The NLT Thrive Creative Journaling Devotional Bible places both a year-long devotional and room to respond alongside the Biblical text.
ISBN: 9781414368139(hardback) 9781496448248(leatherlike) Printed in China
Tyndale 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 at (includes some affiliate links)
Amazon Hardcover LeatherLike
Christianbook Hardcover LeatherLook
Books-A-Million Hardcover LeatherLike
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
Video Review
Construction and Materials
The hardcover edition is cream with blue flowers. The slipcover is blue with matching flowers.
The light teal edition is soft leatherlike over board and has rose-gold foil accents on the cover and matching rose-gold gilt page edges. Its slipcover is cream with blue flowers and looks a lot like the hardcover Bible.
Both editions measure 8 1/2″ x 7 3/4″ x 2″ and weigh about 3 pounds, 7 ounces. They have sewn bindings, an attached light blue ribbon bookmark, and light teal thick paper liners.
The paper is a cream color and is about 38 gsm. While it does have a noticeable yellow tone I don’t think it’s yellow enough to affect the color of any but the most transparent art mediums you might use in it. Showthrough is noticeable but rarely bad enough to be distracting. The pages are smooth and easy to turn.
This Bible is also available in ebook format.
Typography and Layout
The Thrive Creative Journaling Devotional Bible is laid out in a two-column, paragraph format. Poetry is set in stanzas and lists look like lists.
The guide chapter is placed in the header above the outside edge of the text with the page number next to it. With how wide these margins are, that puts the page number very near the center of the page.
The footnotes are the translator’s notes and are all black ink. There are asterisks in the text to indicate a footnote.
The outer margin is 2 3/4″ wide. It contains 38 light dotted lines each 1 7/8″ long. Next to prayers and devotionals 1/2″ of the margin is blue. Lightly lined margins are my personal favorite because they keep my notetaking and lettering neater than blank margins but don’t interfere with artwork as darker lines would.
Devotionals
365 Devotionals, written by Sheri Rose Shepherd, are included. Each has a title, a Bible verse, a Love Letter from God, a reflection, and a Treasure of Truth. The facing page always contains a prayer suggestion that follows the theme of the devotional. The page number of the next devotional is at the bottom.
These devotionals and prayers are set apart from the Biblical text by light blue backgrounds and a patterned blue border on the left side.
I like that the overall theme of these devotionals is not just living a Christian life but thriving as a child of God. I especially like that they emphasize that the best way to do that is by deepening your relationship with God. Drawing closer by reading God’s Word, spending time in thoughtful prayer, and trusting him to take care of you.
I also like that even though it specifically contains a year’s worth of devotions, 365, none of them is tied to a specific date. That makes this a good devotional Bible to start any day of the year.
Hectic days, using additional devotional or study materials, or wanting to return to a devotion we’ve already read on a day the message is needed again are all reasons we might get behind in a yearly devotional. Not being tied to specific days makes it easier to deal with any of these without adding guilt because it’s not the right date.
This Bible is aimed at women. Each “Love Letter from God” starts Beloved Daughter. Most of the devotions focus on issues women face. Much of it applies to girls, boys, and men as well and they could definitely gain something from reading it. (I’ve read portions of lots of boy’s, girl’s, or men’s devotionals) No one should consider it though without knowing who it was intended to be for.
Other Features
Introduction to Thrive
The first pages of this bible include a reprint of Psalms 23 and a letter from Sheri Rose Shepherd to the reader. The letter tells you a little about Sheri and what she hopes this Bible will do for its readers.
There is also a 4-page introduction explaining tools for Scripture engagement in general and some suggestions for using this bible in particular.
Reading Plan
A 365-day reading plan with boxes to check off is printed in the front. This is not a read the entire Bible in a year plan. Instead, it tries to give a fairly complete view of Scripture without being overwhelming. The check-off boxes are particularly handy if you start on a day other than January 1st.
Topical Index
A topical index of all the features is included. It will be very helpful if you are looking for a devotion on a specific topic. I think it will be most useful when you want to reread a devotion because you need to hear it again or because you want to share it with someone else.
Book Introductions
Book introductions are short, only a paragraph or two, and introduce you to the main theme or message of the book.
It’s worth noting that all books start on the right-hand side. This frequently gives you a partial blank page for longer notes or larger pictures.
Profiles
31 short profiles of biblical figures, men and women, are included. These profiles highlight how God used their situations for his glory.
Treasures of Truth
There are 50 of these pretty blues circles with “Treasures of Truth” callouts scattered throughout the text.
I believe these are 50 of the concluding thoughts from the devotionals, also called Treasures of Truth. I found at least a few of them that matched up. I’m guessing Sheri Rose and Tyndale picked the 50 they didn’t want the reader to forget. While they aren’t scriptures they do contain uplifting sayings about who God is and how to live for him.
Final Thoughts on the NLT Thrive Creative Journaling Devotional Bible
The NLT Thrive Creative Journaling Devotional Bible is a well-designed cross between a Bible, a journal, and a devotional. One place to read God’s word, read devotional material, and respond to both in words or pictures. Either edition would make a nice gift for any woman who Bible journals or would like to. It would also be a great choice for yourself if you like the idea of your devotional material inside your Bible and want to focus on having a flourishing, thriving life in Christ.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
Amazon Hardcover LeatherLike
Christianbook Hardcover LeatherLook
Books-A-Million Hardcover LeatherLike
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
Originally published in November 2020, this post has been updated by Lucinda Brown to include the Leathersoft version of this Bible.
Photography by Lucinda Brown
Tyndale 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.