5 Stars!

There are numerous story Bibles out there, but this one is my favorite! It was given to us by my writing teacher at seminary, and I have been reading it to Carter since the first day we received it. Instead of just telling biblical stories on a children's level, the author (Sally Lloyd-Jones) ties Jesus into each chapter and shows how each individual story fits into the entire Bible, God's Story, His great redemptive plan. So you don't just get a parable or story, you get a theological framework to place it in.

Would you really want to teach your child that Abraham almost killed his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God unless you also explained the meaning and significance of God's request? Sally Lloyd-Jones beautifully explores the full meaning of each story. Every time I finish a chapter, I have chills. I have basically adopted this work as my latest devotional. I highly recommend you buy and read this book, even if you don't have children! (Incidentally, when I pulled the book image from Amazon.com, I saw that Dr. Tim Keller, renowned pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC, recommended this book for every Christian.)

Here is an excerpt from the first chapter:

"Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should and shouldn't do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn't mainly about you and what you should be doing. It's about God and what he has done.

Other people think the Bible is a book about heroes, showing you people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it, but (as you'll soon find out) most of the people in the Bible aren't heroes at all. They make some big mistakes (sometimes on purpose), they get afraid and run away. At times they are downright mean.

No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne - everything - to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about this Story is - it's true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle - the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

And this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child on which everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day - but wait. Our Story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning..."

I am convinced this book could be used as an evangelistic tool to share the Gospel! I LOVE it and hope you will find it as refreshing and exciting as I do!