Monday, October 28, 2024

51. Waiting for Christmas

Waiting for Christmas. Lynn Austin. 2024. 288 pages. [Source: Library] [novella; christian fiction; historical fiction; holiday; Christmas; romance] [3 stars]

First sentence: Adelaide Forsythe held on to her hat in the wintry wind as she hurried home from the trolley stop.

Waiting for Christmas is a holiday novella starring characters from Lynn Austin's All My Secrets. Adelaide and Howard are preparing to celebrate their first Christmas together since marrying. What neither expected was to find an orphaned boy, Jack, and his younger sister, Polly, filling their home with one surprise after the other. Their mother has died; their father is at sea. Both are expecting a miracle for Christmas, it is harder for Howard and Adelaide to have faith in that miracle. 

It is unusual for christian historical romance to focus in on the first few months of marriage and chronicle the adjustment and transition. Most focus on the courtship and wedding....only offering epilogues now and then to fill out what happens after the happily ever after. (That's not to say that this does not happen, Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly comes to mind.) 

I am reading this one out of season. Perhaps reading it during the holiday season would make me feel all warm and cozy. I liked it well enough. I did. I don't know that I absolutely adored it. Then again, I'm not sure I absolutely and completely loved All My Secrets either. I think if you did love All My Secrets this one would definitely be worth reading OR if you love holiday-themed novellas.  

It is set in New York City, turn of the century, 1901. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

50. Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion

Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion. Allie Beth Stuckey. 2024. 224 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [christian nonfiction] 

First sentence: It was like I could feel her anxiety.

Can empathy be toxic? Stuckey argues YES. She makes an effort to distinguish between compassion, empathy, and toxic empathy. The book tackles five "lies" being promoted by society. She argues progressive society, but, I think it is more widespread than that. This is more the majority opinion, the mainstream opinion. Even within the mainstream church you can find advocates for all five lies. The church is not necessarily "safe" from these persuasive lies.

The five lies are as follows: 
  • Abortion is health care
  • Trans women are women
  • Love is Love
  • No human is illegal
  • Social justice is justice
These are both political issues and moral/ethical issues. And Stuckey does not deny that these are complex, mutli-layered issues. But she also is clear that the Word of God is authoritative, that feelings are not truth, that Christians need to be clear where the Bible is clear. Kindness, true compassion, must be grounded in biblical truths. 

She writes,
"The erroneous conflation of love and empathy has convinced the masses that to be loving, we must feel the same way they do. Toxic empathy says we must not only share their feelings, but affirm their feelings and choices as valid, justified, and good."

She continues, 
Empathy can help us see their perspective and foster compassion, but that's all it can do. It can't guide us into making the right decisions or donning the wise, moral, or biblical position. Toxic empathy bullies us into believing that the unwise, immoral, and unbiblical position is actually the righteous one."

She follows up,
"To love means to want what is best for a person, as God defines "best." God's definition of what is good and loving will almost always contradict the world's definition, which will inevitably put us at odds with mainstream culture. While this is uncomfortable, the sacrifice is worth it. The truth can change lives."

And,
"This book isn't about killing empathy. It's about embracing God's vision for love, order, and goodness. My goal is to equip you with commonsense, biblical truths that dismantle toxic empathy from its foundations. Again: real love--the kind described by the God who created and is love (1 John 4:8)--always includes truth. The two are inextricably intertwined, since true love celebrates truth (1 Cor. 13:6). Christians are called to this kind of love regardless of whether we feel empathy or not." 

Finally,
"Putting yourself in someone's shoes may help you feel their pain, but their pain isn't determinative of what's true or false, right or wrong." 

I think the book is timely and relevant. I think it is well organized and laid out. The chapters--if you can call them chapters--are EXTREMELY long. 


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Sunday Salon #43


Bible reading

NASB 77
  • Job 8-42
  • Psalms 1-72

LSB
  • Philippians
  • Colossians
  • 1 Thessalonians
  • 2 Thessalonians
  • 1 Timothy
  • 2 Timothy
  • Titus
  • Philemon
  • Hebrews
  • James
  • 1 Peter
  • 2 Peter
  • 1 John
  • 2 John
  • 3 John
  • Jude
  • Revelation

ESV
  • Deuteronomy 12-34
  • Joshua
  • Judges
  • Ruth
  • 1 Samuel
  • 2 Samuel
  • Psalms 1-17

NKJV
  • Nehemiah
  • Esther
  • Job
  • Song of Songs
  • Isaiah 1-39
  • Matthew 13-28
  • James

KJV
  • Song of Solomon
  • Daniel
  • Hosea
  • Joel
  • Amos
  • Obadiah
  • Jonah
  • Micah
  • Nahum
  • Habakkuk
  • Zephaniah
  • Haggai
  • Zechariah
  • Malachi
  • 1 Chronicles
  • 2 Chronicles 1-9

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

23. LSB (Legacy Standard Bible) Giant Print Reference

23. Legacy Standard Bible, Giant Print Reference. 2023. [July] 1984 pages. [Source: Bought] [Bible] [5 stars]

First sentence: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

Start date: August 6, 2024
End date: October 23, 2024

I first read the Legacy Standard Bible in January of 2022. (I reviewed it on January 28, 2022). I enjoyed the translation the first time around, but my biggest complaint was the size of the font. This GIANT-PRINT reference edition is an absolute dream come true. 

It is GIANT PRINT (13 pt font). The pages are THICK (32GSM). It is line-matched. It is double-column. The references are actually large enough to read. It is black letter. It is paragraph instead of verse by verse. 

The layout is so beautiful that I can't imagine not reading this one again and again and again. I wish ALL translations had a bible this lovely in hardback so that it is more affordable.




Psalm 23

Yahweh is my shepherd,
I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will pursue me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Sunday, October 20, 2024

Sunday Salon #42


Bible reading

NASB 77 Topical Chain Study Bible
  • 1 Chronicles 10-29
  • 2 Chronicles
  • Ezra
  • Nehemiah
  • Esther
  • Job 1-7

KJV Center Column Reference
  • Colossians
  • 1 Thessalonians
  • 2 Thessalonians
  • 1 Timothy
  • 2 Timothy
  • Titus
  • Philemon
  • Hebrews
  • James
  • 1 Peter
  • 2 Peter
  • 1 John
  • 2 John
  • 3 John
  • Jude
  • Revelation
ESV
  • Exodus 11-40
  • Leviticus
  • Numbers
  • Deuteronomy 1-11

LSB
  • Acts
  • Romans
  • 1 Corinthians
  • 2 Corinthians
  • Galatians
  • Ephesians
KJV Names of God Bible & Alexander Scourby Audio (I've decided *not* to tackle this massive project right now)
  • Genesis 12-50
NKJV (I'm undecided *which* NKJV Bible I'll be reading in. I've decided on translation not Bible)
  • Matthew 1-12
  • 1 Chronicles
  • 2 Chronicles
  • Ezra 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Friday, October 18, 2024

49. Trekking Toward Tenacity

Trekking Toward Tenacity. Chris Morris. 2024. 187 pages. [Source: Library] [parenting, mental health] [2 stars]

First sentence from introduction: If you've picked up this book, it's likely because either the phrase "stronger mental health" or the word "tenacity" caught your eye, and you thought that maybe you could use a bit more of one or the other in your family. 

First sentence from chapter one: Oh Dear, He Knows Everything. When we read that God has examined our hearts and knows everything, this might induce a sense of dread. We could be filled with fear. 

Trekking Toward Tenacity uses Psalm 139 to walk parents [presumably believers] through how to better nurture the mental health and wellbeing of their families. It has activities for how to teach and/or illustrate the concepts for children of varying age ranges. The book mentions that it can be a true struggle to raise up children within the Christian faith and that it is hard to make time to teach the basics, to build upon a foundation that will allow for tenacity.

Chapter titles include:
  • God Knows Us Intimately and Still Wants to Be Around Us
  • God Is Paying Attention to Us
  • God Sees Us
  • God Knows Our Words
  • God Is All Around and Within Us
  • We Must Develop a Ritual of Gratitude
  • We Cannot Escape God
  • Darkness is Light to God
  • God Knows Our Broken Parts and Still Loves Us
  • We are Extraordinary
  • God Knows All Our Days
  • We Can Be Emotional
  • We Can Pray Bravely
The book uses the MESSAGE translation of the Bible. I would say each chapter uses a verse or two of Psalm 139 as a jumping off place. It does not stay focused in or zoomed in on the Bible for long. It is a personal book with the author sharing his own struggles and experiences....along with his own viewpoints.

I wanted to really LOVE this one so that I could recommend it wholeheartedly and without reservation to others. I know it is a genuine struggle for parents. 

However, I found the theology to be problematic. In some chapters it is a tad problematic--negligible. In other chapters it is glaringly problematic. In some chapters, the theology is just so incredibly UNbiblical. A few chapters are good to go. Because it is a bit all over the place, it would require a good amount of discernment on the part of the reader. Some parents may be able to pick and choose--to take the good and dismiss the bad, to still find value in the book. 

I love how the first chapter shows that God LOVES us and is FOR US no matter our mental health. We can be a total mess, and God still loves us and values us. Your mess can't scare away God. In the second chapter, he writes, "No matter what thoughts occur in our heads, the value God places on our lives is unchanging." 

I truly appreciated how he stresses that mental health conditions are NOT sin and that they don't make us unlovable. They don't define our relationship with God. Christian maturity does not guarantee mental health conditions lessen, improve, or go away. We are not promised healing simply because our faith is in Christ. He writes, "We must communicate to our kids at every age that God isn't disappointed in them because of a potential mental health condition, God isn't ashamed of us when we battle these circumstances, and God isn't going anywhere." 

I appreciated how he points out that we can live as practical atheists when we live as if God is not with us, not present, not seeing or hearing. We live as if there is no God. But there IS a God who is always there.

What I found disturbing or alarming is his throwing God's sovereignty completely out the window. He just out and out rejects God's governance of the universe, his foreknowledge and knowledge, his ordained plan. Morris' God simply is just waiting to see how it all plays out in the end since there are billions, trillions, infinite freewill choices that could change everything happening every second of every day. God has no control over the future or working things out for our good simply because he's tied his own hands up. He could have more of a say in the universe, but, he's choosing not to because he's bound--tied down--by free will of humanity. 

This doctrine is not a "little" doctrine. It is not inconsequential or insignificant. You would have to throw out the God of the Bible as revealed in Genesis through Revelation. Hardly any book of the Bible is silent on God's sovereignty. It is everywhere. And it is tied so closely with all of God's other attributes that how could you remove his sovereignty without damaging or collapsing the rest. God is God is God is God. 

But some of what he had to say was weird/odd or just confusing....

"God would rather break up the Trinity than walk away from us."

What does that even mean??????

Problematic quotes:
If we decide to allow Jesus to be the king of our lives and accept his sacrifice as our Savior, then we are gifted the righteousness of Jesus. 

Taking time to praise God for ourselves is a worthy exercise for two reasons. First, we develop a fresh gratitude for the goodness of God that's evident in our lives every single day, almost hidden in plain sight. Second, we gain a healthy appreciation of ourselves. Instead of focusing on all the things we don't do perfectly, we can see the things that work well, the things we perform well, and the things that are perfect. 

We are worth everything to him. We don't spend enough of our lives thinking about ourselves as God's masterpiece, and we don't coach our kids to do that either...If we can learn to live as God's masterpieces it will dramatically affect the way we view ourselves...we will sotp viewing ourselves as unfinished and will recognize that God knew what he was doing when he created us. We will no longer denigrate ourselves.

God shows us off to the angels and whoever else will listen because he's that proud of us.

If God were the type of God who interfered with free will, then we would have an entirely different world altogether. We would be automatons instead of human beings, the cross of Christ would have been unnecessary, and we would not know even the simple joys of choosing what outfit to wear today. There is no middle ground here. Either God honors free will or he doesn't, and both have consequences. 

Have you taken for granted the idea that God dwells in eternity and knows everything? How does the information in this chapter change your perspective on God? 

God has to learn what's in our hearts through what we do, and he sits back and allows our free will to lead the way. 



For those unfamiliar with Psalm 139, here it is in full:

Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I get up;
You understand my thought from far away.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, Lord, You know it all.
You have encircled me behind and in front,
And placed Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot comprehend it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
If I take up the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will take hold of me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
Even darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.

For You created my innermost parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my formless substance;
And in Your book were written
All the days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

If only You would put the wicked to death, God;
Leave me, you men of bloodshed.
For they speak against You wickedly,
And Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate those who hate You, Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

Search me, God, and know my heart;
Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there is any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.



© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

48. Festival Days

Festival Days: A History of Jewish Celebrations. Chaim Raphael. 1990. 144 pages. [Source: Bought] [nonfiction] [3 stars]

First sentence: The Jewish calendar includes a host of major and minor celebrations in a continuous, almost non-stop process throughout the year. 

This was a thrift store find. It ended up not being what I was wanting it to be. I was looking for a book about Jewish festivals--feasts, fasts, etc. "all" the holidays of the Jewish calendar. I was hoping for a fact-filled basic overview detailing everything--the what, when, where, how, who, and why. I was hoping it captured impact, meaning, and significance to communities--past and present. 

The book touches on the basics to a small degree, however, I think it was not written with an outsider in mind. It did not seek to explain, to detail, to describe, to elaborate about anything. I think it assumed that the reader would know a lot already. Which could be a fair point indeed. 

It did not seem a "history" to me. I would expect with the description of history that it would trace something from its beginnings to the present day [in this case the 1980s]. It mentioned that there were [at the very, very, very least] three HUGE shifts in how festivals were observed: the Babylonian captivity; the destruction of Jerusalem; and the Holocaust. For the first two it centered around if there is no "Jerusalem" as the center-point and literal PLACE of worship [and fellowship] how do we worship, how do we celebrate, how do we observe. For the last, it was more a focus of when being Jewish, when practicing Judaism becomes dangerous--how do you change your practices? do your circumstances alter how you worship. But this discussion, this "history" lesson, seems to take up very little space. I would have found these subjects fascinating if they had been elaborated on. But again, it was more a slight mention--maybe a sentence or two here and there. 

So if the book doesn't focus on a particular time of history, what does it do? It seems to mainly be about how the Bible [his words, not mine] is not literal, that Moses never existed, that Jews were not monotheistic, that monotheism was a very late development, that all the festival days are rooted in pagan religions and that the Bible itself borrows freely and liberally from multiple pagan cultures. It seemed to want to strip the festivals from their roots as revealed in the Pentateuch. 

The last chapter focuses on how festivals have found their ways into poems and songs through the centuries. 



© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Monday, October 14, 2024

22. KJV Center Column Reference

22. King James Version, Center Column Reference. Nelson 4505 BG. 1120 pages. [Source: Bought] [5 stars]

First sentence: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Start date: August 18, 2024
End date: October 14, 2024

I thrifted this lovely King James Version center column reference Bible a little over a year ago. If you've been around very long, you'll have realized that I love and adore the KJV. I do. I am not KJVO. I'm not. But at the same time, I just can't stay away from it. I just love it so much and find it so wonderfully majestic, beautiful, and rhythmic. It just sings to me. 

This edition that I bought is Nelson 4505 BG. It's hard to find exact books on GoodReads. Its dimensions are similar to a thinline Bible. It was published in 1989. It is two column, red letter, center column reference. The font is on the smaller side. But it is light weight. There is minimal ghosting. In other words, it could be better but it could also be a lot worse. The ghosting is not a distraction. It is verse by verse with "self-pronouncing" text. YET with the self-pronouncing text it is on the minimal side. Many proper names and place names do not have this breakdown into syllables. It's there for the longer, more obscure words, and not so much the more common ones that most people would already know. Speaking of obscure words, there are some words defined in the center column. There are short book introductions to each book of the Bible. There is a small concordance and a reading plan in the back.




© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Sunday, October 13, 2024

Sunday Salon #41


Bible reading

NASB 77 (Topical Chain Study Bible)
  • 2 Samuel 10-24
  • 1 Kings
  • 2 Kings
  • 1 Chronicles 1-9

KJV (Center Column Reference)
  • John 12-21
  • Acts
  • Romans
  • 1 Corinthians
  • 2 Corinthians
  • Galatians
  • Ephesians
  • Philippians

LSB
  • Psalms 90-150
  • Luke 11-24
  • John

ESV
  • Genesis 17-50
  • Job
  • Exodus 1-10

CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible
  • Romans 12-16
  • 1 Corinthians
  • 2 Corinthians
  • Galatians
  • Ephesians
  • Philippians
  • Colossians
  • 1 Thessalonians
  • 2 Thessalonians
  • 1 Timothy
  • 2 Timothy
  • Titus
  • Philemon
  • Hebrews
  • James
  • 1 Peter
  • 2 Peter
  • 1 John
  • 2 John
  • 3 John
  • Jude
  • Revelation
KJV Names of God Bible & Alexander Scourby Audio
  • Genesis 1-11

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Saturday, October 12, 2024

21. CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible

21. CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible. God. 2019. 11, 411 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] 

First sentence: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 

Start date: August 27, 2024
End date for Old Testament: September 23, 2024
End date for New Testament: October 12, 2024

This was the FIRST time I've ever checked out a Bible from the library in order to read and review it. To be fair, it was more with reviewing in mind than reading. I checked out the digital e-book from the library. 

Things you should absolutely know about the CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible:

It was first published in 2019. It is now out of print. Since a popular Bible reviewer on YouTube made a video about it in December 2023, it went from a fairly unknown, slightly difficult to find study Bible to incredibly impossible to find unless you want to over-pay by several hundred dollars. Copies are being listed for about $350 to $450. The digital e-book is of course still available to buy...for under $20. 

There will definitely be differences in layout between the digital and print. This is impossible to avoid. I reviewed the digital copy, of course. 

It is single column. It is red letter. It does feature study notes and book introductions.

It uses the Christian Standard Bible.

Observations and thoughts (my own):

Long story short: do I personally think it is worth hundreds of dollars????? NO, NO, NO, NO. I think it would have been worth the original selling price. 

I do think it is PACKED with information, with "bells and whistles." At least in the digital edition, it seemed the study notes had study notes. Links to definitions from a dictionary and links to longer articles. The study note section of the digital book was packed with "illustrative" "goodies." Illustrations, charts, photographs, tables, etc. Was every illustration helpful or necessary? No. Some were extremely very helpful. Others were pure clutter. (Unless you are into that kind of thing.) 

It had longer articles. It starts out strong with "The Grand Story of the Bible," and "How To Read, Interpret, and Apply the Bible." It has introductions to the Old Testament and New Testament. It had introductions before each new section/genre. (Pentateuch, Historical, Poetic, Prophetic, Gospel and Acts, Letters and Revelation. Of course, each book of the bible has its own introduction. 

It had shorter articles. These "mini" "many" articles are several paragraphs in length apiece and address themes, subjects, topics, issues from within books of the Bible. These are the ones I mentioned being study notes to the study notes. I'd be curious how these are arranged and laid out in the print edition. (Are they in the back of the Bible???? Are they in the text of the Bible???? Who knows.)

It had definitions, oh so many definitions. These help clarify--at least--how the men (and perhaps women) who worked on the Bible feel about certain subjects, topics, etc. 

Each chapter has study notes. What I will say--for better or worse--is that each book seems to have its own  way about it. That's a horrible description. What I mean is that the tone, the style, differs greatly book by book. For example, you might have book of the Bible "X" have study notes that are extremely intellectual, scholarly, filled with LONG multi-syllable words, convey complex ideas, a bit intimidating. You might have book of the Bible "Y" be super laidback, casual, all summarizing, strong doses of speculation, no true insights or information to learn. 

What bothered me was the strong SPECULATION in places. I found this mostly to be true in Genesis through 2 Kings. It was like there was an enormous shift between the first half and second half of the Old Testament in terms of how the study notes were done. One place of speculation was that David never specified Solomon was to be heir to the throne and that Bathsheba was manipulating behind the scenes to get the job done. Bathsheba wanted HER son on the throne and David was weak and dying so she was able to wink, wink, wink hey remember when you promised Solomon the throne. The note writer claims that if David had such thoughts on who should be the royal heir, it would have been mentioned in 2 Samuel directly. That is just one example. 

Speculating happens. Granted. It's just you don't need outside help with that. Every reader can read the biblical text and ask speculative questions because they are curious. It doesn't mean they should brainstorm an answer up out of thin air and include it in a study Bible.

As I mentioned the study notes seem to stop summarizing and speculating after the history books. It then went to a more scholarly, information-filled approach. 

Now ALL study notes have a varying degree of theological-denominational bias. And sometimes the study notes from one book of the Bible seems to be at odds with the study notes from another book of the Bible. The study notes seem to offer a bit of contradiction--in places where there is no contradiction in Scripture. (And by bias, I mean taking "a" position about something.) 

The Ephesians notes reveal, for example, that the writer of those study notes (at the very least) are NOT in any way shape or form REFORMED. (Though other places that talk about predestination and election and foreknowledge seem to have varying degrees of interpretation/meaning. So perhaps not every one who worked on the Bible feels exactly the same on this subject.) 

The speculation weirded me out in several places. The un-Reformed position left me wanting--personally. Of course, there will be a large population that will rejoice in its un-reformed-ness. 


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

47. Strong Psalm 1

47. Strong: Psalm 1. Sally Lloyd-Jones. Illustrated by Jago. 2024. 18 pages. [Source: Library] [Board book] [5 stars] 

First sentence: By a stream
is a good place
for a little tree 
to be.
She reaches down
her roots
to drink.
And the water never dries up.

Premise/plot: Sally Lloyd-Jones' newest book is a board book retelling or adaptation of Psalm 1. The illustrations are by Jago. This is the pair that produced the Jesus Storybook Bible. After the adaptation of the psalm, it transitions into a family-friendly prayer for little ones. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I do wish that there was both a) more quantity and b) more quality books for little ones by Christians. This is quality. I wouldn't mind seeing more psalms done by this author-illustrator pair. I think it is a great starting point because Psalm 1 can in many ways describe the Christian life. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Sunday, October 6, 2024

Sunday Salon #40


Bible reading

NASB 77 Topical Chain Study Bible
  • Joshua 6-24
  • Judges
  • Ruth
  • 1 Samuel
  • 2 Samuel 1-9

KJV (Center Column Reference)
  • Matthew 21-28
  • Mark
  • Luke
  • John 1-11

LSB (Giant Print Reference)
  • Psalms 25-89
  • Mark
  • Luke 1-10

ESV (Giant Print Personal Size)
  • John
  • 1 John
  • 2 John
  • 3 John
  • Jude
  • Revelation
  • Genesis 1-16

CSB (Baker Illustrated Study Bible)
  • Luke
  • John
  • Acts
  • Romans 1-11


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

46. Tracing God's Story

Tracing God's Story: An Introduction to Biblical Theology. Jon Nielson. 2024. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy] [christian nonfiction; theology] [5 stars]

First sentence: Biblical theology is a discipline that seeks to discover theology (truth about God and his work) through the gradual and progressive revelation of his saving plan in the story of the Bible. This is often done by tracing certain themes or ideas through Scripture from beginning to end--Genesis to Revelation. The core conviction of those who practice the discipline of biblical theology is that the Bible is a unified work--a book inspired by one divine author (God) and given to human beings to help them understand his broad saving plan, which ultimately was accomplished through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. 

Tracing God's Story is one of three books in an introductory theology series. Two have been published so far. The first book, Knowing God's Truth, I reviewed last month. It was an introduction to systematic theology. Though written by the same author, the approach, of course, is different. 

The book "traces" the big picture story of the Bible in eight scenes:
1) God's creation and a crisis
2) God's promise of a people
3) God's people grow
4) God's kingdom--rise and fall
5) God's people--captive and coming home
6) God's salvation
7) God's church
8) God's eternity

The tracing centers on redemption and salvation. It neither follows the structure of Genesis through Revelation nor a chronological approach. It is a blended approach. 

There are suggested memory verses for all sixteen chapters. Each chapter is broken into smaller sections or chunks. 

There are also suggested readings for each section of each chapter. These readings reminded me of the old school reading guides found in The Student Bible (and the like). It does not assign readers chapters from every book of the Bible. But it does at least assign chapters from all the major genres. 

The narrative style is accessible, well thought out, clear. 

I do think Tracing God's Story would be a good choice for curriculum. 

How does it compare to Knowing God's Truth???? Honestly, I like Knowing God's Truth better. Not necessarily because I love systematic theology more than biblical theology, but perhaps because I am personally already so familiar with the story of the Bible--reading it cover to cover--that I got less out of it. I do think it would still be great for almost every reader. The goal is not necessarily to have readers read every chapter of every book of the Bible in order to grasp the big picture. It picks a few chapters here and there from all the major categories and then summarizes how they fit together. Of course, it encourages readers to go back and read more, more, more. Perhaps this is enough so readers can taste and see. Whenever I see reading plans that pick and choose which chapters from individual books to read, I always can't help thinking but you're missing out on this and this and this and this and this and what about that how can you skip that. But again, I think this is a me problem. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible