"Mended" by Angie Smith

Disclaimer: I received this product for review. All opinions are my own.

I first heard this author speak a few years ago at a Women of Faith conference. She is so funny and really personable, even when she speaks to a crowd of thousands of women. Angie Smith has some amazing stories to tell about her life and living in God. Her story of lovingly carrying a pregnancy to term, knowing the baby would not live, is heartbreaking. But she relies on God for all the hard times in her life and shares her story of faith.

The product:  "Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole" (B&H, September 2012; ISBN-13: 978-1433676604, $14.99) -- We love to cheer for the underdog and believe to our core that every life makes a difference. And we are right. There is no one God can’t use and no one whose brokenness is too broken for God. We know this is true for our friends when we want to encourage them. Yet, when it comes to the places of our innermost sense of shame and regret, we often wonder if it is really true that God can work all things together for good for those who love Him.

Mended takes you on a journey to show how faith lived in the regular events of daily life is all that it takes to be a part of creating God’s picture of redemption in your life and those around you. Your life does make a difference—because of how He is magnified in the cracks.

About Angie Smith
Angie Smith is the wife of Todd Smith (lead singer of Dove Award winning group Selah), author of "I Will Carry You and What Women Fear," and one of the most popular speakers and blog writers in the country. She holds a master’s degree in developmental psychology from Vanderbilt University and lives with her husband and daughters in Nashville, Tenn.

What I thought: I was really excited to read this book. I so enjoyed hearing Angie Smith talk at Women of Faith. But I had not had a chance to read any of her books yet. It turns out that she writes a lot like she talks. She has a funny, relatable, down to earth way of sharing things. I get her. And as a mom of young children, I get so many of her stories.

In Mended Angie Smith paints a great picture of the way God fixes our broken lives. We are all broken in some way. And this book is just the uplifting encouragement you need to start putting the pieces back together. You'll enjoy this devotional. It is written in little sections that you can read every day. I hope that it gives you the encouragement you need. It also makes a nice gift for any woman in your life.

Where to buy: You'll find Mended by Angie Smith in stores and online.

The Voice New Testament: Revised & Updated

The product: The Voice New Testament is a new way to read the Bible. This new, innovative New Testament puts the scripture into a story. It reads more like a novel than collections of verses and books. If you or a friend have had a hard time "getting into" reading the Bible, you will can to check this one out. It's much easier to read and understand. It puts the truths of scripture into a way that you will be able to understand better.

About The Voice New Testament:

The Voice™ Bible translation is a faithful dynamic translation of the Scriptures done as a collage of compelling narratives, poetry, song, truth, and wisdom. The Voice calls the reader to step into the whole story of Scripture and experience the joy and wonder of God’s revelation. Created for and by a church in great transition, The Voice uniquely represents collaboration among scholars, pastors, writers, musicians, poets, and other artists, giving great attention to the beauty of the narrative. The heart of The Voice is retelling the story of the Bible in a form as fluid as modern literary works yet remaining painstakingly true to the original manuscripts. This translation promotes the public reading of longer sections of Scripture—followed by thoughtful engagement with the biblical narrative in its richness and fullness and dramatic flow. 

This is an updated and revised version of the New Testament edition, now at an even more affordable price. 

Features include: 

--Italicized information added to help contemporary readers understand what the original readers would have known intuitively 

--In-text commentary notes include cultural, historical, theological, or devotional thoughts 

--Screenplay format, ideal for public readings and group studies 

--Book introductions

What I thought: I have this in ebook format, and love that I have it with me on my Nook. It gives me the opportunity to read the Bible anywhere. But it's not a traditional Bible. It's more like a continuous story. There are little notes included in the midst of the scriptures to make certain situations clear. At the beginning of each book, it contains a good description of what that book is about, the author and pertinent background information about the book.

This is a completely new way to read the Bible. But I like having new ways to read God's word. If you're just looking for a standard Bible, this is not the one for you. This is very different. I think it better serves people who have always have a hard time understanding the Bible and really getting into reading it.

It would make a great gift for a friend or family member who wants to learn more about the Bible and dig a little deeper. It's written like poetry or song. Sometimes certain scriptures are moved a bit, to better show the flow of the story of Christ. It's always noted when they do this. It makes a good companion to your traditional Bible. And it's a great way to spend a little more time in The Word each day!

Where to buy: The Voice New Testament is published by Thomas Nelson and is available in bookstores and online.



*Disclaimer: I received this product from Thomas Nelson Publishing through Book Sneeze to review. All opinions are my own.*