Two Reviews in One

I Can Only Imagine for Little Ones

I remember so clearly when I first heard the song “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe. It wasn’t the melody of the song that got my attention. It was the words. They got me thinking…what will I do when I see Jesus for the first time? It was something that I had never really put thought into. Will I run and jump into His arms? Will I be too stunned to even move? Will I even be able to stand in His presence? Maybe I’ll link arms with His and let Him show me around.

That song became wildly popular, has since become a major motion picture and now, a children’s book.

When my youngest picked this book to add to her growing library, I was so stinkin’ excited. I knew that my children were probably not familiar with the song, so I couldn’t wait to show them. But I myself couldn’t wait to read this, being a longtime fan of not only the song, but of Bart Millard of MercyMe. You guys, I kid you not. This is literally the cutest children’s book that I have ever, ever seen. The artwork is absolutely darling, and the book poses questions that have had my daughters deep in conversation. For example, “Do the houses in heaven have big rooms and spaces? Did God think of me when He built all those places?” (Seriously, have you guys ever thought of that? I hadn’t! What house did God build while he was thinking of me??)

The book ends with words directly from the song, which chokes me up every. single. time. This is definitely my favorite children’s book of 2018, and is most definitely my girls’ favorite. As is the song, which they too, now love.

NKJV Spirit-Filled Life Bible

Whether you know me in “real life” or only here through my blog, you know how much I love love love Bibles. I am a self-proclaimed Bible student, and will be forevah. And one of my very favorite ways to study the Bible is to have multiple translations spread out in front of me, so that I can read and study the same passage translated in various ways. Therefore, I was thrilled (like, thrilled) to be able to review the new, 3rd Edition Spirit-Filled Life Bible in the New King James Version.

I absolutely flipping LOVE this Bible!! I am not always delighted with Bibles that I am sent to review. (Bibles are all wonderful, please don’t get me wrong. But not all have the study features that I personally am looking for.) First of all, the Bible cover is Leathersoft. It seems to be the new trend with Bibles and I am absolutely in love with the feel of it. I would take a Leathersoft Bible over a Bonded Leather Bible any day. It is so, so soft. It lays flat, is nice and floppy and feels good to hold when you’re reading. The features, though! Oh my gosh. Here is a description from the site:

Features include:

Word Wealth - More than 650 word studies (including over 100 new ones) shed light on key terms, drawing important meaning from the original Greek and Hebrew.
Kingdom Dynamics - Dozens of biblical themes are addressed in notes by Spirit-filled preachers, teachers, and writers, including many new contributors for this edition
Truth-In-Action – Handy, helpful thematic charts provide practical application from every book of the Bible
Praying the Word - 192 guided prayers based on significant passages throughout Scripture
Detailed book introductions and outlines help you to learn each book’s historical background and appreciate its teachings
Verse-by-verse study notes explain each passage and illuminate your understanding
Includes a new full-color design with updated maps and charts, a detailed NKJV concordance, and in-depth articles about the Spirit-filled life
Designed with the exclusive Thomas Nelson NKJV Comfort Print® typeface
10-point print size

You guys. This Bible is AMAZING. Every page…every single page…is filled with study notes, prayers, guides, word-studies and so on. I was in Bible-Nerd heaven! Now, if you’re a note-taker like me, just know that this Bible is probably not one you will easily be able to take notes in. The pages are really smooth and lovely, but a little thin for note-taking, in my opinion. However, with the other features, the feel of the cover and the bigger font, that is a total non-issue, if you ask me. A definite recommend and a definite staple in my daily studies!

**A big ‘thank you’ to BookLook Bloggers for the opportunity to read and review these books! I wasn’t required to give a positive review; all opinions are my own.