I have thoroughly enjoyed The Voice NT. The “screenplay format” helps to visualize who is speaking in a much clearer way. It’s more of a narrative. The Voice is easy to ready and understand. I also enjoy the outlined boxes which expand on specific themes. This is useful when preparing a Bible lesson or for everyday personal Bible study. The Voice really brings the scripture to life! I would highly recommend it although I would not recommend that it be the only translation used. I enjoy comparing various translations and feel that it’s important to do this.
I found the Voice of the Psalms to be very refreshing. It is easy to read and is a great source for personal study or daily devotions. There are several suggested reading plans in the front of the book which I believe would be very useful. I would recommend this translation to anyone who may struggle with understanding other translations, however, I would not recommend it to someone as their only source of scripture. I believe The Voice translation is well written for the Psalms since it is a collection of poems/songs. It will be interesting to read the Voice translation of the New Testament. I would definitely recommend this book.
I catch myself overwhelmed by the many obligations I have taken on. I commit to so many projects with the justification that they are all things that I enjoy or feel compelled to be involved in for one reason or another. Because of some last minute schedule changes, today I was faced with some quiet time alone… it’s been a while since I’ve acknowledged time like that. I use to love being alone but over the last few months, I find that it is something that I purposefully avoid. I know that if I’m alone for very long, I will be faced with thoughts of issues that I would rather not deal with now.
Today was different… while I was sitting alone, I started thinking of these “issues” and as the all consuming dread of facing them came over me, I forced myself to find a blessing in the present moment. I sat and listened to the sound of the silence. I embraced it… being still and quiet. The silence that led my thoughts to a closeness with my Father… where we can spent some much needed time together.
It was refreshing to have this time to meditate. I was reminded that when I come to this quiet place I have a greater awareness of God’s presence in every aspect of my life. It is necessary for me to be still and embrace this time of meditation so that I can be strengthened mentally and spiritually. It is a cleansing of the mind and that is much needed in order to maintain a peaceful spirit.
I made the decision to return to this practice of meditation and contemplation and I would encourage anyone to try it. Even though you may feel nothing has changed, I am certain that something undetectable will be happening inside.
Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and know that I am God.”
I found this book to be helpful and encouraging. It is very basic but offers eight principles for someone facing struggles in life. The authors give good advice for coping and guides readers through each step of healing.
The bonus material at the end of the book gives several real life problems and answers questions to each difficult situation. I felt that these were good examples of things that many people face today and the information offered a good description how each of these people dealt with their particular problem and what worked for them.
The overall contents of this book were helpful and encouraging. I would recommend it as a gift for someone who is struggling through a difficult time in life. It is a good reminder to trust God in any situation.
I am so fortunate to have an assortment of friends of varying ages, genders and beliefs. My relationship with each of them offers me endless blessings!
