We are so blessed to have an abundance of Bibles in various translations and languages to choose from, it can actually be quite overwhelming! I am a firm believer that every child, as soon as they are reading well needs a Bible to call their own, to cultivate a deep love of the Word, and make it their companion. I still remember my Precious Moments Bible I had as a child as I am sure many of you can recall your first Bibles. My children start with an NIVr Bible before moving on, so the natural next translation is the NIV. Zondervan has a good selection of children’s Bibles through their line Zonderkidz. One of these is the recently updated NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls. I recently received this for free through my mother in law who is a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid.
The Bible comes with 4 twistable colored pencils to use, although I much prefer the name brand Crayola twistables I use in my own Bible. It is 8 inches high, 6 ½ inches wide and 1 ¾” thick, with a lovely teal and navy blue hardcover and a navy ribbon. I do like the size, as it is small enough to be easily used and carried by children. I also appreciate the faux leather hardcover, as it makes it a bit more durable, especially when tossed in bags to be taken to church or elsewhere. This Bible is lovely in its simplicity. You won’t find any commentary, maps, or notes, with the main focus being on the Word itself. Almost every page has an illustration in the margin with a famous verse from that book and chapter waiting to be colored in. Some pages even have a whole page or two page spread, such as the Lord’s prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Beatitudes. When there is not an illustration, there are faint lines waiting to be written on, or used as a guide to create your own illustration. The text itself is in a double column format in 8 point font.
I do have a Bible that was passed down to me that I don’t write in, but for myself the Bibles I choose are begging to be highlighted, starred, and underlined with room for my quickly scrawled notes in the margins. When I am searching out a particular scripture, I love being able to quickly skim through and find it through my efforts to mark it. This Bible anticipates this and encourages giving meaningful verses focus, attention, and memorizing them. There is no better way to become acquainted with God than through His Word, and hiding it in your heart. If you have an artistic girl, this would be a great way to introduce her to Bible journaling and how to design her own artwork for scripture. If you have a girl who loves to color, this Bible would be a great choice. And even if you have a girl that is a bit reluctant with art, this is still a great way to get her to engage in her Bible, by taking time to color, take notes, and meditate on the scriptures represented. In fact I wouldn’t mind it myself!
I would recommend this Bible beginning around the ages of 7 or 8, but I love that the designs aren’t overly childish, so it can easily grow with her well into the teen years and beyond. If you are looking for a much more in depth study Bible, this may not be for you, but for a Bible that fosters love of the Word and will stand to last many years, this would be a great choice. I will be happy to hand this to my youngest daughter in a few years.
You can find this bible through FaithGateway Store (http://bg4.me/35pKdmD and/or http://bg4.me/2XnN6jt)
#BibleGatewayPartner
Thank you to Jennifer Gould, my daughter in law, for taking the time to review this beautiful bible and I’m grateful my grand daughter will have the opportunity to find God’s word as a guide for her life while enjoying the time of making it come to life with color.
Rhonda Gould Coaching and Consulting
Moving forward to where God wants you to go!
Rhonda Gould Coaching & Consulting 