I just recieved my new copy of the Busy Mom’s Bible from Zondervan in the old fashioned home mailbox today. I was excited to see the package stuffed in amongst my television and phone bills, letters and magazines. The box on the outside looked like a normal cardboard covered package with a lovely label from Zondervan on the front. It was well taped to ensure that it did not become damaged, damp or exposed to the elements as some mail can be, especially on rainy days like today.
When I came into the house from my mailbox trip, I quickly ripped open the odds and ends of other mail and then put the scissors to work cutting through the tape on my new gift from Zondervan. Inside the cardboard shell, I found another box covered with a sturdy cardboard wrap with photos of Mom busy-ness, as well as tips from the Bible company itself on use of this product and a reminder to blog about the Busy Mom’s Bible. As I unwrapped the shell and glanced over it, I wondered what it hid underneath. I quickly found it held yet another box. This one sturdly made, much like a box that holds Christmas cards or the best presents from your Dear Aunt Susie. Indeed, this box held a wonderful gift, but not from Dear Aunt Susie. This gift was from Zondervan and God, a book containing His word made just for me, a Mom.
Before opening the box, I expected to find your average Bible, nothing exceptional. Boy was I wrong! Upon opening the box, I found a BEAUTIFUL fucshia, deep brown, and pink leather covered Bible. Wow, I thought, this book was made for me! I began looking inside the Busy Mom’s Bible to find 52 seperate Thought Starter, one minute devotionals, each directed towards a different part of the Bible and also a different part of life. The idea is to concentrate on one concept, one devotion each week. There are also 5 minute Reflect and Pray studies and 10 minute studies to expand upon each 1 minute Thought Starter offered during the week, as time permits. Both the 5 minute and 10 minute studies send you to different sections in the back of the Bible for expansion of your lessons through verse.
The Bible text provided in this book is the New International Version (NIV), originally the NIV True Images Bible. All the original text is provided, as well as maps to expand the Word, abbreviations list, and the Concordance. A Weights and Measures chart is also provided in the back of the book and an alphabetical list of included Biblical books is provided in the front. Two other things I found interesting are the sections 5 Minutes Reading About Jesus and 5 Minutes Reading About Women Of the Bible, located on pages 1173-1174. I look forward to using these when I have an extra minute of reading time.
My plan for this book, is to read a different Thought Starter each week for the next 6 weeks and see where they lead me. I have spent the past few weeks searching for a devotional to use daily in my life, to help bring my heart closer to God and I feel this is the perfect book. I am interested in seeing just how the Busy Mom’s Bible will effect me. The outer appearance of this book is gorgeous, but my question and mission to find out, is the inside just as good?
You can find a copy of the Busy Mom’s Bible at Zondervan.
