The NLT Thrive Devotional Bible from Tyndale pairs a full-text NLT Bible with a year-long set of devotionals by Sheri Rose Shepherd designed to help women grow and flourish as Christians.
ISBN: 9781496448262 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.
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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
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Table of Contents
Construction and Materials
The edition I have is a rose gold metallic leatherlike cover. It measures 8 5/8″ x 5 3/4″ x 2″ and weighs approximately 2 pounds, 4.5 ounces. The accompanying clamshell-style box is navy with pink flowers.
It has rose gold gilt page edges and a sewn binding. There is one narrow pale rose ribbon marker attached and the endpapers are pale pink.
The paper is a cream color and is about 38 gsm. The paper does have a yellowish cast, especially when compared to some other Bible paper. Showthrough is noticeable but rarely bad enough to be distracting. The pages are smooth and easy to turn.
This Bible is also available in a navy with pink flowers hardcover edition that matches the box the leatherlike comes in.
Typography and Layout
This Bible text is all black letter. It has an 8.5 point font and nearly 6 lines of text fit in the height of a penny. They use a dark pink color of ink for chapter numbers, section headings, and part of the header. All ink seems to stay consistent in color throughout the Bible.
The Thrive Devotional Bible is laid out in a two-column, paragraph format. Lists look like lists, quotes are offset, and poetry is set in stanzas.
The header has the guide chapter in pink on the outer corner with the page number in black just inside that.
The footnotes are the translator’s notes and are all black ink. There are asterisks in the text to indicate a footnote.
Devotionals
365 Devotionals, written by Sheri Rose Shepherd, are included. Each devotional includes a title, Bible verse, a Love Letter from God, a reflection, and a Treasure of Truth. There is always a prayer suggestion on the facing page that goes with the theme of the devotional. The page number of the next devotional is at the bottom.
Prayers and devotionals are set apart from the Biblical text by a patterned dark pink border on the left side that matches the color of the chapter numbers. The paper behind them is also tinted slightly pink. This pink tint does a good job of distinguishing added content from Biblical text. While taking photos for this review I noticed it occasionally makes it look like they used more than one color of paper, particularly at a quick glance.
I like the overall theme of thriving as a child of God the devotionals have. They encourage you to deepen 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 especially like that it encourages a joyful, overcoming Christian lifestyle without ignoring the struggles we all sometimes face.
Even though it has an entire year’s worth of devotionals none of them seem to be tied to a specific date or holiday. That makes this a better devotional to use than some if you want to use your birthday, an anniversary of some sort, or just today to start on. It also makes it easier to use for a less (or more) frequent schedule than once a day.
This Bible is aimed at women. Each “Love Letter from God” starts Beloved Daughter and most of the prayer prompts include “daughter” as well. Of course you probably already assumed it was a women’s Bible because of just how pink it is. Many of the devotions focus on issues women face. But, there are also a large number of devotionals that could apply to and be useful to any Christian regardless of age or gender.
Other Features
Introduction to Thrive
There is a 4-page introduction to this Bible near the front. It explains tools and methods for Scripture engagement in general and some suggestions for using this bible in particular. I would also consider the letter from Sheri Rose, found a couple of pages earlier, about how she hopes this Bible will help as part of the introduction.
Reading Plan
A reading plan is included printed in the front as well. It has 365 readings but it is not a read your Bible in a year plan. This plan is designed to be a comprehensive overview of the Bible without being overwhelming. It does have a date next to each reading where they intend for you to start on January 1st, but since there are also check-off boxes it would be fairly simple to start at any time.
I really like this reading plan. I do believe every Christian should read the entire Bible every few years but I don’t think everyone has to read the entire thing every year. This is a great plan that hits all the highlights. I think would be a good choice for Christians just getting into the habit of daily Bible reading. It’s also good for Christians who want a smaller daily plan to go alongside other Bible studies they are doing.
Topical Index
A topical index of all the features is included. It can help you find a devotional on a specific topic or a profile of a specific person. It will be useful for finding devotionals for an issue you or someone else is dealing with or going back to a devotional you want to reread.
Book Introductions
The book introductions are short, just a paragraph or two. Their main purpose is to introduce you to the main theme or message of each book.
In this picture, you can see how the book starts on the right-hand side. This is always the case and frequently gives you a partial blank page for notes.
Profiles
There are 31 short profiles of biblical figures included, men and women. These profiles focus on how God used their situations for his glory.
Treasures of Truth
There are 50 of these “Treasures of Truth” callouts scattered throughout the text. Highlighted by these bright pink decorative circles these are thoughts the editors wanted to be sure you remembered. I know at least some of these are the concluding thoughts from the devotionals. I’m guessing that’s where they all come from and these 50 are either Sheri’s or Tyndale’s favorites. They aren’t scriptures (which I would have preferred) but they are uplifting sayings about living for God and who God is.
Comparisons
Here are some comparisons to a few other devotional Bibles I’ve reviewed. Links will take you to the full reviews.
Thrive Devotional Bible and Thrive Creative Journaling Bible
Size and color are really the differences between the Thrive Devotional Bible and the Thrive Creative Journaling Devotional Bible that matter the most. The Standard version is available in hardcover or leatherlike while the journaling version is only available in hardcover (either standard or leatherlike over board). A stiff cover is a lot more needed in a Bible you intend to write in.
The Journaling edition is 2 inches wider and weighs a little over a pound more. For the extra weight, you get a 2 3/4 wide outer margin for responding to the text and devotionals.
Everything that’s pink in the standard version is blue in the journaling version. This includes chapter numbers, section headings, all the markings that separate the devotional content from the Bible text, and even the covers.
Besides these details, these are the same Bible. With the same paper, same devotionals, same extra features, and even the same pagination. If you like pink and/0r want to do your journaling or notetaking outside of your Bible the standard NLT Thrive Devotional Bible is the better choice.
NLT Thrive Devotional Bible and CSB (In)Courage Bible
The CSB (in)courage Bible is slightly taller, wider, and almost a pound heavier than the NLT Thrive Devotional Bible. The (in)courage is available in genuine leather and optional thumb indexing that are not available with the Thrive.
The paper is whiter and the font is larger in the in(courage) Bible. There is also a little bit of note space at the bottom of each page and a second ribbon marker.
Even though the font in the Thrive is slightly smaller it is also bolder and, in my opinion, just as easy to read. I think the paper is slightly thicker in the Thrive. My favorite shade of Bible paper is actually about halfway between these two shades.
Both sets of devotionals have very similar themes – growing in our knowledge of God and as Christians and living an overcoming life.
(In)courage divides these devotionals into 10 separate themes, each of which gets its own border color to help you locate them. Very useful since every theme is scattered throughout the Bible and you have to go to the theme pages in the back to find the next devotional in that topic. Since these devotionals were written by a community instead of a single person information about each author and a list of the other devotionals by them is included in the back. It has over 300 devotionals but not quite the year’s worth found in the Thrive Bible. The devotional text is even lighter than the Biblical text and sometimes hard for me to read in dim light.
Thrive takes a more through the Bible approach. With the progression of devotions being Biblical order instead of theme and each one telling you where to turn to find the next. While the topic shifts back and forth more the style is more consistent since they all have the same author.
Both Bibles include profiles of Biblical people and book introductions. Only the Thrive has a reading plan. Both have a topical index. The one in Thrive takes you to devotionals or other added content while the index in the (in)courage takes you to 4 passages of scripture about the topic (which I usually prefer).
With such similar themes, the best choice will come down to the smaller details or the way the devotions are organized. I can see an advantage to either type of organization. The devotionals in the (in)courage could be better for a Bible study on a specific topic (group or individual) and you could get a more concentrated dose of advice if one of the topics is particularly relevant to your life and struggles right now. The whole Bible approach in the Thrive could be better for becoming familiar with all of God’s word and promises and might be better for new converts or those who are making a new effort to grow closer to God.
NLT Thrive Devotional Bible and CSB She Reads Truth Bible
The CSB She Reads Truth Bible is wider and heavier than the NLT Thrive Devotional Bible. It has this cloth over board and a genuine leather cover that the Thrive is not available in.
The She Reads Truth has whiter paper that feels the same thickness as the Thrive. It is laid out in a single column instead of double-column format and has a noticeably wider margin.
The text is slightly larger in the Thrive (8.5 instead of 8 point).
There are a little less than 200 devotionals in the She Reads Truth Bible covering a wide variety of topics and written by 17 different authors with 4 of those authors being much larger contributors. I love how these devotions tend to be based on longer scripture passages or whole chapters of the Bible and include additional verses to read. These devotionals are the hardest of any of these Bibles to find and I mostly find them by just turning pages. The only index is a 1-page index in the back that lists authors and page numbers and no information about verses or topics.
In comparison, the Thrive has 365 devotionals and each one tells you where to go to find the next. The devotionals are usually based on single scriptures.
She Reads Truth has longer book introductions that include timelines and historical background as well as the main theme like what is in the Thrive Bible. A key verse for each book has been selected and illustrated and a list of all the key verses is included in the back. The closest thing to this in the Thrive would be the Treasures of Truth. Both Bibles have a topical index. The one in She Read Truth is smaller and gives you scripture references, while the large one in the Thrive helps you find devotionals and additional content.
The reading plans in both are very different. I like the smaller read the important passages in a year plan in the Thrive. I also like the read the entire Bible through slowly and pulling in related verses plan that is found in pieces at the start of each book in She Reads Truth. Many people will like having the read the entire Bible in a year plan that is also found in She Reads Truth.
To me, these two devotional Bibles are very different. If you want a devotional Bible that focuses on Christian living, overcoming struggles, and thriving that also familiarizes you with the basics of the Bible get the NLT Thrive Devotional Bible. If you are looking for a Bible that helps you learn more of the Bible, its history, and context, that also includes information on Christian living and overcoming get the She Reads Truth Bible.
Final Thoughts on the NLT Thrive Devotional Bible for Women
The NLT Thrive Devotional Bible is a year-long themed devotional inside an NLT Bible. The theme of growing in God to live a joy-filled and overcoming Christian life aimed at women is well done. It would make a good choice for any woman wanting to learn to trust God and Thrive as a Christian, either for yourself or as a gift.
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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
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.
Thank you so much for such a detailed review of the Thrive devotional bible. This is exactly what I was looking for to help me make a decision. God bless you!