A few weeks ago, I received a review copy Zondervan’s new NIV Radiant Virtue Bible from Bible Gateway, as a member of their Blogger Grid. (#BibleGatewayPartner) I can’t ever turn down a Bible, and I was excited to see the newest take on the perennial classic–the Good Book. Here’s a short video that will tell you more about it.

According to the publisher, features of the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible include:

• Full text of the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version (NIV)
• Hundreds of highlighted Bible verses relate to the key themes of faith, hope, and love
• 12 blank calendar pages on thicker paper for planning out a year of activities
• 52-week guide, rotating weekly through the key themes
• Each week’s suggested activities include an encouraging devotional reading and prayer, a piece of coloring art for reflection, and a journaling prompt to help you dig deeper
• Reading plans for a month or a year
• Full-color art throughout
• 66 key verse illustrations, one at the beginning of each book
• Shareable full-color verse artwork on thicker paper with perforated edges
• Journaling space throughout
• Double-column format
• Satin ribbon markers
• Words of Jesus in red
• Exclusive Zondervan NIV Comfort Print typeface
• 8-point print size

In a word, this Bible is beautiful, and perfect for those who are interested in exploring their faith through Bible journaling. Some features I love include a 12-page calendar at the front of the book that allows you to keep track of what you’ve read, as well as how it impacted you. I also appreciate the artwork throughout the text. It’s very contemporary, colorful, and useful for meditation. There is ample space to journal, and there are numerous journaling prompts that can help a reader reflect on God’s Word. Moreover, there are colorful bookmarks and Scripture cards in the back of the text that can be shared with others–and they’re lovely!!

The Bible itself is lightweight enough to carry around, and wide enough to actually be able to write in. There are pages to color, if that’s your thing, as well as some guided meditations.

In the past, I’ve been pretty critical of the male-centric contributions to Zondervan Bibles, so I was really pleased to see that the majority of artists contributing to this Bible were women. There’s no Biblical study in this text, as the emphasis is on meditation and reflection. However, this is a Bible that can be a great encouragement for anyone feeling the need to draw closer to God.

Blessings and Peace,

Sara