No really, he did. I rescued an adorable mutt two-years ago; part Labrador retriever and part German Shepherd/Collie. He's a really sweet dog with a great personality.
Well, one day, I left my Bible sitting on the couch after reading it. My puppy acting like, well, a puppy decided to check it out for himself. I didn't notice until I was looking for my Bible later that day that my sweet little pup had opened up my Bible and ate a number of pages out of it.
To replace that Bible with the eaten pages, I got a fabulous new Bible. Nice soft (imitation) leather cover--so it's enjoyable to hold, New Living Translation--so it's enjoyable to read, and a Parallel Bible (it has Study Bible plus Life Application Study Bible notes)--so it's enjoyable to learn. I also have an English Standard Version Bible (which is the Bible Journal that was gifted to me years ago.) I like the ESV version because it's a great word-to-word translation of the Bible.
I enjoy reading the Bible in different translations because the context never changes (God's Word will never contradict itself) but the wording sometimes does. When this happens it causes me to look at a verse in a new light and with new understanding.
The Bible my dog ate was a New International Version translation. It's kind of the in-between of the ESV and the NLT. It's not as wordy as the NLT and a little easier to understand than the ESV. The NIV is normally the translation I use when I memorize scripture. Ever since that sweet little pup of mine ate my NIV Bible I've wanted another one. Sure I can look up the NIV translation on the internet but there is just something about holding God's Word in my hands. For the longest time, since I already had two great Bibles that I use, I couldn't justify buying a third. . .
Until now.
In case you couldn't tell from my previous posts, I enjoy Bible Journaling immensely. For 2016, I decided I was going to splurge and get a brand new NIV translation Bible that I can use for Bible Journaling in 2016.
It is my goal to do a Bible Journaling entry once a week for the whole year in 2016. If the Holy Spirit leads me to use my Bible Journal more than once a week, then I will, but I made my goal for a once-a-week-minimum to keep it a realistic goal that will not overwhelm my schedule or stress me out. It seemed fitting that I decorate the inside of my new NIV Journaling Bible with my focus verse for 2016:
I put Ephesians 2:10 on the very first page of my 2016 Bible Journal and dressed it up with some washi tape. The next page asked who this Bible belongs to and I wanted to express who God says I am (this inspired my previous post "Who I am?" here).
When the Holy Spirit lead me to my focus verse for 2016, He also showed me a supporting verse for it (read more about my focus verses here). I wrote the supporting verse from Ephesians 6:19 as a prayer for myself and made an image that with it that I would enjoy looking at. I printed this out and added it to the title page of this Bible.
I love how I am asking God to give me the right words to boldly explain His mysterious plan right before I read His Words in this Bible. God has already given me everything I need.
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 1 Peter 1:3
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