I purchased my dark green and gold NIV Study Bible in October 1992. Over the years I’ve purchased many other Bibles of various translations and formats, but this one continues to be my favorite.
It’s familiar. I know where things are located on the page. It has my notes all over it. It’s the Bible I used for memorization in my twenties.
Thirty years later it’s the Bible I use with Caroline during our homeschool time. It’s easy to understand and works well for reading aloud.
Caroline has two Bibles, but neither one was working well for her. One was geared more toward younger girls/tweens and has busy pages. The other is one with artwork for coloring with colored pencils. (It helped her focus in church to be busy with something while she listened.) But now at 15 she needed an adult Bible that would work well for her personal reading and our homeschooling time.
I suggested to her that I look on eBay and see if there was any chance someone had an identical Bible to sell. She liked the readability of mine and also liked the study notes.
Would I possibly be able to track one down?
Well, I was so pleased and astonished when I found the PERFECT one for her on my first look.
The Bible is brand new. It was still stored in the original box, but had no indication it was decades old. No musty smell or anything.
It’s the exact same edition as mine (page numbers match). It’s in the dark blue and silver combination which would be her immediate first choice.
The spine has never even been broken. The pages look like they were never thumbed through.
It even has the maps in the back that include the Soviet Union (like mine) which she thought was really cool. (She likes the 1980s!)
I suppose part of me could be sad that someone had this Bible and never used it. But instead I see it as such a neat part of our family history that God provided this at just the right time. It was safely tucked away all these decades until someone posted it on eBay and I felt prompted to look for it.
So now we have our matching Bibles we can begin to use together.
It probably seems like a small thing, but it isn’t to me.
It’s a great example of God caring about even the little things and orchestrating them – decades before I even knew there would be a Caroline to homeschool.
So Caroline inscribed her Bible. Maybe she will be reading it aloud to her daughter sometime in the future. I pray this is so.
Morning Hope – Psalm 40
Hi Sallie, very interesting article. My Wife and I kept to traditional script. I being English (Canadian) used the KJV and my wife uses le Sainte Bible. All of our kids use variations of those two renditions. Either way it is still the most important part of our faith…the word of God.
Hi Thomas,
I grew up using the KJV quite a bit so it’s very familiar to me. I do like the NIV for simple reading and homeschooling (although I have had Caroline read the KJV out loud to get used to older English). For studying, I like to use a few different versions to get a greater understanding of the text. Each one has its benefits. Good to hear from you!
Sallie
Sallie, this is just so lovely. I know the inscription is dear to your heart. ❤
You are very blessed indeed!
-Lauren
Hi Lauren,
Seeing “mommy” is very precious to me. ♥
Sallie
What an amazing treasure you found! I love my old 1984 NIV version Bible. I hope I can make it last till I’m no longer here but home with the Lord! I have tried so many versions over the years and always return to the ‘84 NIV. May Caroline get many good years of use from her new Bible .
Hi Joslyn,
There is something about the early NIV that I really like. I have a newer one and it works, but I don’t like it quite as well. I imagine some of it is simply being comfortable with what is familiar.
Caroline asked me why I don’t send my Bible in and get it recovered. LOL! I’ve thought about it. I even looked to see if I could find another one like mine on eBay, but it wouldn’t be the same.
Good to hear from you!
Sallie
As the Bible says, like mother, like daughter. What a joy to have this Bible show up for her from God!
Hi Peggy,
It really was a joy that I was not fully expecting. We all need that once in a while!
Sallie
That’s very cool! What a great thing to share together.
Hi Ticia,
It will be fun to read it together!
Nice to hear from you. I hope you are well!
Sallie
My old NIV is a stripped down version that I received for free when I joined a wonderful Christian Book Club back in the early 80’s. I don’t like a lot of stuff going in my bible (study, etc.) as I am too easily distracted. It brings me great comfort to read this very simple bible.
Blessings to you and your family.
Hi Nancy,
I agree that sometimes it’s nice to have a Bible with no notes in it. I have one like that I usually carry to church. I know Caroline will like the study notes in this one since she’s very interested in history, etc. It will be a good addition to our homeschooling studies.
Blessings to you as well!
Sallie