The Take Action Bible

The Take Action Bible published by Thomas Nelson is exactly what it says it is on the back cover. There are no surprises with this Bible. The "15 real-life stories" dispersed throughout the Bible are wonderful stories of missionaries throughout the world. They are encouraging and admirable. Each story has a photo of the people you are reading about which personalizes it even more.

After each story, there is a page with two questions, some scripture references, and room to journal. These questions and scriptures are to help you discover areas where you can take action in your community and learn what God says about helping other and sharing God's word.

The version is New King James. This is one of two of my favorite versions. It is easy to read and understand and stays close to the original translations of the scripture.

The print is very small. The back of the Bible calls it "ultraslim Bible text." This Bible isn't for those with sight issues. It is also red-letter which means Jesus' words are in read. When combined with the small text, the red is harder to read than the black. And I like red-letter editions but eventually it becomes too difficult to read and red-letters should be left black.

This Bible is a great Bible for sharing in church. For those congregations who like to give away Bibles or have Bibles available for those who do not have one or forgot theirs, this is a great Bible for that purpose. It is also great for new believers or anyone who has a heart for missions and wants to be inspired daily by the stories within the pages of the Bible.

I give this Bible 4-stars, but do not recommend it as a daily study Bible simply because of the text size.

Max on Life by Max Lucado

Max on Life by Max Lucado. Thomas Nelson Publishers: 2010

Lucado answers 172 questions from individuals who have written him over the years. The topics range from salvation to family matter to finances and end times. His answers are thorough but no more than one page each. Each answer is packed with scripture and could easily be a sermon starter for any pastor. The questions aren’t just for new believers. I’ve been in church my whole life and he answers several questions that came up in discussion between myself and another person recently. Neither of us had the answers to these questions, but here they are in Lucado’s book.

There are times I wish I could sit down with a knowledgeable pastor and pick his brain. This book is just that. If you ever wished to sit and just ask questions from someone who could also pin point the scriptures, then this book is for you. It is an easy read in a conversational tone. Once you start reading this book, it is hard to put it down. It’s like leaving really good conversation.

I give this book 5-stars and hope that Lucado will write a sequel in a few years because I am sure there are many more questions out there waiting to be asked of Max Lucado.