College Devotional Bible {a BookLook Blogger review}

I'm always interested in a good Bible for my older teen.  I wasn't positive that he was quite ready for something titled College Devotional Bible, but I definitely wanted to take a look.  If not now, maybe in a year.

He loves it.

There are a bazillion Bibles out on the market.  What makes this one appeal to him?  I think part of it is that it makes him feel older.  Part of it is definitely that the materials that are geared to high school students feel patronizing to him.  He's always complaining to me about that aspect of so many of the things we've looked at.

This isn't patronizing.  It is written to very young adults, obviously, and Connor is rapidly approaching that.

The publisher describes it this way:

Your college years are different from any other time in your life. You get a demanding new schedule – and it’s yours to manage 100% on your own. You make new, lifelong friendships as you spend time with other people on a similar path in the journey. You face unique challenges as you begin to see the world differently, including what your impact on the world might be.

This special time in your life is also an opportunity for you to deepen your relationship with Jesus. The NIV College Devotional Bible will help you strengthen your walk with God as you find your own way in life. It’s filled with stories that connect Scripture with the struggles, questions, and decisions every college student faces. In fact, it’s the same approach that Jesus used in his parables---taking stories from everyday life to illustrate eternal truths.
Features:

• 222 school-year devotions with daily insights and applications on relevant topics
• Devotions use a unique storytelling approach to connect God’s Word with your real-life questions, struggles, and decisions as a student
• A practical reading plan that helps you stay connected to God during the 9 months of school each year
• Quick-start guide shows you how to get the most out of reading the Bible
• Subject index for looking up topics of interest
• Complete text of the clear, accessible NIV Bible

When I asked Connor for his opinion, he practically gushed.  He loves the devotionals, and has read a few of them out loud to me.  He also really appreciates that they are not so intrusive as to "be in the way" when you are reading the Bible text.

The part he really went on about, however, was the reading plans in the back.  There is a fairly standard "one year" plan, that is dated starting with January 1. But then there are an assortment of numbered (day 1, day 2, day 3) plans, such as:

• 60-Day Overview of the Bible
• 30 Days for Beginning Your Walk with Christ
• 30 Days with Jesus
• 30 Days in the Psalms
• 30 Days in Proverbs
• 20 Not-so-Famous Bible Stories
• 30 Days with Paul
• 30 Days of Promises
• 30 Days of Leadership
• 30 Days of Prayer
• 30 Days of Knowing God
• 30 Stories of Great Faith

That's over a year there (380 days worth), and he's very interested in following those plans.

It also seems to me that by reading through the devotionals -- and reading the corresponding passages in the Bible -- he would also get a pretty solid overview of the Bible.  Some of the devotionals are suggesting only a verse or two, some a full chapter.

This seems to be a perfect Bible for my son at the moment.  Young enough to be relevant.  Mature enough to have some meat in the extras.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”