Book Review: The Voice Bible

The Voice is a new Bible translation that aims to update Biblical language and maintain the authors original intent. Contributors to the translation consisted of a team of 120 scholars, authors and artists. I was fortunate to review the New Testament portion of The Voice and have since been enjoying the Old Testament portion too. 

The translation features italicized text that brings out the original points the authors were making. The italicized text flows seamlessly with the standard text and I I found it helpful. The translation also includes sidebars with cultural, historical and devotional thoughts related to the surrounding text.

I definitely recommend this Bible to anyone looking for a modern Bible that they can easy understand. I  greatly enjoy using this Bible for daily devotions. The language is discernible and easy to understand.  The italicized text is still my favorite part of this translation. 

I received an ebook copy of The Voice and it has a poor system of navigating between books. I hope that in future editions they will find a faster way to navigate through the different books of the Bible.

I plan on continuing to use The Voice translation for my daily Bible readings. I enjoy reading familiar passages in it's contemporary language. I am glad to have both the Old and New Testaments in The Voice. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> 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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Voice New Testament

The Voice is a new Bible translation from the Ecclesia Bible Society that connects more readers to the Bible through contemporary language.  Formatted as a daily reading Bible, The Voice features italicized text explaining ideas the original readers would have intuitively known.  The Voice also features a screenplay format for dialog-heavy portions that eliminates the redundant "he said" or "she said" throughout dialog.  Lastly the Voice also features in-text commentary notes and book introductions.


I greatly enjoyed reading The Voice translation.  The language reads easily as if it was written in 2012.  One of my favorite examples of that is Ephesians 4:28a which says "If you have been stealing, stop."  The Voice is contemporary like The Message translation but more succinct.  It feels like a cross between The New King James Version and The Message.
The italicized information that sheds light on what the original readers would have known intuitively is my favorite feature.  It is threaded seamlessly with the text and helps bring the words to life.


I plan on using The Voice as my primary New Testament because the updated language refreshes my perspective.  I enjoyed the ebook format.  I recommend this book for those who have had difficulty understanding the Bible in the past and want a more contemporary translation that doesn't read like a kids Bible.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com 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.”

From The Inside Out

This video is a blast from the past (August of 2011) and here it is.

With by Skye Jethani

In his book "With" Skye Jethani helps readers reimagine the way we relate to God.  He starts by describing inadequate postures often taken towards God. Some see God as a rule-giver to please while others subject Him to universal rules. Some view God as existing to fulfill their desires and others see him as a mission to strive for.

But Skye Jethani believes in a better way to relate to God: just be with Him.  Instead of striving for or expecting things from God Jethani wants us to treasure God, unite with Him and experience Him.

The best part of this book is Jethani’s challenge to treasure God more.  He likens treasuring God to how a 17 year-old might treasure a dream car.  Treasuring can lead to owning that new Subaru.  Owning can lead to experiencing that new Subaru.

With challenged me to treasure, own and experience God in a similar way.  I want to value God more.  I find it easy to under-appreciate God.  Jethani shed light on ways I inadequately connect with God and provided tools to improve our relationship.  The books appendix provides questions to ask at the day’s end in journaling.

It’s wonderful to be reminded that God wants to be with us.  I recommend this book to people who want to explore their connection to God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com 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.”

Years ago my friends and I shared a mentor who repeated a phrase we often mocked.  Her words “make good choices” achieved mantra status.  But years later this motherly sounding fix-all remains in our minds.

That same phrase echos throughout Andy Stanley’s book The Principle of the Path.  In his book Stanley spells out the premise that our direction, not intention, determines our destination.

This is a great book for self examination.  The early chapters challenged me to honestly uncover areas of my life I want to change.  Stanley challenged me to be brutally honest about why I do the things I do.  Then he asked me to write how I would advise someone else in my circumstances.

Stanley also did a great job weaving together stories of Biblical characters who dealt with the direction their lives were heading.  King David of ancient Israel makes a few appearances and provides valuable lessons.  King Solomon, aka the wisest man who ever lived, also gets special treatment.

I could not help but smirk when I read Stanley’s concluding words:  “choose wisely”.  Stanley reinforced the old mantra of “make good choices” that I suspected might be true.  I’m grateful Andy Stanley wrote The Principle of the Path to spell out that the direction we head in determines our destination.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com 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.”

My Top CDs From 2010

The Year The Music Died
Musically speaking 2010 was a rough year for me.  Two of my favorite bands broke up:  Copeland and Mae.  News of the band Copeland’s breakup bummed me in the early months of 2010. Their last CD had been so strong.  I’m grateful to have spent my birthday at their farewell concert.

Then Mae announced they were calling it quits too.  I felt like a chapter in my life was closing.  Mae’s departure left me asking “what bands that I closely follow are left?”

Bands come and go.  There’s no point in hinging too much of my life on a group of people.  People are temporal.  God’s word is eternal.

The Year of Mae
The band Mae closed their career on a high note.  They released three EPs titled Morning, Afternoon and Evening.  I first purchased the Afternoon EP and enveloped myself in the songs “In Pieces”, “The Fight Song” and “Communication”.

I was proud of what Mae accomplished with Afternoon.  The songs were strong in melody, rhythm and lyrical content.  Lead vocalist Dave Elkins opened himself up more than ever in the autobiographical song “Communication”.  It was a project I was glad to share with friends.

The Morning EP hit me just as hard.  “The Fisherman Song” knocked my socks off.  I had that song on repeat for weeks.  The tempo changes, style changes and storyline gripped me.  I paraded that song before friends and family.

Rend Collective Experiment
The Irish worship band Rend Collective Experiment gave the worship genre a fresh twist with their album Organic Family Hymnal.

Church songs often contain similar phrases and language.  With the Organic Family Hymnal the band clearly abandoned many of those phrases for unique descriptions of the Christian experience.  (Example: they say “God let Your dreams come true through us” instead of the oft-used “have Your way in me”.)

Brooke Fraser - “Flags”
The strength of Brooke’s last CD, Albertine, practically demanded my loyalty.  I don’t enjoy her new cd, Flags, as much as that earlier release.  Still I greatly enjoy the songs “Coachella”, “Who Are We Fooling” and “Ice On Her Lashes”.

Katy Perry Comeback
After hearing her first hit (I Kissed A Girl)  I hoped Katy Perry would be a one hit wonder.  I thought she needed shock value to cover up her lack of talent.

Then I heard the song “California Gurls” at a wedding.  The solid musicianship and production forced me to reevaluate Katy.  That song is catchy and fun.  It’s strong groove marks a comeback for the 70s disco feel over the typical “club” dance music.

The song “Teenage Dream” also exemplifies quality production.  I haven’t bought the rest of her CD but those two songs force me to reevaluate Katy Perry.

Maroon 5 deserves an honorable mention.  I got their CD, Hands All Over, for Christmas and am still sifting through it.  It’s good and I respect Mutt Lange’s production.  I especially like “Just A Feeling”.

Come Around Sundown by Kings of Leon

The rock group Kings of Leon recently released the follow up CD to their highly successful album “Only By The Night”.  This new CD, “Come Around Sundown” depicts them more as a  beach-rock jam-band than the arena-rock alternative group they portrayed last time.

Many of the arrangements are scaled back from the band’s previous offering.  My favorite song, “Pyro”, is the song that feels most like it belongs on their last cd.  “Pyro” features a driving drumbeat with sparse instrumentation leaving room for lead vocalist Anthony Followill to squall “I don’t want to be your cornerstone.”  Other winners on this new cd include the good-time focused “Birthday”, and the chilled out “Beach Side”.

This CD isn’t as mind boggling as “Only By The Night”.  Still there are catchy melodies and refreshing sonic landscapes.  For those who enjoyed their last cd “Come Around Sundown” is definitely worth multiple listens.