The Encountering God Study Bible

 

The Encountering God Study Bible is the crowning work of the Blackabys. Featuring
their trusted approach to Bible study, this Study Bible includes:

• Notes highlighting how God might choose to encounter you in His Word

• Notes explaining ideas, events, people and places in the text

• Word studies, character studies, and biographical sketches of figures from
church history

• Notes to help you navigate current cultural issues

• Book introductions setting the scene for each biblical book and its importance for encountering God
  
  
• Timeline of the biblical narrative
  
  
• Harmony of the Gospels
  
  
• Prophecies of the Messiah fulfilled
  
  
• Reading plans
  
  
• Center-column reference set
  
  
• Full NKJV concordance
  
  
• Index to word studies, character studies, and historical encounters
  

• Clear and readable 9-point NKJV Comfort Print®

Order your copy of the Encountering God Study Bible today!

 

MY REVIEW: My review copy of the Encountering God Study Bible is the Black Leathersoft one with a flexible cover and easy to hold in one hand to read. I love that the words of Jesus are written in red and that the print is easy to read. The Word Studies and Encounter Notes are fantastic; they are written by members of the Blackaby family. Since they are included on the pages of Scripture they bring clarity to what is being read. The Concordance, Timeline, Harmony of the Gospels, and Maps at the back are a valuable addition.

The minor negative for me is that the NKJV is not my favorite translation, but there are notes included at the bottom that useful. The lack of space to write notes by the Scripture is the only thing that would make me hesitate to purchase. But, a separate notebook for writing will work for people who like to make notes as they study. Bottom line: I definitely recommend the Encountering God Study Bible.

GIVEAWAY: 1 Encountering God Study Bible
(Note: This is limited to US winners only.) Please submit your full name and full mailing address by 5/9.
 

DISCLOSURE: Many thanks to Harper Collins Christian Publishing for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

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God's Great Love For You - Rick Warren

God’s Great Love for You, by bestselling author and pastor Rick Warren, is a story that lets children know that God's love is with them everywhere and all of the time. With simple sentences, and winsome illustrations by Chris Saunders, a child is assured that she is always surrounded by God's great love.

It's a cute book and I especially love the illustrations. I do disagree with the age range recommendation, though. It is much too simple for 7 and 8 year old children, so I would suggest it for 6 year old and under. My great-grandchildren are all under 3 right now, and this seems more suitable as a bedtime story book for them. The very short sentences are a better fit for their attention spans. The main character is also female, so I don't think the boys will like this one quite as much as girls. Of course, that is not true each time, but I still would have preferred a mix of characters. Still, a good book to introduce the love of God to wee ones.

GIVEAWAY: To enter for a chance to win a copy of God's Great Love For You, leave a comment on this blog or as a comment on a social media post. Deadline to enter is end of day, Friday, November 17, 2017.

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado

Grace for the Moment (Large Deluxe): Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year by Max Lucado offers inspiring devotions to grow in your faith as you embrace the hope of the Lord every day. Featuring Scripture, along with devotional writings from Max's best sellers, each day's writing is a short but powerful message to remind the reader of God's love. Although there are variances, the majority of the Scripture is from the New Century Version (NCV). The devotion for each day also indicates which Lucado book used. 



This is the deluxe, large print edition of the classic devotional with a leather-flex cover, beautifully designed pages, and a ribbon marker. It is fairly lightweight and fits comfortably in one hand if you hold it to read. The pages do not flip and are thick enough that you can highlight or make notes that won't bleed through to several pages. (I recommend using colored pencils when highlighting, though. I have used them for years.) The strong binding will ensure this book can endure daily handling and will be a treasury you can visit in years ahead. I also love the look and feel of the cover. The book is published by Thomas Nelson, a registered trademark of Harper Collins Christian Publishing. 

I love the book and will definitely recommend it to anyone searching for a new devotional for themselves or as a gift. These are small nuggets of truth, with an insight to give the reader something to mull over and to build upon their faith.

I received a copy of this book from Booklook Bloggers for review purposes. A positive review was not required, and all thoughts regarding this book are my own.         

A House Divided by Robert Whitlow

Corbin, a longtime legal champion for the downtrodden, is slowly drinking himself into the grave. His love for “mountain water” has cost him his marriage to the godliest woman he knows, ruined his relationship with his daughter, Roxy, and reduced the business at his small Georgia law firm to a level where he can barely keep the bill collectors at bay. But it isn’t until his son, Ray, threatens to limit Corbin’s time with his grandson that Corbin begins to acknowledge he might have a problem.

Despite the mess that surrounds his personal life and against the advice of everyone he knows, Corbin takes on a high-stakes tort case on behalf of two boys who have contracted non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma due to an alleged chemical exposure. The defendant, a fertilizer company, is the largest employer in the area. The lawsuit becomes a tornado that sucks Corbin, Ray, and Roxy into an increasingly deadly vortex. Equally intense pressure within the family threatens to destroy, once and for all, the thin threads that connect them.

Corbin must find the strength to stand up to his personal demons. Justice for two dying boys depends on it . . . his family depends on it. (publisher's description)
My Review: I have loved every Whitlow book I have read, but this one was just not as satisfying to read. Instead of devouring it within a few hours, as usual, it actually took a couple of weeks. I don't know if the characters just weren't developed enough for me to feel a connection or if it was that the people he was defending seemed to be too minor---more of a subplot, but not essential to the story being told.

The struggles with alcohol, family relationships, and how it impacted the family were interesting, but I wanted more of the legal aspects and how it affected the town. When I got to the end, I thought, "That's it?" It was like the conclusion to the case was tossed in as an after-thought just because he was near the end the book. I wanted to know more. I still love Whitlow and look forward to his next book. This was just a so-so one for me, but he has spoiled me with the excellence of previous novels.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book at no cost to myself in exchange for a fair and honest review from BookLook Bloggers.

The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast by Kristen Feola

The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast is an inspiring resource for Christians who want to pursue a more intimate relationship with God through the 21-day commitment to prayer and fasting known as the Daniel Fast. As you deny yourself certain foods - such as sugars, processed ingredients, and solid fats - you will not only embrace healthier eating habits, you’ll also discover a greater awareness of God’s presence. Author Kristen Feola explains the Daniel Fast in easy-to-understand language, provides 21 thought-provoking devotionals for each day of the fast, and shares more than 100 tasty, easy-to-make recipes that follow fasting guidelines. In a conversational style, Feola helps you structure the fast so you can spend less time thinking about what to eat and more time focusing on God. You will also discover that “to fast” means “to feast” on the only thing that truly nourishes? God’s powerful Word. For more info, please visit www.ultimatedanielfast.com. (publisher)
 
Each January more and more people I know take 3 weeks in January to do the "Daniel Fast". After the excitement and over-indulgences from Thanksgiving on through New Year's Day, the need to refresh, renew, and have a time of cleansing or starting over is strong. The majority of people I know are Christians, so we have just gone through a season of celebration and worship, but it is easier to get a bit distracted. The Daniel Fast is perfect to get your focus on the basics of what you need to survive and thrive both physically and spiritually.

My Review: The book is divided into 3 separate sections, and I like the way it is set up. First, though, she begins with an introduction on the purpose of fasting and how her book can help you plan in advance. You don't want to jump into a fast, bewildered and not having some type of structured idea of what and why...and how.

1. The Fast: This section tells you more about the history behind the Daniel Fast, along with other fasts that are mentioned in the Bible. Even Daniel had more than 1 fast, and there are several others mentioned too. There are different reasons for fasting and Feola goes into the different types. I love the way she goes through the various things you should do before you begin to fast and her explanations on the purpose of a Biblical fast.
2. The Focus: This is my favorite part. The 21 days of devotion and study that allow the reader to feast on the Word of God and nourish her soul. As we focus more on what He has to say and less on what we want to eat (that's why you should plan ahead), we develop a greater reliance on God and enter into a deeper relationship with Him.
3. The Food: I am not a cook! It is okay to do sometimes, but I honestly don't understand how people can enjoy it. Needless to say, I was a bit chagrined to find over 150 pages of recipes and meal plans. Seriously, I have never even heard of some of the ingredients. However, pretty pictures of some of the meals did get me to look up some of the recipes. Quite a few are things I am never going to have the patience (or money) to try, but enough of them have tempted me to consider trying to make them. There is a large variety of recipes and should be enough to tempt people into incorporating many into their diet plans even after the fast has ended. My biggest complaint is that it all seems a bit expensive, especially for a fast in the middle of Winter.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

About the Author
Kristen Feola is the author of the best-selling book, The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast, an encouraging and engaging resource for individuals, small groups, and churches participating in the Daniel Fast. Her blog, http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com, inspires thousands of people around the world. Kristen is a frequent contributor to Pentecostal Evangel magazine, and her writing has appeared in a variety of Christian and health-related publications. She has worked as a personal trainer, fitness instructor, and nutritional consultant. Kristen lives in Springfield, Missouri, with her husband and two daughters.