The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible, offers a unique way to engage with scripture. It is perfectly suited for those who appreciate both artistic expression and journaling. It arrives packaged in an easily wrapable box, making it giftable without much fuss. The Bible has a lovely pink faux-leather cover. It is a very usable Bible in that it can lie flat on a hard surface making it easy to both journal and color and it curves and bends comfortably on your lap during your quiet time.
The interior encourages active engagement with the text. You will find sufficient space to record thoughts and prayers with journaling lines at the side of each page. There are numerous pictures to color match the message of the Bible stories, which creates a visual connection to the scripture. Please note that the Bible features small print, which is typical of Bibles that have extra features. This is definitely an adult Bible intended for home-based study.
Overall, this is a premium, beautifully constructed tool for deepening one’s faith and knowledge through creativity and contemplation.
If you would like to have a copy of The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible I am gifting two people. All you need to do is hop over to my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10231487595909861&set=a.2108327384582 – and say YES in the comments section of the post. (I can only mail to United States addresses.) Winners will be selected by a random number generator. Your opportunity for a free copy will end on November 30, 2025.
A Journey of Caregiving: Finding Strength and Hope
The book begins in Winter, which is when you face the cold, hard truths of a difficult diagnosis. Spring, a time of growth and hope, helps you emerge from the cold, uncertain days.
Summer brings weariness and exhaustion. This is when you realize things are changing again, and you must learn to cope with the heaviness of the situation. Lastly we come to Fall, a time for acceptance, even when dealing with big changes like finding a care center that can do the things you no longer can or saying the final goodbye to the one you love. The great lesson throughout all the seasons is that the strength you need always points back to your Father, who loves you both.
This book is a must-read for anyone taking care of a family member or friend. The main message is that you are chosen by God to do this important work, and when the feelings of doubt, fear, or extreme exhaustion hit, you can whisper or shout out His name to find relief.
The author also gives truly great advice for daily life. First, she reminds caregivers they have to take care of themselves, too. It’s okay—and necessary—to prioritize your own well-being! She also teaches you to focus on the right things—not the constant little requests, but the loving reason you are serving. Also, caregivers must let others know their needs and accept their help. Ask God for what is needed, expect Him to act, and let Him do the rest.
This mix of life story and devotional will help anyone in a caregiving role find their new normal and discover that true strength, stability, and relief can be found in their faith. It is all about embracing a spirit of gratitude and finding hope in each moment.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a caregiver. It will lift your spirits and keep you mindful that you’re not doing this alone.
If you would like to have a copy I am gifting two people. All you need to do is hop over to my Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/marie.bungard and say YES. (I can only mail to United States addresses.) Winners will be selected by a random number generator. Your opportunity for a free copy will end on November 30, 2025.
Look for my next review. I’ll be gifting a copy of The Coloring Bible (for adults) to two lucky people.
I’m writing this review differently than I usually write. It will be much shorter, but I hope that will entice you to read the book.
In one week our protagonist goes from being settled in her own rooms to homeless, from being a respected teacher to having no job, from single to married and living in a place she didn’t know existed.
The setting is a small cabin in a holler nestled in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky in the early 1900’s. Life is joyous and difficult at the same time. School is something people have dreamed of having, but a teacher can be hard to find. A one-room schoolhouse is built and the missionary-pastor sets about finding a teacher/wife. In one week that is accomplished and the story begins…
The characters include a mountain waif whose mother died, the missionary pastor showing and sharing God with the people of a backwoods holler, and the teacher/wife (a woman of excellence in many ways) who ties it all together. The author does an excellent job of expertly weaving the lives of her characters together.
This book will be excellent reading on a hot, lazy summer day. I loved it and I know you will, too.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free directly from Revel/Baker Publishing Group. 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 requirements, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I have been given the honor and privilege of reviewing another really good, historically accurate book. You will find two completely different reviews on this page because Paraclete Publishing sent two books and I asked a friend to read and review with me.
Ahoti is a Hebrew word that means “my sister” and is a retelling of the well-known Bible Story about Tamar, King David’s daughter. However, the authors go much deeper into the story using information from the Book of Gad, the Bible, historical resources, and literary license to enhance and expand our understanding of what happened after she was raped by her brother.
As in real life, healing from a traumatic incident takes time, silence evidenced by the friends who will sit with you in the stillness, productive physical activity – music that helps express grief and a way to move on. In Tamar’s case, this came in the form of a garden.
Tamar disappeared into history after her brother Absalom was killed but, there is so much more to her story. King David’s Court was typical of political communities throughout history. There was the expected intrigue, murder, rumor mill, court affiliations and collaborations, alienations and separations that determined the fate of this woman.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the vocabulary. The authors are very skilled at using words that are rarely used in fiction books. Words that are not so old or uncommon, giving the reader a better understanding of what was really happening in the time and place, were placed in just the right places.
I highly recommend this book. This story is the timeless history of good and bad. It is intense in spots, contemplative, and represents what life 3,000 years ago could have been like in king’s court.
The next review is by Tonya Heston. She is an avid reader of many genres and I’m proud to call her my God-daughter. Thanks, Tonya!
Ahoti is the beautiful story of a young girl whose innocence is stolen and what happens after her family sweeps it under the rug for the sake of family pride. As a 21st-century woman, this book saddened me, and then healed me in a way that only a book can.
Our God is a mending and healing God, and that is true no matter the harshness of what we have to go through to finally see it. I admire Tamar for her resiliency and her absolute faith that God still loved her, even if it felt like everyone had let her down. Everyone except for Mara, of course. Everyone needs a friend like Mara in their lives. I believe that Mara and Tamar were placed together for this divine purpose.
While this book isn’t my normal type of book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It did get a bit wordy at times, but I don’t think it took anything away from the story. I did have to go back and refresh myself on what was said if Tamar had a lot of thoughts before responding to someone. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in Biblical fiction and would like to imagine what happens after the writers of the Bible stopped recording.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free directly from Paraclete Press. 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 requirements, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Here are some thoughts I had as I read this excellent book, Defiant Joy by Jennifer Michelle Greenberg.
We enjoy so many blessings in this life. So many… Ephesians 1:3-23 gives us a nearly exhaustive list and these are only an example of the joy that will come when we get to heaven. God said so. It will be so!
We cannot make our own joy. It’s just not possible. We must understand that God gifts us with joy, His joy. I was able to find more than 150 Bible verses about joy. Every one of them connects to God! One in particular stands out to me – The joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah 8:10
It has become very obvious to me that tears and joy often go together. Have you ever cried in response to joy, to worship, to intense happiness? I would venture to say that all of us have. Legitimate tears are a real sign that God lives in us.
Are you convinced that God really loves us? The conviction of God’s love for His children is absolutely necessary to understanding His joy and how it is given to us. Absolute certainty in His love and joy is where we find total rest.
The evil one, satan, loves to undermine our joy. He is a real expert at this. He does not want us to understand that our faith is the foundation of understanding joy. He will do everything in his power to undermine our faith. That includes waging war against our joy.
When all is said and done, when Jesus returns or we draw our final breath we can know, without question, that God is the foundation and giver of joy.
This book is more than worth your time. It was helpful to me in so many ways. I have a better understanding of so many of the stories in the Word and how they apply to this walk I’ve chosen with Jesus. Do you like books that are full of connections? This one is for you! I highly recommend reading this. I know I’ll be reading it again and again.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free directly from Net Galley. 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 requirements, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
A Satisfied Spirit 