I was recently sent a copy of the CSB (in)courage Bible. This devotional Bible was designed to be an invitation to all women to find their story within the tapestry of the greatest story ever told.
Holman provided this Bible in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
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This Bible is available for pre-order at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
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Video Review
Construction & Materials
I have the green cloth over board edition of this Bible. It weighs 3 pounds, 2.5 ounces and measures 9.5″ x 6.25″ x 1.75″. It has a sewn binding and two attached ribbon markers. This Bible was printed in China.
The paper is white and easy to handle. It seemed a little thin at first since I’ve gotten used to journaling Bibles but it’s actually a fairly standard weight Bible paper that we are guessing to be in the mid 30s gsm.
This Bible is also available in a light gray hardcover, a blue imitation leather cover, and a navy genuine leather cover. All but the gray hardcover are available with thumb indexing.
Typography & Layout
This Bible has a 2 column, paragraph format. Poetry is set in stanzas. Quotes are set in a slightly bolder font and long quotes and letters are offset. It is black letter with light sage green section headings and chapter numbers. The header contains the book name and chapter numbers in the outside corner and the page number can be found in the bottom outside corner. The only footnotes are the standard CSB translation notes.
It has a 9.5 point font. About 5 lines of text fit in the height of a standard penny. The interior of this Bible was designed and typeset by 2K/Denmark
There is a large bottom margin (over 1 1/2 inches) that includes 10 light lines to make it easy for you to add your own notes and reflections.
10 Themes
The devotional content of this Bible was created by the people from the online (in)courage community (www.incourge.me). It is comprised of 10 major themes.
- Beautiful Brokenness
- Better Together
- Daily Grace
- Everyday Leadership
- Friendship on Purpose
- Hope in the Hurt
- Imperfect Hospitality
- Intentional Gratitude
- Second Chances
- The Scared Brave
Each theme has its own color (and pattern) that makes it easy to find more content.
Reading Plans
Instead of the typical read your Bible in a year plan this bible has 10 reading plans – 1 for each of the 10 themes. They take between 4 and 7 weeks each to complete when done as planned and include all the devotionals and the corresponding scripture passages for the theme. While I think all Christians should read the Bible through when they first come to the faith (and reread it as a whole at least every few years) I really like when Bibles give you alternative reading plans. They can be such a useful starting place for themed studies and personal devotions.
Devotionals
This Bible contains 312 devotionals each bordered with a specific color to indicate its theme. Some are shorter one-page devotionals focusing mostly on personal experiences.
And some are the longer two-page devotionals that frequently deal with broader topics and always include reflection questions. I find the varying lengths (and depths) a nice feature that encourages you to spend what time you have (long or short) reading and reflecting on God’s Word.
All of these devotionals were written by various members of the (in)courage community and a complete list of contributors that includes a website (if they run one), a very brief bio, and a list of any other devotionals they wrote for this Bible is included in the back.
I haven’t spent a huge amount of time in the (in)courage community but I have followed a few previous book studies on the site. I’ve been impressed by the fact that while they are always encouraging women to be better (have a closer walk with God, read and study more, overcome shortcomings) they do so in a way that acknowledges that the only one perfect is Christ that seems carefully constructed to not make women be too hard on themselves.
Profiles
They have chosen 5 Biblical women for each theme and included a profile that shows how each one can be an example to us.
Other Features
Besides an introduction to the CSB translation and an article on how to read the Bible, there is also an overview of the Bibles various features.
This Bible features a Commitment page rather than a dedication page that encourages you to make a commitment to reading and studying God’s Word and to record the people and scripture passages that have encouraged you the most.
Book introductions are fairly standard features of study and devotional Bibles. This Bibles introductions focus mainly on how each Book fits into the Bible story as a whole and the way it is most likely to influence each of our individual stories.
This Bible also includes some beautifully illustrated “Theme Verses.”
And a topical index that gives you 4 relevant Bible passages each for a large variety of topics that include doctrinal issues, frequent problems and questions, and day to day living.
Final Thoughts on the CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible
The (in)courage Bible is a nice women’s devotional Bible. It has a nice solid but simple design for the Biblical text. The added content that helps women realize they are not alone in their struggles is well designed and easy to use. The encouragement to draw close to God and his Word first and then look for help within the community of believers it is sure to make this a useful and frequently used Bible for many women.
Holman provided this Bible in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is available for pre-order at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
Photography by Lucinda Brown and hannah C brown
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