A Family Guide to the Bible

When I first cracked opened Christin Ditchfield's "A Family Guide to the Bible", I thought I was holding something along the lines of "Talk Through the Bible" or Henrietta Mears' classic "What the Bible is All About". To be honest, I was wondering why the need for another book in this category. But as I perused the chapters, I realized this really is a "family" guide. Ditchfield has written her family guide in very user-friendly fashion. I could read this to my 10-year old daughter and she would get it.

The book begins with chapters on the history, authority and message of the Bible. It ends with chapters on how to study the Bible, a "Where in the Scritptures You'll Find..." chapter that directs the reader to various Bible heroes and "verses to help you..." and a chapter of Bible maps. In between is the heart of the book - a book by book survey from Genesis to Revelation. For each book Ditchfield lays out the usual facts about the book's author, audience, setting and story, which is a brief description of the plot. She gives five more categories of information that are quite helpful for teaching and application.

The Message: This is generally the longest section on each book. This gives a fairly thorough but to-the-point summary of the book. It ends with a "Key Verse or Passage".

More on This Story in the Bible: This helpful section gives each book's place in Bible history and connects it the rest of Scripture.

Words to Know: This is a family friendly addition that defines some of those difficult words we come across in the Bible. For example, the words to know for Malachi are 'covenant', 'profane' and 'refiner's fire'. Who couldn't use an easy definition of those words?!

Did you Know?: Ditchfield offers an interesting scientific, historical, cultural or doctrinal tidbit.

Making the Connection: This section connects the Bible book to an issue in contemporary society.

Think About It: This is a short devtional based on a particular verse or theme from the book.

Obviously, this book has a lot to offer parents and teachers who are trying to bring the Bible down to the family level. This book would be a welcome addition to your reference shelf for when you are preparing to teach on a particular book of the Bible, either in your family or in a kid's Sunday School class. You could even use it to teach a Bible Survey in those settings.

For more on this book and more book news, head over to Crossway's fantastic book blog!

A Grief Observed

I finished C.S. Lewis' "A Grief Observed" several days ago and I've been thinking about it quite a bit ever since. This book is a collection of notebook entries penned by Lewis after the death of his wife. In the introduction Madeleine L'engle writes, "I am grateful to Lewis for having the courage to yell, to doubt, to kick at God in angry violence. This is a part of grief which is not often encouraged." When I first encountered Lewis' yelling and kicking, I was not thankful. I was uncomfortable. I didn't want one of my heroes in the faith talking to and about God like this. I wanted him to grieve with sure and steady faith. My discomfort with grief and all that it brings with it was being revealed. As I finished the book I was grateful to have had my own faith poked and proded and my heart exposed.

I would offer one recommendation to anyone reading this book. Try to read it in one or two sittings. In doing so you will be able to better see the process of Lewis' grief. You will see that as the process of mourning unfolds there are still questions and doubts, but there are also honest admissions of immaturity and self-pity. You will see how Lewis looks back at earlier entries, written in deep darkness, and sees them more clearly as the sun was beginning to rise. His willingness to deal with his own questions and doubts is refreshing as he comes back to the same, solid truths that he held before and is able to approach them with eyes more widely opened by grief.