A Bookish Advent

December 1
Why Christ Came: 31 Meditations on the Incarnation. Joel R. Beeke & William Boekestein. 2013. Reformation Heritage. 108 pages. [Source: Bought]

December 2
Miracle Man. John Hendrix. 2016. Harry N. Abrams. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

December 3
Hidden Christmas. Timothy Keller. 2016. 160 pages. [Source: Library]

December 4
Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room. Nancy Guthrie. 2010. 112 pages. [Source: Bought]

December 5
From Heaven: A 28 Day Advent Devotional. A.W. Tozer. 2016. Moody. 128 pages. [Source: Bought]

 

December 6
Valley of Vision: A Collection of Prayers and Devotions. Arthur Bennett. 1975. Banner of Truth. 223 pages. [Source: Gift] 

December 7
Walking As He Walked. Joel R. Beeke. 2002/2007. 133 pages. [Source: Bought] 

December 8
The Heart of the Church: The Gospel's History, Message, and Meaning. Joe Thorn. 2017. Moody. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]

December 9
The New City Catechism Devotional. Collin Hansen, ed. Introduction by Timothy Keller. 2017. Crossway. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

December 10
The Cross: God's Way of Salvation. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. 1986. Crossway. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]

December 11
How Does Sanctification Work. David Powlison. 2017. Crossway. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]

December 12
Asking the Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible. Matthew S. Harmon. 2017. Crossway. 144 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

December 13
Sing!: How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church. Keith and Kristyn Getty. 2017. B&H Books. 176 pages. [Source: Review copy]

December 14
Gospel: Recovering the Power That Made Christianity Revolutionary. J.D. Greear. Foreword by Timothy Keller. 2011. B&H Books. 266 pages. [Source: Bought]

December 15
The Root of the Righteous: Tapping The Bedrock of True Spirituality. A.W. Tozer. 1955/2015. Moody Publishers. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]

December 16
Praying the Bible. Donald S. Whitney. 2015. Crossway. 112 pages. [Source: Review copy]

December 17
Found God's Will: Find the Direction and Purpose God Wants for Your Life. John MacArthur. David C. Cook. 80 pages.

December 18
The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon. Steven J. Lawson. 2012. Reformation Publishers. 145 pages.

December 19
Name Above All Names. Alistair Begg and Sinclair B. Ferguson. 2013. Crossway. 192 pages.

December 20
Come, Let Us Adore Him. Paul David Tripp. 2017. Crossway. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]

December 21
The Story of Reality. Gregory Koukl. 2017. Zondervan. 208 pages. [Source: Bought]

December 22
Give Them Truth: Teaching Eternal Truths to Young Minds. Starr Meade. 2015. P&R Publishing. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]

December 23:
God Is: A Devotional Guide to the Attributes of God. Mark Jones. 2017. Crossway. 240 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Christmas Eve:
Habits for Our Holiness. Philip Nation. 2016. Moody Publishers. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Christmas Day:
CSB Spurgeon Study Bible. 2017. Holman Bible Publishers (B&H) 1840 pages. [Source: Gift]

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

2016 Gift Recommendations

Ten Gifts I'm Recommending This Holiday Season

Beyond Suffering Bible, NLT, Edited by Joni and Friends, Inc.

I love, love, love, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this Bible so much.

Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, Edited by Arthur G. Bennett

I got a copy of this last Christmas, and, it was love. I think I'll be rereading this one for years and years!

Hungry: Learning to Feed Your Soul with Christ. Rondi R. Lauterbach

Only read it the one time, but, WOW it's a great book!

Why Christ Came: 31 Meditations on the Incarnation by Joel Beeke and William Boekestein

I think this book should be a must-read. I'm planning on rereading it myself soon!!!

Blank Journal(s)

2016 is the first year I kept a journal, and, it really has helped me.

Blank Spiral(s)

Whether you keep track of your "stuff" in a daily planner or a blank spiral, I think it's good to have something always nearby and handy.

Glory to the Holy One by R.C. Sproul

This album means so very, very, very much to me. I listened to it constantly for months as I was recuperating from an extended stay in the hospital. It nourished me!

The Doctrines of Grace in John by Steven Lawson

I love this teaching series so much. I'm planning on watching it again soon. And I mean it. I just have lots of other borrowed teaching series to watch as well!

Mug(s)

I adore TEA. I do. And my tea-time is often when I read some theology and sit down and think deep thoughts about God.

Tea(s)

These are my personal favorite, favorite flavors. But really just a few of them. (As I said, I adore tea!)






© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Top Ten Books I'd Recommend Reading for Lent

I thought I would share a top ten list with you today. (I do love making lists!) And since Ash Wednesday is this week, I thought it would be timely to connect it with Lent. I know not everyone observes Lent, or observes Lent traditionally. (I like to do my own little thing--super-intense Bible reading.) But reading good Christian nonfiction, reading books that celebrate Jesus, well, surely the upcoming months are as good as any other! (The books are NOT presented in any order.)

1. Loving the Way Jesus Loves. Phil Ryken. 2012. Crossway. 224 pages. [My review]

First sentence: There is nothing I need more in my life than more of the love of Jesus.

About the book*: One of the best ways to learn more of the love of Jesus is to study 1 Corinthians 13 in conjunction with the Gospels. In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John we discover that everything the apostle Paul told the Corinthians about love is perfectly illustrated in the perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus never does anything without love. Indeed, his love is everything the Love Chapter says that love should be. It is patient with sinners and kind to strangers. It does not envy or boast but offers itself in humble service. It does not insist on its own way but submits to the Father. It is able to forgive, trust, hope, and persevere. In other words, the love of Jesus is everything that we are not.

2. Jesus + Nothing = Everything. Tullian Tchividjian. 2011. Crossway Books. 220 pages. [My review.]

First sentence: Never had I experienced anything so tough. I could hardly eat, had trouble sleeping, and was continually battling nausea. I felt at the absolute end of myself.

My quick summary: This book is all about God's grace, God's mercy. It is about how the Christian life SHOULD be led. It is all about learning simple truths that can free you from yourself, free you from guilt and shame, free you from lies. It is all about accepting God's word as truth and living day by day in his grace, in his love.

(This may be the book I reread for Lent. I haven't decided yet).

3. Cries From the Cross: A Journey Into the Heart of Jesus. Erwin Lutzer. 2002. Moody. 170 pages. [My review]

First sentence: Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

About the book: Lutzer studies each of Jesus' cries from the cross. All seven of them:

• A Cry for Pardon: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)
• A Cry of Assurance: "Today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
• A Cry of Compassion: "Dear woman, here is your son...Here is your mother." (John 29:26-27)
• A Cry of Anguish: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
• A Cry of Suffering: "I am thirsty." (John 19:28)
• A Cry of Victory: "It is finished." (John 19:30)
• A Cry of Submission: "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)

It would be hard to truly pick a favorite quote, but I'll try anyway:


"Either Jesus bears our sin, or we do. If the Father turned His face away from His beloved Son when He was regarded as a sinner, we can be sure that the Father will turn away from every sinner who stands before the Judgment Bar on his own merits. We are either saved by His rejection, or we must bear our own rejection for all of eternity."

4. The Big Picture Story Bible. David R. Helm. 2004/2010. Crossway Publishers. 456 pages. [My review]

First sentence paragraph (or two):


The Bible is God's story, and it begins with these big words: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Do you know how God created everything? Simply by speaking words. Imagine, making the world with words! Strong words. Powerful words. With words God created everything! He made the stars, the sun, and the moon. He made the animals, the fish, the trees, and flowers too. Everything! And then after all these things, God created... People!


Can you see Adam and Eve? God put his people in the Garden of Eden. They were made in the image of God. They were to be the rulers of God's place.


Adam and Eve were very special to God. Did you know that you are also very special to God? You are special because you are made in his image too! Being created in the image of God must have made Adam and Eve very, very happy. God was happy too. He was pleased with his world and his people because he saw that they were very good. Nothing was wrong. Nothing was bad. Nobody disobeyed God. In the very beginning, everything and everyone knew how good God was. God gave Adam and Eve good words to obey. He told them not to eat from a special tree. You see, God was teaching Adam and Eve that he was their king, that people were to obey God's word. God also said that if Adam and Eve disobeyed his word, they would surely die. So God's people, Adam and Eve, lived in God's place, the Garden of Eden. And they ruled God's world by obeying his good word. Do you know what happened next?

About the book: This may just be my favorite, favorite, favorite children's storybook bible. (Well, I actually have about two or three that I think are the best of the best. But this one is probably at the top of my list). I think it is just the right proportion of text to illustration. I think the stories are written in a kid-friendly way making this one a great choice for parents (grandparents, aunts, uncles, Sunday School teachers, etc.) to read aloud. But it's profound enough, evangelical enough, that it may just move adult readers to think about the gospel too. I LOVE that you really, truly can get the BIG PICTURE of the whole Bible just by sitting down to read this 'simple' storybook.

5. The Everlasting Tradition: Jewish Customs, Holidays, and Historical Events That Reveal Biblical Truth. Galen Peterson. 1995. Kregel Publications. 160 pages. [My review]

From the preface: We live in an age where there are few secrets. Through science we are discovering the secrets of the atom and the stars. Through tabloids we are discovering the secrets of celebrities. We may even attend churches and synagogues to worship the Creator of atoms and "stars" alike. But do we truly understand that God has a very detailed plan for our lives? And do we realize that He has presented it in a most mysterious and creative manner? This book unwraps many of those mysteries. It draws upon the specific features of both everyday and holiday customs of the Bible. It zeroes in on those elements which have either been misunderstood or have great underlying meaning. It also brings in some intriguing but little-known historical events which have profoundly shaped our perception of of the message of the Bible. There is a Hebrew folk expression that says more or less, "The apple does not fall far from the tree." This saying conveys the idea that we tend to stay close to our comfort zone, whatever it may be. But when it comes to the Bible, how many of us truly understand the cultural practices and traditions that formed the context of what we believe? These are the roots of our tree of faith. It can be said that, in many ways, our "apples" have rolled a long way down the hill from the tree which bore our fruit. We have lost track of our biblical heritage. In the pages which follow, we will take a journey back to the place where it all began, a back-to-basics approach that will consider four primary biblical themes--tradition, blessing, redemption, and celebration. Each one will take us to a special place where we can discover what God has to say to you and to me. We will discover that it really is no secret. There is an essential message in the Bible that permeates every chapter. But we will have to look carefully in order to solve the mysteries that lie just beneath the surface. Our journey begins with a walk along the path of tradition. (8-9)

About the book: I just LOVED this one. I found it fascinating and informative. I loved learning more about Jewish culture, traditions, celebrations, etc. And I thought it was very well-written. Understanding these things does add more to your reading of the Bible.

6. Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus. D.A. Carson. 2010. February 2010. Crossway Publishers. 173 pages. [My review]

First paragraph: Nothing is more central to the Bible than Jesus' death and resurrection. The entire Bible pivots on one weekend in Jerusalem about two thousand years ago. Attempts to make sense of the Bible that do not give prolonged thought to integrating the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are doomed to failure, at best exercises in irrelevance. Jesus' own followers did not expect him to be crucified; they certainly didn't expect him to rise again. Yet after these events their thinking and attitudes were so transformed that they could see the sheer inevitability that Jesus would die on a cross and leave an empty tomb behind, and absolutely everything in their lives was changed.

About the book: A series of five messages by D.A. Carson. The messages are:

• The Ironies of the Cross (which focuses on Matthew 27:27-51a)
• The Center of the Whole Bible (which focuses on Romans 3:21-26)
• The Strange Triumph of a Slaughtered Lamb (which focuses on Revelation 12)
• A Miracle Full of Surprises (which focuses on John 11:1-53)
• Doubting the Resurrection of Jesus (which focuses on John 20:24-31)

7. Raised With Christ: How The Resurrection Changes Everything by Adrian Warnock. 2010. January 2010. Crossway. 272 pages. [My review]

First few paragraphs: "What did Jesus come back to life again?" This was the surprised reaction when a young Englishwoman heard about the resurrection of Jesus. She was drinking coffee with other mothers, including my wife. It seems almost impossible to believe that she had never heard that Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead. She hadn't rejected the gospel. No one had ever told her about it!


How many other people do we know who would have a similar reaction? It is much more comfortable for us to assume that our relatives, friends, neighbors, and coworkers have already dismissed the gospel than to think they have never heard it.


Without Jesus' resurrection there is no good news at all. John Stott said, "Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion. The concept of resurrection lies at its heart. If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed."

About the book: Raised With Christ is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sounds simple, right? Chances are at some point that you've contemplated what the cross means to you, means to the church, to the faith. But have you given equal attention to what Jesus' resurrection means? How his resurrection impacts you still today?

8. The Bookends of the Christian Life. Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington. 2009. March 2009. Crossway Publishers. 160 pages. [My review]

First sentence: Most of us have experienced the difficulty of putting books on a bookshelf without having a set of bookends to keep them in place. You know what happens.

About the book: Bridges and Bevington argue that there are two bookends of the Christian life. The first bookend is the Righteousness of Christ. The second bookend is the Power of the Holy Spirit. (In a way, you could say this book was all about justification and sanctification.) By understanding these two bookends, these two concepts, readers will get a very good picture of the gospel, a good idea of what it means to be a Christian. The book also addresses three gospel enemies: self-righteousness, persistent guilt, and self-reliance.

My favorite-favorite quote:


There's an old play on the word justified: "just-as-if-I'd never sinned." But here's another way of saying it: "just-as-if-I'd always obeyed." Both are true. The first refers to the transfer of our moral debt to Christ so we're left with a "clean" ledger, just as if we'd never sinned. The second tells us our ledger is now filled with the perfect righteousness of Christ, so it's just as if we'd always obeyed. That's why we can come confidently into the very presence of God (Hebrews 4:16; 10:19) even though we're still sinners--saved sinners to be sure, but still practicing sinners, every day in thought, word, deed, and motive.


The perfect righteousness of Christ, which is credited to us, is the first bookend of the Christian life. The news of this righteousness is the gospel. Christ's righteousness is given to us by God when we genuinely trust in Christ as our Savior. From that moment on, from God's point of view, the first bookend is permanently in place. We're justified; we're credited with his righteousness. Or to say it differently, we're clothed with his righteousness (Isaiah 61:10) so that as God looks at us in union with Christ, he always sees us to be as righteous as Christ himself. And that changes everything. (26-27)

9. Grace God's Unmerited Favor. Charles Spurgeon. 1996. Whitaker House. 175 pages. [My review]

First sentence: That God would enter into gracious covenant with men is an amazing thing. That He would create man and be gracious to man is barely conceivable. However, that God would shake hands with His creature and would subject His august majesty to an unbreakable bond with many by His own pledge is astonishing.

About the book: I love this one. I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. It is one I just recently finished reading, and already I want to read it again. It is about grace. God's grace. It is about the covenant of grace. (So if you're familiar with covenant theology, you might know what to expect...in part.) It is about the doctrines of grace--how God's grace applied to us...changes EVERYTHING! It is an amazing, amazing book!

10. Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself. Joe Thorn. Foreword by Sam Storms. 2011. Crossway Books. 144 pages. [My review]

First paragraph from the introduction: Christians value the preaching of Scripture and are genuinely excited when it is preached well (when God and the gospel are on full display). We like being challenged by the Word, and we need the comfort that comes from the heralding of God's promises to all who believe. We need good preaching. Yet many who value the preaching of Scripture by pastors and teachers are not benefiting from the kind of preaching that should be most consistent and personal--preaching to ourselves. 

About the book: This book is so VERY, VERY quotable. Each chapter is short, direct, and oh-so-relevant. This book is so rich, so rewarding, so NEEDED! I can't recommend it enough!!!

Just a few quotes:

To preach to yourself is to challenge yourself, push yourself, and point yourself to the truth. It is not so much uncovering new truth as much as it is reminding yourself of the truth you tend to forget. (32)

From chapter seven "Jesus is Big"

Dear Self,
Take note--your view of Jesus tends to shrink over time. It is not that your theology itself drifts, but sometimes you so focus on one aspect of Jesus that you tend to forget the rest. The result is a shrinking Jesus (in your faith). And as your shrinking Jesus becomes small Jesus, he is easily eclipsed by your idols and ego.
The bigger and more biblical your understanding of who Jesus is, the more likely he is to be such an object of love and adoration that the idols that aim at capturing your attention and swaying your allegiance will lose their power. This is why you sometimes lack earnestness for the kingdom and the glory of God while you overflow with passion concerning temporal things. Instead of making a joyful noise and singing earnestly for the victory Christ has over sin and death, you express a dispassionate approval and mouth the words to the songs sung in worship. But there is often fire in your belly and shouts of joy when your favorite college football team is victorious over the competition. This is probably why the church is shrinking in North America--because small Jesus does not inspire awe, command respect, lead to worship, or compel us to talk of him (much less suffer for him). And small Jesus is too little to arrest the attention of the world.
So please remember--Jesus is bigger than you tend to think. He is the perfect revelation of God, the radiance of his glory, the exact imprint of his nature; he is the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists. Everything belongs to him and exists for him. He is the author of your salvation, the perfecter of your faith, and the only one in whom you can find life. (47-48)

*This is what I would consider the "topic sentence" from the book. I am using the book's own words to describe it.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: ESV Seek and Find Bible

ESV Seek and Find Bible. Crossway Publishing. 2010. 1888 pages.

The ESV Seek and Find Bible is designed to help children transition from Bible story books to the Bible itself. It offers readers the best of both.

On the one hand, it offers 130 illustrations and stories. Each story being three to four pages in length. Each consists of a full-page color illustration, a summary/story, and a seek and find section. Each 'seek-and-find' section consists of "where to find the story", "key bible verse," "three key questions," and "related Bible readings." These stories can be read and enjoyed on their own. (Though, of course, reading the stories from the Bible itself, would be a good thing. Something to encourage.)

On the other hand, it offers readers the complete text of the ESV Bible. Each book of the Bible is properly introduced. Readers can find out more about each book including a concise summary, the author and date, the key people, the central themes, the main purpose, and suggested memory verses. Throughout the Bible, there are character profiles--each character profile has a color illustration. All of this is done in a reader-friendly way. Nothing overwhelming. Everything is straight-forward.

For those readers who find books with 'too many words' and 'not enough pictures' intimidating (like Alice from Alice in Wonderland), the illustrations serve a good purpose. They can be visually appealing.  They help make this one more reader-friendly.

The back matter includes an Index of Stories, Index of Profiles and Illustrations, a Dictionary, and eight color maps. (And a very abbreviated introduction to the ESV text.)

What I liked about this one: I liked the design and layout. I liked the illustrations. I liked the symbols. I found them easy to understand and follow. I liked the size of the font. I liked the use of color. (They did NOT make Bibles like this when I was a kid.) I liked the fact that it was black letter. I liked the key questions, for the most part. I thought they were well written, well chosen. And, of course, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the ESV translation. I think this Bible could be used within the family or within a Sunday School room to great benefit.

I would recommend this one for home and church use. I would recommend it for adults working closely with children. Sunday School teachers, for example, might find this one of interest. They might want to incorporate some of these stories or questions into their lessons. I would recommend it to parents who enjoy reading the Bible and praying with their children. Reading it together, discussing it together. That could be a very good thing. I would recommend this one to children who are comfortable reading books on their own. Each child is different. So that might be, for one family, a third grader. For another family, it might be a fourth or fifth grader. Readers might be ready for the Bible stories before they are ready to read the text of the Bible itself. But this one offers both, so, it can "grow" as your child does.

I love the Bible, I do. I just LOVE it. And I think parents should not only be reading the Bible for themselves, but encouraging their children to read it as well.

Stories from Genesis: God Creates the World, God Creates Adam and Eve, Sin Enters the World, Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, God Calls Abram, Abram Rescues Lot, God's Covenant with Abram, Abraham's Visitors from Heaven, Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Ishmael, Abraham and Isaac, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau, Jacob's Dream, Jacob's Family, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and His Brothers, Joseph's Troubles, Joseph Saves People from Famine, and Joseph Forgives.

Stories from Matthew: An Angel Visits Joseph, The Visit of the Wise Men, John the Baptist Prepares the Way, The Baptism of Jesus, The Temptation of Jesus, Jesus Calls the First Disciples, Jesus Teaches How To Be Blessed, Why We Never Need to Worry, Jesus Walks on Water, The Transfiguration, The Triumphal Entry, The Passion of Jesus, The Resurrection of Jesus.

Examples of Key Questions:

From Noah and the Flood: How does God feel about sin? What did God provide so Noah's family and some of the animals could be protected from His judgment on the world? What has God provided so His people can be safe from His judgment on sin?

From Jesus Calls the First Disciples: What did Peter and Andrew do when Jesus called out to them, saying, "Follow Me"? What does it mean to be "fishers of men"? How can we learn to follow Jesus today?

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: The Big Picture Story Bible

The Big Picture Story Bible. David R. Helm. 2004/2010. Crossway Publishers. 456 pages.

The Bible is God's story, and it begins with these big words: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Do you know how God created everything? Simply by speaking words. Imagine, making the world with words! Strong words. Powerful words. With words God created everything! He made the stars, the sun, and the moon. He made the animals, the fish, the trees, and flowers too. Everything! And then after all these things, God created... People!

Can you see Adam and Eve? God put his people in the Garden of Eden. They were made in the image of God. They were to be the rulers of God's place.
Adam and Eve were very special to God. Did you know that you are also very special to God? You are special because you are made in his image too! Being created in the image of God must have made Adam and Eve very, very happy. God was happy too. He was pleased with his world and his people because he saw that they were very good. Nothing was wrong. Nothing was bad. Nobody disobeyed God. In the very beginning, everything and everyone knew how good God was. God gave Adam and Eve good words to obey. He told them not to eat from a special tree. You see, God was teaching Adam and Eve that he was their king, that people were to obey God's word. God also said that if Adam and Eve disobeyed his word, they would surely die. So God's people, Adam and Eve, lived in God's place, the Garden of Eden. And they ruled God's world by obeying his good word. Do you know what happened next?

I loved this one. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one! It was MUCH bigger than I was expecting! You might think a book with four-hundred pages would be text-heavy. That even if the book was written with young children in mind, that the text would overwhelm the book. But that isn't the case at all. It's filled with illustrations by Gail Schoonmaker. And the illustrations are great--very bold, vibrant. But not in an overwhelming way. Not in a glittery way. They worked really well! The little details were great!

The text is simple and direct--without much fuss and nonsense--yet it is profound too. (I liked how the narrator speaks directly to readers. Asking them to participate in the story. I thought that was a great touch.) I liked the stories Helm included. I liked how the stories were presented. How they all tied together. I also liked the balance between text and illustration.

I think this would be a great book for parents and grandparents to share with the children in their lives. I think this book would make a great read-aloud. And if your child is already reading, perhaps, you can take turns reading to one another. I think there's enough in the stories to lead to  good discussion!

There is a definite theme to this bible storybook collection. Dare I say it? It's evangelical! I remember Mike Abendroth of Bethlehem Bible Church preaching a sermon called "The Gospel in Twelve Words." (The LINK is to an mp3 of the sermon.) These are twelve key words--organized under four questions--that can "help" you spread the gospel.

Who is God? Creator. Judge. Savior.

Who is Man? Fallen. Sinful. Foolish.

What Did Jesus Do? Redeemed. Reconciled. Resurrected.

What Did Jesus Command? Believe. Repent. Follow. 

Reading The Big Picture Story Bible, I was reminded of this sermon, of this outline. For in this book, we see a clear presentation of man and God. Of man's need for a Savior. Of God's loving care and provision. Of the BIG PICTURE of the Bible. So the stories are presented as being part of one BIG story. Everything is connected. Yet it isn't forced.

I would recommend this one to children. But I would also recommend it to adults. It's a clear overview of the entire Bible practically--and it can be read in one sitting. The language is clear, concise. If you're not sure what the "big picture" of the Bible is--how these 66 books act as one big story--then this is the book for you.

There are eleven stories from the Old Testament: "The Very Good Beginning," "A Very Sad Day," "Life Outside the Garden," "God's Big Promise," "God's People Grow," "God's People Become Great," "God's Great Sign," "Going Into God's Place," "God's Blessings Grow," "Another Very Sad Day," and "God's Promise Remains."

There are fifteen stories from the New Testament: "Many Silent Years," "God's Promised One is Born," "God's Promised One is Announced," "God's New People Are Called," "Jesus Restores God's Place," "Jesus Reveals God's Kingdom," "A Blind Man Sees," "A Dead Man is Raised to Life," "Jesus Wears God's Kingly Crown," "Jesus' Followers Are in the Dark," "A Brand-New Day," "God's Promise is Explained," "God's New Kingdom Spreads," "Letters to Live By," and "The Very Good Ending."

The newest publication of The Big Picture Story Bible includes an audio book version of this one read by the author. (It's a little over 90 minutes in length.)


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

5 Gift Ideas for Kids for Easter

Bibles & Bible Storybooks for Children

ESV Seek and Find Bible. Crossway Publishing. 2010. 1888 pages.

Published in partnership with Concordia Publishing House, this new full-color children’s Bible combines the complete ESV Bible text with more than 120 new, vibrant illustrations of major Bible stories.  Accompanying each full-page illustration is the Bible story itself, clearly and accurately retold for young readers—and for the parents, grandparents, and teachers who read to them.  Each story includes a Key Bible Verse to memorize, Additional Readings for discovering more of the story throughout the Bible, and simple Reflection Questions to help children begin to understand and apply God’s Word.  Colorful icons make it easy for young readers to see where each story is found in the Bible text and to locate the illustration that goes with it. 

In addition, dozens of Bible characters are profiled throughout the pages, and color call-out sections provide illustrated facts about important Bible objects, structures, and places. Each Bible book begins with a child-friendly introduction, highlighting the important characters and themes found in it.

The ESV Seek and Find Bible is the ideal first “real” Bible for pre-readers and young readers, ages 5 to 9, to grow up with. It is also a wonderful resource for parents to use in family Bible reading and for teachers who teach the Bible to young children.

• More than 130 full-page, full-color illustrations
• Simple Bible story retellings for each illustration
• Age-appropriate introductions to each Bible book
• Key Verses to memorize
• Illustrated profiles of more than 50 major Bible characters
• Illustrated facts about Bible objects, structures, and places
• Reflections Questions for children, parents and teachers

God is Great: A Toddlers Bible Storybook by Carolyn Larsen. Illustrated by Caron Turk. 2011. Crossway Publishers. 44 pages.

In God Is Great, Carolyn Larsen and illustrator Caron Turk provide a wonderful resource for children ages five and under by presenting seventeen Bible stories in an understandable and fun way. In simple language, Larsen describes what God has done in the story of our world, beginning with the creation account and moving through the Great Commission. As children learn about the ways in which God has shown his greatness in the past, they will also learn about his character and how he is still great today.

“God Makes Everything,” “God Protects Daniel,” “Jesus Feeds the 5,000,” and “Jesus Dies, But Not Forever!” are only a few of the stories that will captivate young readers. Beautiful illustrations by veteran illustrator Caron Turk accompany each story. Parents, grandparents, and teachers will find God Is Great to be a valuable tool for teaching young children.

The Big Picture Story Bible. David R. Helm. 2004/2010. Crossway Publishers. 456 pages.

No child is too young to begin learning about the greatest love story of all—God’s love for his people, as portrayed in the Bible. David Helm and Gail Schoonmaker have together created a colorful book of Bible stories written especially for children ages 2–7. Rather than simply retelling portions of the Bible, this book presents the big picture—the unified story running through the Old and New Testaments. Twenty-six stories together form parts of this big picture.

Simply written and beautifully illustrated, this book teaches children the Bible’s whole story so they can begin to appreciate the fulfillment of God’s promise to his people. The Big Picture Story Bible is perfect for parents to read to their children and for older children to read on their own.

First published in 2004, The Big Picture Story Bible has been widely praised and used by parents. It now comes with an audio recording of the book, read by the author and presented on two CDs, one each for the Old and New Testaments. Great for Sunday school classes and trips in the car, children can listen to the text and follow along in the book.

Mighty Acts of God: A Family Bible Story Book. Starr Meade. 2010. 288 pages.

In Mighty Acts of God Starr Meade takes a new approach to teaching the Bible to elementary school aged children: she focuses not on characters in Scripture, but on God. Each of the ninety Bible stories included focus on a particular character trait or truth about God, emphasizing that God is the main character in every Bible story.

Each story in Mighty Acts of God is retold in lively, modern-day language from a Reformed perspective, and is followed by an application section with several discussion-sparking questions and prayer points. By moving chronologically through both the Old and New Testaments, parents and children glimpse the person of God as one of consistency, vibrancy, passion, and love.

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name. Sally Lloyd-Jones. 2009. ZonderKidz. 352 pages.

The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the Story beneath all the stories of the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell the Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby, the Child upon whom everything would depend. From Noah to Moses to King David, every story whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle--the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together.

Beautifully written and illustrated, The Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God's great story of salvation--and at the center of their story, too.      

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible