Live Loved–A Adult Coloring Book

Live Loved – An Adult Coloring Book
Craft God’s Word Into Your Heart Through Creative Expression
By Margaret Feinberg
Published at Bethany House

About the book

PRAY • CREATE • MEMORIZE • REFLECT • JOURNAL
How would your attitude, actions, and responses change if you lived in the unconditional, immeasurable love of God? What would it look like for you to live loved?
Live Loved provides an opportunity for you to pull away from the hustle and bustle of life to pray, journal, and unleash your creative gifts as you marinate in the truth of God's fierce love for you.
• Spend time in prayer, reflecting and growing in your relationship with God
• Commit Bible passages to memory and deepen your faith
• Share your fun artistry with others through what you create
Color and doodle and learn to live loved as you craft God's Word into your heart.

My Thoughts

Since last year, we have seen a huge demand of adult coloring books on the market.  The craze is there right now but I sometimes wonder how long it will last.  I discovered bible art journaling a few years ago as I was drawing some images in a sketchbook.  But what I didn’t know was that there was suck a thing as a bible journal…. which I stumbled upon back in the late fall of 2014.   However, I was very restricted with money and decided to use a bible that I had at home.   When the local Christian book store closed its door in the spring of 2015, I decided to splurge a bit and get myself an ESV  journaling bible.  Since then, I draw and highlight the scriptures that speak to me in three bibles – one being an interleaved New Testament.

I knew that coloring books was getting more and more popular last year but I never really was attracted to it.   I couldn’t justify the price to pay for one.    So I was pleased to see this new title to be offered one day so I could review it.   I had mixed feelings about it because I usually prefer to have freedom in what I draw.   So I didn’t know how much I would enjoy coloring in it.

First of all, I totally support the fact that coloring can help remove the stress you might have in your life.  I know that it helped me quite a bit over the past year.   Secondly, this specific adult coloring book will allow you to memorize the scripture which I also think will be beneficial for you as you store the words of God in your heart and mind.   Thirdly, this adult coloring is different from other ones in the market simply because for each page of coloring you can do, you will also have a page to record notes and prayers you might have while coloring as  you can see in the image below.

However, as you can see the writing is a bit small to color in.  Personally, I would have prefered a bigger font in order to color in the letters to highlight the scripture.   I would have been better I think.    I find the fact that the lettering is also in italic to make it more difficult to color in.   But then again, I am picky when it comes to coloring.  I am used to do my own lettering in my bibles and I have been more independent that way for quite some time.  

Having a Christian adult coloring book is nice because if I don’t feel like bringing one of the bibles with me when I go somewhere I could bring this coloring book and some pencils to color while waiting.    I find it peaceful to do so when I feel somewhat overwhelmed with things happening. 

Live Loved is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Disclaimer: The book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Philippians in 28 Weeks

 Philippians in 28 Weeks
Written by Stacy Farrell
Published at Home School Adventure Co.

About the product

The Bible is banned in many countries.  Countless believers have sacrificed their freedom – and many, their lives – to spread the message of God’s love and salvation contained within its pages.  Are we exercising our freedom responsibly?

Memorize the entire book of Philippians in 28 weeks!

My Thoughts

Since my kids have started attending Awana, I find it is easier for them to memorize scriptures and etched God’s Word upon their heart.   There is time that I wish I had the motivation to do a bit more memorization myself.   I knew that Philippians in 28 weeks was available but I haven’t had the courage to get it.  However, in May I approached the author and asked if it could be possible to review it.  She agreed and provided me with a pdf copy to download.

The goal is to learn the whole book of Philippians in 28 weeks.    I was highly motivated and read the instructions before starting.  The idea is quite simple if you think about it.   The first thing you need to do is read the book regularly.  And when I say regularly, I mean daily…. every single day of the 28 weeks.   I will be honest with you – I don’t do this daily so I know that deep down it will take me more than 28 weeks to memorize.  And I realize that daily immersion of the scripture makes it easier to remember – daily immersion of the same scriptures is the first essential step in memorization.

The second step is to record.  Stacy Farrell has graciously provided special pages to copy the section on which you are putting your emphasis during the week.   This copywork is also perfect to allow your kids to practice penmanship at the same time while studying the book of Philippians.  You also have the opportunity to journal and reflect on the scriptures you are learning that week.

Step three consist in repeating the verses on a daily basis by using the cards provided.  You can carry them on you and read them over and over – memorizing slowly and surely the words in your mind and heart.  At the end of each week, you can recite aloud to someone else the cards you have completed.   In a way this step is allowing you to review the verses you have learned with someone.  This also allow you to be accountable on your challenge in learning the verses.   Come to think of it, I believe this is the step that I am missing – accountability in order to keep up with my challenge.   

Finally, before starting a new week, you have to recite the memorized verses in order to test your retention.   The author has provided useful recitation charts at the end of each chapter in order to help you with this step.  

Also included in the curriculum, you will find a log that will help you to be more accountable and keep you on track.   I will admit that I completely forgot to fill this log when I started the curriculum.   To be completely honest with my reader, I think I had too much on my shoulders when I started it.   Each morning I read my French Bible since the 1st of January.   I somewhat felt overwhelmed in doing this, my devotions as well as reading through Philippians daily.   It was just too much.  And after a few days, the reading part of Philippians was dropped.   This was not a good idea – trust me.   In order to succeed in memorizing the verses in the book of Philippians, you will have to be dedicated in reading daily through the book – no matter what is going on in your life and no matter if it has already been 6 times you read it.  Because when you think of it at the end of 28 weeks, you should have read the book of Philippians one hundred and ninety-six times.  No wonder that memorizing would be easy to do when you read it so often!   And if you make a quick math calculation, this curriculum will take roughly about seven months to complete which is perfect for the new school year coming our way in a few months!

So in order to be able to pursue this challenge, I now realize that I need to make a decision to drop all other Bible reading I am doing and find someone who will encourage me and held me accountable in doing this challenge.   Another option would be to delay the learning of this book of the Bible but when you sense that the Spirit is telling you to deepen your memorization skills in order to have more scriptures in your heart – well….  delaying is not an option I think.    At the same time, I sense that my head is fighting me on this because  I don’t want to think of myself as a quitter when I stopped reading my three chapters a day in my French bible.  It’s ridiculous I know…. and ultimately I need to make the decision and not look back.    And since learning comes with experience, I have decided to tackle this challenge the way it is suppose to be done. The only reason why I am stalling on the memorization part is that I wasn’t dedicated enough in the process of learning.

I love the way the author has presented and decorticated the scriptures in order to memorize them better.  It is an ingenious way of learning more of God’s Word and it guides you through an easy process of memorization – reading, writing, studying, saying, and repeating.     This product would make a wonderful biblical curriculum for your middle school or high school student in the fall.   I strongly recommend the Philippians in 28 weeks for anyone (students, young adults, older adults) who wants to deepen their relationship with God.  It is a great product that will allow you to memorize a special book of the Bible where you will be encourage to find joy, be humble, and always be thankful.  By doing so with your kids you can hide God’s word in your heart and be a testimony to Him at the same time.

If you want to discover how it is done, you can download the first chapter of the product on the website.  http://www.homeschooladventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Philippians_in_28_Weeks_sample_chapter1.pdf 

You can order Philippians in 28 weeks in print edition (28.95$) or ebook edition (14.95$).  Two versions are available – ESV or KJV.   I personally would like to see the NIV or NLT version as well.  You can also have the option of only downloading the cards (ESV version) if you prefers this.  The price tag for the cards is 9.95$.    All these can be ordered direction from Home School Adventure Co. at  http://www.homeschooladventure.com/products/philippians-in-28-weeks/.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Home School Adventure Co. for sending me the above mentioned title in PDF format for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.