Hope Road

My Review: ESV Personal Size Reference Bible

So here it is at last: my take on Crossway’s new ESV personal size reference edition. (For my background with the ESV and this edition, read my past entries Why I Like the ESV and The Bible on My List.)

Why is this really that important? Well, it’s not. The Bible is the Bible, and many Christians around the world would be thankful for any edition they could get. I am very thankful to have access to such a huge selection. This is a popular new edition that’s been getting quite a bit of attention from blogs, and since it’s in my favorite version and I waited for it to come out for so long, I’m sharing my thoughts on it. But in the end, what matters is that I’m reading and living Scripture, not just reveling in my favorite edition of it.

So, that said, I’ll be including some pictures, but I’m not the best photographer, nor was I using the best lighting, since I was trying to be quick. So I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures. I just want to use them to illustrate some specific features. I’ll be discussing this edition’s size, cover, format, text, binding, and references.

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Size.

The Personal Size Reference measures 5 x 7.25 inches. The size is what first attracted me. I had been using a thinline, which measures 5.5 x 8.5″. The difference is noticeable. The Personal Size Reference fits well in the hand and is easy to carry around in a backpack or even a large purse. It is better for constant use than a compact, which measures 3.75 x 5.75″. For me, it is the perfect medium between a classic size Bible and a compact Bible. In this picture, you can see how it compares to a standard size pencil.

Cover.

Initially, I ordered the TruTone version, but after reading this amazing review (HT: Jacob), I decided to order a genuine leather instead. The genuine leather is quite stiff, especially initially. I’ve had to bend it back into position quite a few times.

It’s getting more malleable over time, though. I also received a copy of the TruTone I originally ordered. My friend ended up keeping it instead. The cover is very nice and soft and flexible, but I don’t think it will wear as well with time. I plan on using the Personal Size Reference for the foreseeable future, so I’m glad that I chose the genuine leather.

Format.

One of the most special and unique things about this edition is that it’s in a single column format, which is very rare, as I’ve learned. In this picture, you can see the Psalms in a single column on each page.

It makes reading the Bible seem more like reading a book. The interesting thing about this is that there are so many poetry books in the Old Testament (Ecclesiastes, Psalms, the prophets, etc.) that the OT takes up significantly more “room” than the NT does. This has taken some getting used to, because I’m familiar with the locations of most books, and now that’s all been adjusted. Here’s a picture showing where the NT starts in relation to the Bible as a whole:

Even though it has taken some getting used to, I like the single column format a lot. It seems more natural, especially in the poetry books. You can actually see how the Psalms were meant to flow, instead of putting up with the choppy formatting made necessary by two columns.

Text.

From the reviews I’ve read, there’s been some complaint about the text size of this edition. The type is 7.4 point, compared to the thinline’s 9.5 and the compact’s 6.2. It is also not as bold as it could be. This picture isn’t a very good representation of the text’s readability, since the picture is a little blurry, but it might give you an idea of the text size:

I would agree that the text is a little small and could be a little bolder. Where I have most difficulty is in long, unbroken paragraphs. It’s more difficult to keep track of where I am because the text is small and the lines are close together. But this really isn’t enough of an issue for me not to like the edition. It’s usually very readable for me. It’s definitely more readable than a compact edition! Also, this is not a red-letter edition, which I’m glad of. I like having the text all the same color.

Binding.

Most of what I know about the binding, I learned from the review I referenced earlier. Apparently, the genuine leather edition has a sewn binding, which is much more durable and flexible, while the TruTone edition has a glued binding, which is less flexible and not very long-lasting. That was also a deciding factor when I decided not to get the TruTone. The binding of the genuine leather definitely feels very flexible.

Also thanks to the above review, I went through and separated all of the pages of the Bible after I got it. It was a little tedious, but I just did it while watching TV, and it has made things so much easier. Now I don’t have to continually separate pages while I’m looking passages up, which is what I usually have to do after getting a new Bible. I definitely recommend doing that.

References.

This is the first reference Bible I’ve used on a regular basis. I have mixed feelings about references. Sometimes I get a little distracted by all the markers in the text while I’m reading. But I absolutely love finding other verses that relate to the original verse - it’s like going on a treasure hunt or something. Plus, as you can see in the pictures, this edition has the references on the inside of the page, instead of the outside, which means that the references, not the Bible text, curve into the spine. Several reviewers have noted how smart this is. I am enjoying having the references available, and I appreciate that the text is made more readable because of the location of the references.

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In conclusion, I am really enjoying this new edition. It has its pros and cons, as any edition does. My favorite features are definitely the convenient size and the single column format. If you’re looking to purchase a new Bible, I definitely encourage you to check this one out. Amazon has the genuine leather for only $29.69, with free shipping (as opposed to the retail price of $44.99).

Feel free to share your thoughts with me and other readers!

How to Start a Blog (Part 4)

Interested in starting or restarting your blog? Want to share your thoughts? Welcome to my mini-tutorial. Also see Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Today I’m discussing more about blog setup.

Once you’ve chosen your blog’s name and your host, you can start setting up your new site. I am too much of an amateur to give you technical tips, so instead I’m going to focus on what elements to include on your blog as you set it up.

One reminder is to keep your blog set to private until you are completely finished setting it up. I know it can be tempting to launch it almost immediately. But remember that consistency is very important. Starting a blog is like introducing a brand or releasing a book. It needs to be ready to go when it’s launched. This doesn’t mean you can’t change anything later on; blogs are a work in progress. But it shouldn’t look sloppy and half-baked from the very beginning.

Theme. Your blog is installed and your name is registered; now what? Choose a theme. With free hosting come limited but very workable options for themes, while with self-hosting your options are almost limitless (the WordPress Theme Viewer is a great place to start). Start with something simple, like a two-column theme with a customizable header.

Header. Next, decide what you want your blog’s header to look like. Usually I change the header in whatever theme I’m using. With my current theme, I kept the default header because it is perfect for Hope Road. But usually it’s good to make your own unique header, especially if you’re using a common theme that comes with free hosting. Flickr has some great images that you can crop using something as simple as Microsoft Paint, but before doing so make sure they are licensed for public use.

Widgets. Next, customize the small boxes on the sidebar. To begin with, I would include at least 1) a link to your RSS feed, 2) a brief introduction to yourself and/or your blog, and 3) at least four or five categories. You might also consider adding a recent posts widget or a blogroll.

Pages. Having multiple pages isn’t extremely important at setup. But at least include an About page. (Skelliewag has a great article on How to Write the Perfect ‘About’ Page.) Also, include your contact information somewhere. I prefer to have a separate page for Contact, but you can include it in the About page or even on the sidebar. I provide my e-mail address and a comments section. You can set up a separate e-mail account for your blog if you prefer not to make your main e-mail address public.

Beginning entries. I wish I could remember where I read this brilliant tip: don’t make your brand-new blog public until you have at least five good entries written and posted. It may seem like a waste because the entries on the bottom could get neglected. But readers are much more likely to return if they see multiple samples of your writing from the very beginning. (The exception to this would be if you are writing a blog only for your family and friends.)

Next time, I’ll conclude this series with part 5. I’ll be talking about how to promote your blog and get a good base readership, and I’ll give you some more links to helpful articles on setting up your blog. As usual, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

The Discipline of Daily Devotions

Reading the Bible and praying are two of the most important disciplines in a Christian’s life. They are difficult for a lot of us to maintain regularly, I know. Yet they are so important. If I want to build my life on a foundation of the Word, then I have to read the Word. And if I am going to build my life on a foundation of prayer, then I have to make time to actually pray.

I have experimented with quite a few different systems over the years, sometimes with lots of study tools and sometimes with very few. My two staples that I always use are my Bible and my journal. Because I communicate best through writing, a lot of my prayer life takes place through journaling. (For an interesting recent discussion on journaling, especially as a spiritual practice, see Thoughts on Journaling at Alabaster Box.)

I would love to hear from my readers what some of your practices are in devotional times, what tools you use and have found helpful in the past, and what helps you stay on track. Also, do you find it comes more naturally to you to read the Bible or to pray? I have been talking with some friends about that. For me, it comes more naturally to read the Bible, but some of my other friends feel the opposite. So I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on that and on devotions in general.

Tags: Bible, prayer

What It Means to Be Beautiful

From the time we were little girls, we gazed hopefully or agonizingly in the mirror, longing to be pretty. We noticed women who had that elusive and desireable quality, a special loveliness. We scrutinized every aspect of our faces, criticizing our flaws and concealing them with makeup as soon as our mothers let us. We noticed how often people’s looks were mentioned, particularly women’s - much more often than their sweetness, grace, or intelligence, it seemed.

Yet there is redemption in this broken system. Perhaps we had mothers whose inward lives emitted a beauty that far surpassed any outward claim to prettiness. Or maybe we had someone who told us what mattered was our inner selves, not how much our face or hair or body measured up to some external standard. Or even better, perhaps we learned to measure ourselves by a far different standard than any created by man - Scripture.

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

“Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness - with good works.” 1 Timothy 2:9-10

“Do not let your adorning be external - the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear - but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” 1 Peter 3:3-4

Imagine getting a peek into the cover of a book entitled God’s Definition of Beauty. That is exactly what we have here. His standards are so different than those we’ve learned almost everywhere else. He sees beauty in a heart that looks up to Him with awe and reverence. He sees beauty in a woman who conducts herself with modesty in how she dresses. He sees beauty in a woman who controls herself and submits to His will instead of her own. He sees beauty in a woman who adorns herself with good works instead of with expensive clothes. And He sees beauty in a woman who has a gentle spirit towards others, and an inner quietness that trusts in Him.

Do you know a woman whose life is characterized by God’s standard of beauty? I know several. And what I admire in them is not their outward appearance, whether they stay up-to-date with fashion trends or are skinny as can be or know how to apply makeup perfectly. I value their reverent, godly lives. And much more importantly, their heavenly Father is pleased by the way they are living. These are the sort of women I want to pattern my life after. I know that He has grace to teach me what it really means to be beautiful.

Coming This Week

My posting has been a little sporadic this past week, as you may have noticed. I’d like to write a little more regularly in this coming week. I have a very easy week as far as classes and work goes, so I hope to be able to give you some great content.

Monday: Some thoughts on “What It Means to Be Beautiful.” This is a topic I’ve been pondering a lot lately.

Tuesday: “The Discipline of Daily Devotions” - more of a conversation starter than an informational entry. I want to hear from you about your devotional life and what you do to keep it consistent and interesting.

Wednesday: “How to Start a Blog (Part 4).”

Thursday: Finally, my review of the new ESV Personal Size Reference Bible.

Friday: “Women Who Are Truly Content,” another installment in the Soul Sisters series.

See you back here tomorrow for the first entry.

lovely.

This song, “Lovely” by Michelle Tumes, is one of my absolute favorite songs to describe the Lord. I love the metaphors.

You’re the sweet dreams that soothe me when I can’t fall asleep
You’re the field in the middle of the city
When I’m rushing by at the speed of light

You’re the strong resolution when I find no peace
You’re the church bells ringing in the evening
When all is quiet, You whisper comfort that lifts my heart
I get so weak

Ooh, you’re lovely, lovely
You’re the center of my universe
A thousand times I look around me, and I find
Ooh, you’re lovely, lovely
You’re the center of my universe
A million ways cannot explain
You’re lovely

You’re the soft words that touch me when I just can’t speak
You’re the breeze on the ocean in the morning
Reminding me to greet the day

You’re the flowers I remember seeing in Italy
Bright and radiant, soft and fragrant
In the noon day sun, it makes me sing

I understand
There may be grief and there may be pain
But I am aware
You blind the darkness with who You are

Simple Stories

In this frenetically-paced culture, the simple things have an aesthetic value all their own. Today, I saw buds on the tips of tree branches. I read an absorbing little novel while I was eating lunch. I chuckled when my professor used the word pugnacious. Such a soft-sounding word for what it really means.

Sometimes, don’t you feel like you need things to be unusually simple? There are those days and weeks. This has been one such week for me.

Last night, I played speed Scrabble with some friends. In spite of my love of English and writing, I don’t really like the game of Scrabble. But speed Scrabble is so fun because you get to work on your words the entire time. And it’s not really about speed, but skill. I only won once but it was still fun.

I’m finally done with classes for the week. I usually volunteer on Friday afternoons, but the school where I tutor is closed today. I’m trying to decide what to do. I could clean my room and do my homework, but I think I might watch the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice instead. I got it from my school library. I haven’t seen it for a long time.

I could’ve read all night…

[Title is meant to be sung to the tune of "I could've danced all night..."]

I’ve made a delightful rediscovery - children’s books! Of course I have always liked my Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, A Little Princess, Betsy-Tacy, and All-of-a-Kind Family, among others. But there are so many more that I’d forgotten about! For instance…

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney
Journey to America by Sonia Levitin
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Stuart Little by E.B. White
My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara

…and many, many more. Some of them are so well-written! I especially enjoy books like Journey to America, which I’m reading right now. It’s about a Jewish family fleeing Germany before World War II, so it deals with serious and sad subject matter. It’s very well-written and beautiful in its own way. But because it’s written for middle school or upper elementary age, it’s not going to have all of that “mature” content that adult fiction has. I get so tired of trying to read well-written mainstream fiction, only to find unnecessarily graphic material. Children’s books are a welcome reprieve.

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Tags: children's books