NIV, Thinline Bible - A review

I picked the NIV Thinline Bible to review this time around. I wanted a Bible that would be "non Kid" that I could give to my soon to be 13 year old for his birthday. Since I'm only reviewing the format, I'll tell you about a few things that stood out to me.

The words of Jesus are not in red. I personally like the distinction and was sad to see it not in this version.

This one comes with two stain ribbon markers which is a nice add. Allows you to have your place twice :) A cool little bonus feature.

The print is "comfort print" typeface. Nothing really notable about the new font. It's easy to read and not distracting.

I love the size of this Bible and I know my son will enjoy having a bible that doesn't look like it should be carried to the preschool room at church :) It's a good quality, it's indexed too which will make it easy for him to find his place during sermons or his own personal reading. I wouldn't say it was great for indepth study but it will do just fine for what he will use it for.

Kill the Spider - A review

So I picked this book because I had heard of the Author and followed him on twitter. Didn't really know him other than that but his twitter posts seemed very real, very real. That is something missing in today's society. Realness. Somewhere along the line we have missed it and exchanged real and raw for fake and glossed over. I also picked it because I had read an excerpt somewhere, I didn't remember where and didn't even equate the except to this  person on my twitter feed. I know, I'm really put together lately :)

Anyway, I got the book ... the title is intriguing because it has nothing to do with real spiders. Carlos defines the Spider and the cobweb this way: "The Spider is the lie that spins the cobweb. The cobweb is the medicator that offers false comfort through the lie."

I started reading this book earlier this week. By about page 15, I sent Carlos a DM on twitter and said ... "wow, only a few pages in but wow. Thanks for writing it." Something like that. A few pages later he wrote something that could have been taken from my journal pages. Kinda weird to me being that I don't know him, never talked to him so how did he read my journal?

He didn't. Funny to know that others can have the same feelings as you. That's what happens when we show our glossy side on facebook and instagram. It causes us to feel isolated and like we are the only ones who struggle or face certain things.

That's why realness sticks out to me. I crave it. I want to have it. I want to embody it with my kids and friends. Its hard. It's a process. But in the end it's so worth it, I believe. Put down the masks and be real. Be raw. Be vulnerable. Just be you.

That is what Carlos has done in his book. It's his story. It's beautifully written and easy to read yet if you allow it to really do the work ... it's difficult to absorb and read. I know I said two very contradictory things just now ... but it's truth. His style is so everyday, as though two friends were having a conversation. The truth can hit deep and hard and yet like a friend who is just being honest and wants the best for you.

So I challenge you to grab this book. Quit cleaning the cobwebs and ... Kill the Spider!