The collection is gorgeous, with nice thick colorful paperback covers and striking cover images. The covers have flaps for page-keeping, which I love. My one complaint about the books themselves is it's kind of difficult the flip through them looking for a specific page because the pages are cut unevenly--it looks beautiful, but is kind of unpractical. Maybe that's the point, though--these books are meant to be poured over and savored, not flipped through.
The first four studies in the collection include:
Living So That: Making Faith-Filled Choices in the Midst of a Messy Life by Wendy Blight
Living So That focuses on many of the powerful "so that" verses in the Bible, like "Jesus came so that...", "God Spoke so that..." and "Let Your Light Shine so that..." The book consists of 5 chapters, each with 5 parts, so one could complete the study in 5 weeks, reading one part per weekday. The study includes memory verses, journaling prompts, application questions, and an "if you want to go deeper" section, along with concluding thoughts. Through Biblical teaching and personal examples, Ms. Blight equips readers to live the word of God in a practical way.
Amazed and Confused: When God's Actions Collide With Our Expectations by Heather Zempel
In Amazed and Confused, author Heather Zempel explores the book of Habakkuk to make sense of God's sometimes confusing response to us. Ms. Zempel tackles the tough question of how to respond when God's actions seem out of line with His promises. This interactive Bible study is perfect for those who are hurting and confused about God response to their prayers. The book has 10 chapters. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions and space for notes.
Leaving Ordinary: Encounter God through Extraordinary Prayer by Donna Gaines
In Leaving Ordinary, author Donna Gaines shares from personal experience how prayer can link the believer's heart to the heart of God, so that we can experience true intimacy with Him. The book explores the tabernacle, through which, God taught his people how to approach and worship Him. This book is essential for anyone who wishes to enter the presence of the Lord. The book consists of 20 chapters in three parts: part 1 tells the story of the tabernacle, part 2 shows how the tabernacle foreshadows Christ, and part 3 explains how to pray through the tabernacle, using it as a pattern for obtaining intimacy with God. At the end of each chapter, the author includes a few short questions to consider, along with space for notes.
Dive Deeper: Finding Deep Faith Beyond Shallow Religion by Jennifer Jernigan
According to author Jennifer Jernigan, there is a big difference between knowing the Bible, and truly understanding it. In Dive Deeper, Ms. Jernigan uses a study of the book of Ephesians to teach the reader her D.I.V.E. method of Bible study, through examples and opportunities to practice. This unique Bible study method will encourage you to jump head-first into the exhilarating waters of Scripture and find a deeper relationship with Jesus than you ever thought possible. The book consists of 6 sections, each with 2-3 lessons. Each lesson walks the readers through the steps of Define, Investigate, Visualize, and Embrace.
Three more titles are set to be added to the collection in October.
I don't have the space to give more than a brief overview of each book, but I did want to share this excerpt from Dive Deeper: Finding Deep Faith Beyond Shallow Religion:
She was satisfied playing in a puddle. Sitting in the hole she'd dug in the snow-white beach sand, my daughter played for hours while others jumped waves and dove deep into the crystal blue waters. Every now and then the inside of her puddle would drain empty, and with yellow pail in hand, she'd walk to the ocean's edge. Cautiously, she would bend her small-framed body, holding tightly to that yellow pail, as the two of them met the rolling waves. Once her pail was full of salty, cool water, she'd wander back to her hand-made beach playground and turn the pail upside down. The insides of her sandy hold would instantly transform into a shallow puddle of ocean water. Until it emptied again.
Are you satisfied with a shallow, safe puddle of religion, when there is an ocean of faith just steps away waiting to be explored? Something to think about.
I love that this series has something for everyone--for the most experienced Bible reader on down to the novice, and for every stage of life. These are great for personal study and reflection or to study with a group.
I received these books for free from Book Look Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.
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