I had the opportunity to review The Wayfinding Bible from Tyndale House Publishers. The Wayfinding Bible is an innovating system that "leads you through Scripture to reveal God's story in human history as one continuing narrative from beginning to end. Whether you are looking for a quick overview [the flyover route], a more comprehensive survey [the direct route], or you just don't want to miss a thing [the scenic route], The Wayfinding Bible enables you to quickly and easily engage with the key people, places, and teachings of the Bible so that you can connect more fully with its life-changing message."
I was interested in this particular Bible because, while I've successfully read through the Bible before by using the "Once-A-Day" version, I often find it difficult to really focus on what I'm reading and absorb the words and lessons. As previously mentioned, this Bible breaks down readings into three different "routes":
- The Flyover Route is about 50 readings, giving an overview of the most important events throughout the Bible and how they all come together as part of the big picture.
- The Direct Route is about 200 readings, and it gives a deeper understanding of the development of God's story throughout history.
- The Scenic Route is about 400 readings where you can discover the "depth and richness of God's Word like never before."
For each route, the guide shows you where you were (the page you started on), where you are now (page and stop number), and where you're going. A very neat way to connect verses and books throughout the whole Bible!
I tried a little of each "route." Personally, I think it is great because each option can be used for different times, like a quick read, a study, or a lengthy read-through, and each route has it's own benefits. For example, I liked the Flyover Route when using The Wayfiding Bible as part of our homeschool Bible curriculum/lessons, because I felt it nicely supplemented the lesson in ways my younger children could understand. (of course I think the New Living Translation in general is often easier for little ones) The Direct Route was my favorite for my personal Bible studies, because as a busy mom I never know how much time I will get to myself, and this way I felt that I was able to get an enriching reading and a lesson while not having to worry about getting "cut short" if I had to end my time early. I felt like even a short time spent in my Bible was "complete", instead of trying to pick a beginning and ending spot on my own. The Scenic Route was my preference for in-depth study, when I wanted to really get in between the lines, reference concordances, etc. It's definitely what I'd want for long-term.
While the "routes" are probably the main aspect that sets this Bible apart from others, I also really enjoyed the "Observation" and "Exploration" Points about key people, events, and places. Other features I enjoyed were the Historical Markers, which gave me a little more information on the historical and/or geographical facts about what I was reading, as well as the "Side Trips" in the margins, which highlighted "various Scripture passages that..show you what the Bible has to say about each topic." That particular feature is always one of my favorite things about study Bibles!!
Overall, I really like having The Wayfinding Bible as part of my collection. While it's not my primary Bible that I keep with me at all times, it's an awesome supplement. I love the easy ability to make quick connections throughout the Bible via the Flyover route, as I think that really helps my understanding of some specific events and people in those times. I also love, as I mentioned before, having this Bible to use for homeschooling. It's really beneficial when I'm doing lessons with the children, as it makes certain things easier for the children to understand, and they're able to more easily engage in making the connections between key people, places, and events in God's Word. (the colorful, detailed maps are great, too!) This is a great Bible, and a fun new approach to soaking up the goodness of the Living Word!!
Learn more about The Wayfinding Bible at Tyndale House, The Wayfinding Bible, or watch the Wayfinding Bible book trailer on Youtube. You can also purchase it on Amazon as a hard copy or the Kindle version!
**I received a free copy of this book to review, courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers. My opinions are all my own...I may be a people pleaser, but I'm also a control freak, and prefer to use my blogspace for making my thoughts known, not stealing the ideas of others. ;)
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
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