It is good to gather with others whether that be a physical gathering or a virtual gathering. We learn from each other and can become better versions of who we are created to be when we permit others to speak into our lives – a benefit of being part of a community.
My Number One Tip
Obtain a Bible that you can understand, and has features that make it appealing to you i.e. font size, thickness of the pages, will it be for study or overall reading, etc. Then schedule time in your day for a routine of consistent reading. If you seek to know Him you will begin to understand God and how much He loves you. As you spend time reading and studying the Holy Scriptures a relationship will develop like spending time with a good friend.
Favorite Bibles
Here are three of my favorite Bibles and what I like about each. These are not in ranking order as each Bible meets a different need and serves a unique purpose.
Day by Day Chronological Bible © 2018 Holman Bible Publishers. This Bible has quickly become a favorite and what I like about it is: It is an entire Bible but the books are put in chronological story order, the author has divided up the readings so that a person can read select chapters each day and complete the entire Bible in a year by reading six days per week. The seventh day has a very brief review of the week and helps keep one on schedule if you miss a day.
Other features I like are the single-column text, wide roomy margins, small chapter and verse numbering, and the reflective reading prompt questions.
I cannot say enough about how much I love this Bible. I am going through it with a group of four other women. We have each discovered a new depth of understanding and when we get into difficult passages, we learn from one another.
Spirit Filled Life Bible © 1991 Thomas Nelson Publishers. My mother gave me this Bible more than 20 years ago. It is a great study Bible. I don’t know if this is still in print, but there are a variety of good study Bibles on the market today.
I like to use a study Bible when trying to work through a passage that is hard to understand and when preparing a teaching lesson. This one, as do others, offers historical context at the beginning of each book. It includes maps for geographical clarity, highlights original Hebrew and Greek word definitions, contains cross-references, expository notes on most verses, and a concordance. One other feature I like about this specific Bible is the paper thickness. The pages are a bit weightier than many Bibles, most highlight markings and written notes do not bleed through.
The ESV Reader’s Bible © 2001 Crossway. This is a good Bible for reading to get a broad overview of the Bible. All visual markers and notes are absent, except for teeny tiny chapter numbers. I was pleasantly surprised by how much easier it is to read when sight distractions are omitted.
The brain uses mental energy to sort out what we are not trying to focus on and until I got this Bible, I was unaware of how draining it can be to read text with all the notations and markings. This Bible has single-column text so it reads like any other storybook.
I enjoy discovering the overall narrative of the Bible, without the details that can distract. Prior to my experience with this format, I was getting bits and pieces but missing much of the storyline.
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