Many years ago when my son was just a baby, I discovered a 'little' blog called (in)courage.
It became an immediate favorite for me. Each morning, I would start my day reading these encouraging blog posts. Being so far from my friends and family, knowing no one in my new home... it became such a great escape for me. Through (in)courage I discovered many fantastic bloggers and authors... this is even how I discovered Dayspring for the first time too! These days I still love and read (in)courage regularly--- though with two kids now, I must admit I don't get to read it quite as often as I would like. Still, when I do I am still filled with that sense of community, of friendship, of faith, of encouragement.
So, when I learned that they had put out an all new devotional Bible? Well I know I had to get my hands on it. Take a look:
The CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible is an invitation for all women to find their stories within the tapestry of the greatest Story ever told—God’s Story of Redemption. Featuring devotions by over one hundred writers of the (in)courage community, the CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible provides resources for women to explore the Bible, dive deep into Scripture, record their own stories, and find themselves among friends. Readers will experience Scripture in new ways in the company of women willing to “go first” with everyday stories that bear witness to God’s grace to find beauty in brokenness and hope in the hard. (in)courage is a vibrant online community, reaching thousands of women every day, welcoming them just the way they are, offering a space to breathe, loving support, and resources for meaningful connection.
Features include:312 Devotions by 122 (in)courage community writers10 distinct thematic Reading Plans 66 Book Introductions connecting each book of the Bible to the whole biblical narrativeStories of courage from 50 women of the BibleJournaling spaceTopical indexTwo-column textTheme versesSpecialized presentation page The CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible's original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture's life-transforming message and to share it with others.
When I first opened up this Bible, the first thing I noticed was the simply gorgeous style. Listen, I have some gorgeous Bibles in my collection. Some feature elaborate designs or fancy leather. This was a simple canvas Bible, but I loved that simplicity. The color was perfect, and I just couldn't wait to flip it open.
The inside is even better than the out. The imagery inside is absolutely stunning. Not just the introduction pages, though they certainly are pretty too... but the images scattered throughout as well. They are not on every page or even on a ton of pages. To be honest, I didn't even realize there were any images inside until I'd had and used it for a good week or two... but oh what a beautiful surprise that was. I am a very visual person, so I loved that extra touch.
The devotions were just the kind I'd come to expect and love from (in)courage, written by those writers I'm already familiar with! They are perfect for women, and so relevant to where we are in our lives. I also enjoyed the more in depth looks of various women in the Bible...some that of course are major players that we know very well and others that we don't pay as much attention too.
At the bottom of each page is a space for taking notes or writing reflections. This is not your typical journaling Bible mind you... there's probably not enough room here for ART journaling, but it provides the perfect space for writing. I love this, as I know that taking notes as I read (or during sermons) is something that I need to improve upon.
Overall, this Bible is beautiful inside and out. Though I have many Bibles in my personal collection, this has very quickly become a favorite. Learn more and connect by visiting: http://incouragebible.com/
Thanks for the opportunity.
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