terry), shares soup and wisdom with Michelle to help her realize that she doesn't have to control everything. As a person who fights my own control-freak tendencies, I loved this part of the film. Luke leads her back to the cabin and to a joy-filled reunion and fresh start for everyone. If you enjoy a film that has fun, friends, family, and faith, you will love "Christmas at the Cabin." The characters and the actors who portrayed them were all fabulous, plus beautiful scenery and original music add to the pure enjoyment.
Giveaway: $10 Amazon gift card This is limited to US winners only. Please submit your full name and email address by 11/18/25 to enter.
Disclosure: Many thanks to FaithChannel for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.
MOMENTUM INFLUENCER NETWORK - CHRISTMAS AT THE CABIN INTERVIEW:
God wants you to know, understand, and apply His Word. But sometimes you need help making sense of a tricky passage or knowing what it means to live in light of the Bible’s teaching.
For more than 20 years, readers have turned to Bible teacher David Guzik’s verse-by-verse commentary at EnduringWord.com as a source of practical and pastoral insights into the Scriptures. The Enduring Word Study Bible invites you to join them as you are guided into deeper knowledge of the Bible. Study notes based on Guzik’s commentary help you to explore the meaning of every chapter of the Bible. Pastoral application notes guide you to live in light of Scripture, and feature articles bring challenging topics into sharper focus.
MY REVIEW of the brown leathersoft version of the NKJV Enduring Word Study Bible edited by David Guzik. Students of Scripture will appreciate the introduction at the beginning of the each book, and the insights brought by the commentary throughout each chapter. Guzik's Pastoral Notes bring application to bring an even greater understanding. There's an excellent Concordance and maps at the back to help. The print is easy to read, including the commentary in a slightly smaller size. Great for yourself or as a gift.
Giveaway: 1 copy of the Enduring Word Study Bible (Brown Leathersoft version). Please submit your full name and mailing address by 11/17/27. (Can be sent to cindynavarro713@gmail.com)
Disclosure: Many thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.
The Peace of God Bible invites you to experience peace with God. The story of the Bible is the story of peace—peace with God and with one another. But peace isn’t simply a feeling of calm or ease. It is a way of experiencing life as we were always meant to—in relationship with our Creator and with each other. We can recover a completeness that was once lost but is restored in the gospel.
Features include:
• Book introductions to help reveal the part peace plays • 365 devotionals based on a key verse or passage to guide you • 365 peace notes offering short, powerful insights to help you understand more deeply the wholeness you have in Christ • Topical indexes to help you study how God's peace can shape different relationships • Articles explore what the peace of God is, how to find or recover it, and how to experience eternal salvation because of what God has done for you • Concise concordance and index of features • End-of-page translators’ notes and cross-references
• Line-matched, double-column typesetting
• Clear and readable 9.5-point NKJV Comfort Print®
MY REVIEW: In a world that sometimes seems overwhelming with chaos and turmoil, we all seek peace to calm our fears and a place of refuge to regain strength. Jeremiah Johnston, PhD., has edited a Bible that includes key verses, as well as insights, articles, indexes, notes, and devotionals that will guide you to the peace to be found in Jesus Christ. Experience God's Shalomthroughout the Bible.
The soft two-toned brown cover is suitable for anyone that looks and feels wonderful. The Bible is the New King James Version (NKJV) which many people enjoy reading. The print is comfortable to read with beautiful maps and an excellent concordance to help broaden your knowledge. I recommend it.
Disclosure: Many thanks to HarperCollins Christian Publishing for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.
Jeremiah J. Johnston, PhD, is an elected member of the preeminent New Testament scholarly guild Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas (SNTS) and ministers internationally as president of Christian Thinkers Society www.christianthinkers.com
Jeremiah loves the local church, and also serves as pastor of apologetics and cultural engagement at Prestonwood Baptist Church.
