Category: Bible Usage

The amount of time it takes you to read through the Bible really isn’t what’s important. What really matters is that you are spending daily, consistent time in God’s Word. For some people, having a Bible with a reading plan can help them stay on track. Having a goal of reading through the Bible in a year might be the motivation they need to push through some of the more difficult passages (yes, like Leviticus). There are lots of good reasons to read through the Bible in a year, but the most important reasons are to gain a better understanding of who God is and of his relationship with us and to experience his full story of salvation. Like any great book, it’s important to read the beginning, middle, and end (yes, even Leviticus). You don’t want to miss out.

If you think a year-long Bible-reading plan Bible would be helpful, we have a few ideas for you:

The One Year Bible is the #1–selling reading-plan Bible. And there are a variety of different formats and plans so you can pick which one is best for you. The daily variety reading format has a passage from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs for you to read each day. If you want to go on a historical trek, the chronological versions are arranged into 365 daily readings that help you experience the Bible events in the order they actually occurred. Both varieties are also available with wide margins for journaling and coloring, and the daily variety format is available in multiple translations. See them

Looking to combine your Scripture reading with focused prayer time? The One Year Pray for Bibles include the New Living Translation Bible text in the daily reading format as well as prayer prompts focused on an urgent topic or need. This year we partnered with The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) on The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible. A unique prayer prompt is included with each daily Scripture reading, covering a wide range of needs facing persecuted Christians today. When we pray for the persecuted and read their stories of courage, faithfulness, and obedience, we enter into fellowship with them. Also available are The One Year Pray for Life Bible and The One Year Pray for America Bible. Learn more

The NLT Daily Reader’s Bible is a new and unique way to read through the Bible in a year. Instead of grouping daily readings by date, this Bible groups them by theme. Each reading includes three passages—a selection from the stories of the Bible (the Old Testament books of Genesis through Esther and the New Testament books of Matthew through Acts); another from the teachings of the Bible, including the prophetic books of the Old Testament (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel through Malachi) and the letters of the New Testament (Romans through Revelation); and a third from the wisdom of the Bible (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations). Since this is a reading Bible, there are no chapter and verse interruptions, and because there are no dates, you can read it at your most comfortable pace. See it

Many Bibles include reading plans to help you engage with God’s story. Some, like the Life Application Study Bible, have a 365-day reading plan checklist in the back. Filament Bibles give you access to a variety of Bible reading plans through the Filament Bible app. Here are a few more Bibles with some great reading plans:

The THRIVE Devotional Bible for Women is a full NLT Bible that includes 365 devotional readings. Devotionals are interspersed throughout the Bible and contain a key Scripture, a love letter from God, a reflection from beloved author Sheri Rose Shepherd, a treasure of truth, and a special prayer for the reader. Learn more

The Wayfinding Bible gives you lots of reading-plan options. With an innovative, full-color visual guide at the top of each reading, The Wayfinding Bible provides you with three paths through God’s Word. Following the Fly-Over Route, you’ll cover the most important events in the Bible in just 40 readings, giving you a fresh overview of how these events tell the story of God’s redemption. Following the Direct Route’s 200 readings, you’ll gain a better understanding of how God’s story develops through history. Following the Scenic Route, you’ll explore new territory while discovering a richness and depth in God’s Word that you haven’t seen before. All without the discouragement of getting bogged down in any single book. And there are even more reading plans. Ready to learn more?

Immerse: The Reading Bible splits the Bible into six volumes and is specially crafted for a distraction-free reading experience, helping you dive in and get immersed in Scripture. Chapter numbers, verse numbers, and all other modern additives have been removed. Each volume includes readings plans so you can read through an individual volume in 8 or 16 weeks. Created to be read in community, it’s a great way to read the Bible with others, like your church, Bible study, book club, and friends. Go deeper

The Daily Walk Bible offers a simple daily reading plan to see how the Bible fits together. Each day’s reading includes an overview to give you a bird’s-eye view of the day’s reading, several chapters from the Bible, an interesting fact from the day’s reading, and a short devotional to help you reflect on and apply a specific insight from the day’s reading. Every seventh day offers a pause on the journey as you are invited to Look Back over the readings from the previous week, Look Up to God, and Look Ahead to the reading to come. Learn more

The DaySpring Hope & Encouragement Bible is a beautiful wide-margin Bible that takes you deeper into God’s Word using twelve indisputable truths about who you are in Christ such as you are known, you are blessed, and you have a reason for hope that highlight God’s promises and devotion to his children. Devotionals and reflections connected to these truth are scattered throughout the Bible, and each truth has a unique logo to help you visually connect the dots. See it

How will you connect with God’s Word in 2022?

We love being able to partner with incredible ministries like WayFM to help get God’s Word into the hands and hearts of people wanting to better understand who God is and his purpose for their lives. Through our WayFM partnership thousands of our HelpFinder Bibles have been sent out to help people go deeper into Scripture and easily find answers to some life’s toughest questions.

We hope you are as encouraged by Pastor Chad’s words as we are.

by Pastor Chad, Director of Ministries at WayFM

An incredible ministry that we have at WayFM Radio is our Free Bible Ministry, which exists because of our partnership with Tyndale. One of the encouraging elements of this ministry is that we ask people why they need a Bible. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, but almost every week I am amazed by the varying reasons.

Here are a few reasons from last month:

“My husband, our two children, and I are starting over from scratch after getting out of my family’s toxic home, and I’m not able to get anything from the house, including my Bible. I know I can get a Bible on my phone, but that comes with distractions and I want to give all my attention to God.” Mariah, Panama City, FL

“Mom sent me to my first church camp this summer. Camp Fuego in Louisiana. It was amazing. I came home on fire for Christ. Unfortunately, my Bible has 9 missing books at the back of it. Not sure how it got damaged. Mom says the Word is like food for my soul. Can you send me some ‘food’? My soul is hungry. I am 14 years old.” Billy, Sherman, TX

“I want to start my own spiritual walk with God. As a person raised by Wiccans, I never felt their beliefs reflected who I was, and buying a Bible by myself is a difficult thing to do, including going to church.” Tara, Shelby, MI

“I was homeless and addicted to heroin. I listen to your station and it gives me hope and I have become closer to the Lord! I would like to learn more, but money is really rough right now.” Amy, Louisville, KY

“It’s been too long since I’ve read or studied God’s Word. WayFM has inspired a tugging in my heart to grow closer to God and to learn more about Jesus.” James, Anna, TX

Each month, we gather a group of supporters, listeners, and staff to prepare the Bibles to mail out. Before each Bible mailing, we read many of the stories from the current list and pray that the power of God’s Word will impact the recipients in great ways.

Let us remember the words of Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

The HelpFinder Bible includes an extensive topical index that addresses life’s questions, needs, and concerns. It enables you to quickly and easily find the help you need in God’s Word. Read an expert from the HelpFinder Bible.

Sometimes the noise of life makes it difficult for us to hear God. Maybe we feel he has disconnected himself from us because we’ve let him down, or maybe we don’t feel worthy enough to be in a relationship with him. God loves to be in conversations with his people. He invites us to talk with him. But how does God do that? “How does he communicate with me?” The HelpFinder Bible can help us find answers to questions like this.

Taken from the HelpFinder Bible

The opportunity to communicate with one another has never been easier—from smartphones to the Internet, from e-mail to video conferencing, we are always working to improve our ability to communicate. Why? Because communication is not just important, but essential. We like to keep in touch because it is vital to the quality and success of any relationship, whether it is marriage, friendship, family, or business. The same principle applies to our relationship with God. To know him we must communicate with him, and we must learn to listen as he communicates with us. Only then will we experience a breakthrough in our spiritual lives. The more time we spend communicating with him, the closer and more successful our relationship with him will be. When was the last time you felt in touch with God? How much time do you spend communicating with him?

How does God communicate with me?

• 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 | All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

God communicates with you through his Word, the Bible. Read it daily to keep in touch with him.

• JOHN 1:14 | So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
• HEBREWS 1:1-2 | Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.

God communicates with you through his Son, Jesus Christ. Talk with him often in your day.

• JOHN 14:26 | “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
• ROMANS 8:16 | For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

God communicates with you through his Holy Spirit. Pay special attention to the way he speaks to your heart and spirit.

• JOHN 8:9 | When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.
• ROMANS 2:14-15 | Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.

God communicates with you through your conscience, which is your God-given internal radar to help you know right from wrong. Always listen to your conscience. If you neglect it, it will become dull, and eventually you will no longer hear it.

• ROMANS 1:19-20 | They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
• PSALM 19:1-4 | The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word. . . . Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.

God communicates with you through his creation. All nature sings about a majestic God who created rhythm and harmony in the seasons. Nature shouts the power of God in the starry heavens, the roar of thunder, earthquakes, hurricanes, and the glorious snowcapped mountains. But nature also whispers about God’s mindboggling attention to detail in the wings of a butterfly, the endless variety of plants, and the complexity of DNA. Look for God’s fingerprints in his handiwork and you will not be able to miss him.

• ACTS 14:16-17 | “In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.”
• MARK 16:6 | But the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body.”
• ACTS 2:22 | “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.”

God communicates through the miraculous. There are great miracles like Jesus’ resurrection and seemingly small miracles like a baby’s birth. As you begin to recognize the everyday miracles of God all around you, you will recognize how he speaks to you through them.

• 1 KINGS 3:5 | That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
• DANIEL 7:1 | Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw.
• ACTS 10:3 | One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

God communicates through dreams and visions. These may not be part of your everyday experience, but the Bible clearly shows that God will do whatever he needs to get your specific attention.

• LUKE 1:11 | While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him.
• ACTS 8:26 | As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
• REVELATION 1:1 | This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John.

God communicates through his angels. Perhaps you have never seen angels, but you have likely seen evidence of their work. Angels are a clear part of biblical teaching. They are all around the earth and they are near you.

• 1 SAMUEL 3:8-9 | So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’”
• ISAIAH 45:2, 4 | This is what the Lord says: “I will go before you, Cyrus. . . . And why have I called you for this work? Why did I call you by name when you did not know me? It is for the sake of . . . Israel my chosen one.”
• ACTS 23:18 | So the officer did, explaining, “Paul, the prisoner, called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”

God communicates with you through other people. Most of the time he uses godly people to give you spiritual advice and help you mature in your faith. Sometimes he even uses people who don’t know him to unwittingly communicate his truth to you.

Learn more about the HelpFinder Bible

First Steps Article from the New Believer’s Bible

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” Psalm 1:1-3, NLT

Believers’ happiness or joy comes both from what they do and from what they don’t do. First, they don’t let ungodly people influence them. Psalm 1 says they do not “follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers” (Psalm 1:1). Instead, they do fill their hearts and minds with God’s Word: “They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night” (Psalm 1:2).

Have you ever eaten your food so quickly that you could not enjoy or savor its taste? Reading God’s Word quickly is like inhaling your food. To truly understand the Bible, we need to slow down, read the passage more than once, and think about it. As we meditate on God’s Word, we will come to know what is right and true. To meditate on Scripture means to ponder, consider, and “chew on” its great truths.

While it is excellent to read through the Bible, to study it, and to memorize it, the truth of God’s Word must also sink in. We must apply what we learn to our lives. It’s not the way we mark our Bibles that’s important, but the way our Bibles mark us. What we meditate on must affect the way we live.

When we meditate on God’s Word and apply its truths to our lives, we will experience the promise in Psalm 1 of living a spiritually fruitful life.

Learn more about the New Believer’s Bible

Glad Klassen, one of the women who voice the her.Bible app, reads John 1:1-14, NLT. Listen and reflect on God’s beautiful words to us.

Learn more about her.Bible

When working on the New Living Translation there were many priorities including creating a translation that was accurate, true to Biblical scholarship, engaging to read, understandable so truth could be applied and lived out in daily life, and a translation that was crafted to be ideally suited for public reading. What a joy to see that vision come to life through ministries like her.Bible. We are so thankful Jenny Steinbach, associate producer of this amazing audio Bible, shared her story with us. We think you will love it too.

“How could God allow so much pain and suffering in the world?” Sarah asked as we sat in the crowded student union at University of Western Ontario.  I could relate from my own struggles with painful emotions that clouded the message of Jesus, even though I sat in church for many years. I pulled my maroon Living Bible out of my backpack to try to answer her questions about God and clearly communicate his Word.  As a Cru staff member, my passion has always been to help people connect with God in meaningful and understandable ways. I discovered that people without Bible knowledge could not understand the scriptures until they heard it in modern English. 

Fast forward to my years as a mom at home to four active little boys, my “quiet time” was very limited but my worn One Year Bible New Living Translation was a sanity saver as I read and reread it. Having a plan for each day was very helpful. Eventually my mother-in-law came to the Lord in her seventies and I bought her the same Bible. We had fun talking on the phone and discussing our daily readings. She was first generation Italian and not a confident reader. Seeing her grow because she could understand made me so happy.

A few years ago, I was working with the Cru City ministry in Orlando and enjoyed discipling women who were struggling with long term unemployment and poor self images.

I loved getting out the door and settling into the car with a cup of coffee to drive to work—until I got into rush hour traffic again. One morning, a red Toyota suddenly stopped in front of me and cut into the exit lane ahead of a long line of traffic. Anxiety kicked in as I checked my review mirror hoping I wouldn’t get rear ended at 60 miles per hour. I needed recovery time once I got to the office to be ready to face my teammates and coach our students. After work that evening, there was a heavy rainfall in Orlando and it took 90 minutes to get home.

Audiobooks became a great solution to distract me from the challenging drive to and from the office. I wanted to be Spirit-filled by the time I arrived at work to coach people who needed to trust God with their employment struggles. And listening to audiobooks on the way home was a way to unwind. I heard great men’s and women’s voices read some wonderful books for those two hours spent on the road every day. Sometimes, I listened to the Bible too, but the longer I listened, the more it felt as if something was missing.

I explored more Bible apps but soon learned that they used the same audio files of the exact same male readers. I was looking for something different. I was simply looking for a pleasant woman’s voice to read Scripture with compassion and kindness, yet with the authority God’s Word deserves. This was a silent space in the audio book world.

 One Sunday, my pastor gave a sermon about a woman from Ethiopia who had started an orphanage and was trusting God to provide for 100 orphans. The tears flowed because I felt distant from God’s work and powerless to change that. Then my pastor asked, “How has God gifted you?” and “What is the world waiting for you to do?”

The Lord spoke deep in my heart and told me that I had the background to produce a women’s audio Bible. I was shocked and afraid to tell anyone, but I woke up every morning feeling a burden to find a way to make this happen. Eventually I told my husband and my team and then had to find another job placement. This project was out of the box for Cru, but the Lord led me to the radio team, which had the expertise and the studio to help make this happen. Since Cru is such a large organization, where we fit into the mission, this is the first individual project I have ever owned.

Sometimes women’s jaws drop when they hear the idea of a women’s audio Bible because they grasp the need, but have not ever thought of it before. From my years helping to distribute the Magdalena film, in which Mary Magdalene narrates the story of Jesus, I knew that women who had experienced abuse or had emotional barriers to listening to God’s Word in a man’s voice, would experience a deeper connection with God. Globally, I knew there was a hunger for God’s Word in the “heart languages” of women too.

I wondered, if a modern Bible translation could be recorded in English, be available for free and utilize voices from different ethnicities, could it connect with younger listeners and those who learn orally? To me, only the New Living Translation would meet this need. Could this audio Bible  serve as a model to women leaders in other language groups and be replicated in a way they could use to reach the women of their countries?

Thus began the adventure of producing her.BIBLE in women’s voices. It began with a simple, personal longing to give women a “voice” as they hear God’s Word. We have our first partner, who is passionate to produce an audio Bible in women’s UK voices and we eagerly look forward to the Lord raising up women to produce their languages in their available Bibles.

Learn more about her.Bible

Our Filament Bible Collection is growing and we’re so excited to announce some bindings coming this fall.

NLT Filament Bible Journals will be joining the collection this fall. These Bible portions contain a New Testament book or collection of books. These softcovers have interleaved (every-other-page) blank pages that offer an attractive modernization of a traditional design, with high quality thick, opaque cream-colored journaling paper and Smyth-sewn binding. They also will be available in box sets.

Compact Editions will be joining the collection this fall. These are the smallest binding in the collection making them extremely portable. Some even have zipper covers!

The Premium Value Thinlines also will release this fall. They will be available in full size and large print editions. These Bibles have beautiful covers at a very affordable price.

We will also be releasing some favorite covers in different lines.

Did you know the Filament Bible Experience App now includes reading plans? Check them out!

So many great things coming to the Filament Bible Collection. What are you most excited about? You can learn more and preorder.

Pride isn’t always bad, but if we aren’t careful we can easily tip the balance from what is healthy to a destructive pride. Let’s use the HelpFinder Bible to see what Scripture says about pride.

Taken from the HelpFinder Bible

There is a positive, healthy side to pride—being proud of your children or spouse, taking pride in your work. But the Bible looks mainly at the destructive side of pride because it has such great power to damage our relationships with others and with God. Pride is destructive when it involves wanting too much recognition, taking too much credit, wanting your own way, thinking your way is best—in summary, thinking too highly of yourself. It causes us to face the world from a selfish point of view, blinding us to our faults and leading to jealousy, envy, and a judgmental attitude toward others.

When is pride healthy and appropriate?
ROMANS 15:17 | “So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me.”
Paul was proud not of what he had accomplished but of what God had done through him.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:12 | “Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us.”
Like Paul, if we take pride in anything, we ought to take pride in the integrity and honest of our ministry and life.

What’s the difference between healthy confidence and unhealthy pride?
JOB 19:25 | “I know that my Redeemer lives.”
1 JOHN 3:2 | “But we do know that we will be like him.”
Healthy confidence is a realization and an assurance that God loves you, that he has given you talents and gifts and the ability to use them for him, that he has offered you salvation and eternal life in heaven. Knowing this gives you complete certainty that your life can have meaning now and forever.
2 CHRONICLES 26:16 | “When he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall.”
Pride is the ingredient that causes our confidence to become arrogant and cocky. When we think we can do it ourselves and then we stop seeking God’s help—these are the warning signs that confidence has turned to arrogance.

What are the effects of pride if left unchecked in my life?
1 KINGS 1:5 | “About that time David’s son Adonijah . . . began boasting, ‘I will make myself king.'”
Pride will delude you into thinking you have almost God-like qualities that demand the
respect and reverence of others.
2 KINGS 14:10 | “‘Be content with your victory and stay at home! Why stir up trouble thatwill only bring disaster on you and the people of Judah?’ But Amaziah refused to listen.”
2 CHRONICLES 26:16 | “But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall.”
An inflated estimation of your status and successes leads to the presumption that you can do anything you want. And that will, eventually and ultimately, set you up for a downfall.
2 KINGS 5:11 | “But Naaman became angry and stalked away.”
Pride can keep you from accepting the very help that can save you.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:12-13 | “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.”
Pride can blind you to your vulnerability to temptation and lead you to commit sins you never thought you could.
NUMBERS 22:22-23, 25, 29, 31 | “As Balaam and two servants were riding along, Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword. . . . The donkey bolted off the road. . . . The donkey . . . tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. . . . ‘You have made me look like a fool!’ Balaam shouted. ‘If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!’ . . . Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord.”
The next time your pride is hurt and you feel anger rising up within you, don’t assume that you are right and everyone else is at fault. Balaam’s anger immediately flared up against his donkey. Balaam assumed that he was right and that the donkey was at fault. Fortunately for Balaam, God revealed to him that the donkey had saved his life. Instead of soothing your pride by justifying your actions, see whether you can justify your motives. This will tell you if your anger is warranted and your pride overinflated.
GENESIS 11:4 | “‘Let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous.'”

EZEKIEL 31:18 | “O Egypt, to which of the trees of Eden will you compare your strength and glory? You, too, will be brought down to the depths with all these other nations. You will lie there among the outcasts who have died by the sword. This will be the fate of Pharaoh and all his hordes. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
2 CORINTHIANS 3:5 | “It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.”
Power is intoxicating—with it comes recognition, control, and often wealth. Each of these feeds pride, and pride leads us away from God and into sin.
PSALM 18:27 | “You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud.”
PROVERBS 16:18 | “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.”
MATTHEW 23:12 | “But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
God loves the humble but humiliates the proud. Don’t humiliate yourself by thinking you’re above rescuing. If you reject your Savior now, on the day of judgment he will reject you because of your arrogance and pride.

Learn more about the HelpFinder Bible

Sometimes it seems we are connected to everything, but each other. Ever try to start a conversation with your child about his or her day and met with, “I don’t know” or “I don’t remember.” Sometimes the hardest part is getting the conversation going. The Hands-On Bible is a great way to start a conversation. With interactive games, activities, crafts, and questions it helps you connect as a family and to God through His Word. Watch this video to see Jaxson and his dad enjoying the Hands-On Bible.

Learn more about the Hands-On Bible

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12, NLT

Read Matthew 7:12 out loud with a friend (that can be your parent, grandparent or sibling too. Family can be our friends too). Say it together a few times.

Then, place your palms near your friend’s palms, about an inch apart.

Slowly move your hands while your friend tries to follow your motions. Then switch roles. You tried to mirror your friend’s motions.

Jesus wants us to treat other people exactly how we’d like to be treated—to be a mirror image of how we’d like to be
treated! Write this verse on a sticky note on your bathroom mirror to remind you to be a mirror image!

Want to try the activity Jaxson and his dad were talking about? (Watch video)

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,* you were doing it to me!’” Matthew 25:37-40, NLT

1. Think of three people you’d like to give gifts to.
2. For each person, make a gift certificate or coupon of one thing you can do for that person (like clean a room, make breakfast or take out the trash.) Make sure you let them know the gift is to remind you of the greatest gift of all, Jesus.
3. Put the notes in boxes, and wrap the boxes. Let the three people open their presents.

Make sure you follow through with your gifts by doing the work.

Learn more about the Hands-On Bible