I often enjoy doing Bible studies where we zoom in on certain chapters, books, or topics within the Word.  Sometimes though, I need to challenge myself and branch out into doing my own personal readings of the Bible, without the commentary and questions that a study book provides.  But… I feel a little lost sometimes in how to get started!  That is where this new volume published by Moody and written by James F. Coakley comes into play, and is such a great help to me.  “14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible” is a treasure trove of insight, wisdom, and practicality that helped me take my personal reading (and enjoyment) of God’s Word to the next level!

This book is so enjoyable to read, with practical steps to implement right away.  It also gives examples from other works of literature, and also famous movies, to drive home the principal being taught.  Some of the fourteen strategies are simple, such as “First Impressions” where we identify what the author the biblical author shares about a character’s first words, actions, and physical description.  On the other hand, some are much more complex literary devices, such as “X Marks the Spot” where the author “organized their material (into) repeat words, phrases, or concepts inversely around a center in order to shape the overall structure of books, sections, episodes, speeches, or even individual verses.  This technique, known as ‘chiasm’, is based on the Greek letter ‘chi’…”. Complicated but fascinating, isn’t it?!

Without question I recommend this book to anyone looking to bring their daily Bible reading to life, to add vivid color and exciting new ways of spotlighting truths we may have read dozens of times but never viewed with quite the lenses that Mr. Coakley offers to provide for our toolboxes.   Definitely check this title out for yourself, and you may as well grab a copy or two for your friends and family to read as well!

***I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed above are my own.