365 Bible Promises for Little Hearts: Encouraging, Character-Building Thoughts for Kids Ages 3 to 7

This book is recommended for children, but what isn't mentioned is how good this book can be for some people at whatever age they are. Take for example Ecclesiastes 11:1 used in this promise bible - "Cast your bread on the water, and after many days you will find it again." Both my husband and I are in our 50's and we both find this verse unclear. Phil Smouse clarifies its meaning by paraphrasing it, "God says when you do good things for others, those good things find their way back to you when you are in need!" Sometimes a verse isn't difficult to comprehend, but yet it's very important to remember. When I came upon Ephesians 2:8-9 in this book, it instantly reversed the consequences of a downward spiral I recently went through spiritually. That day's title read, "Not a Reward." Reading the words, "New life is a gift, not a reward for the good things we have done..." instantly lifted me out of my state of despair. I especially liked how Smouse ended that day's promise with the question, "Why would you try to pay for it if God will give it to you for free?" Reading this book is like having a Christian friend over for coffee who brings encouragement and hope in a way that comes natural and from the heart. Today I'm filled with joy. Smouse includes the topic of joy by bringing in Nehemiah 8:10, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." That's nice to read, but what if you're not quite comprehending what "the joy of the Lord" means? He clarifies this too by saying, "Where does your joy come from? Does it come from the people and things around you? If so, you will be happy one day and grumpy the next. But when your joy comes from Jesus, you can find a way to be happy even when people make you want to scream." Jesus has never made me feel like I want to scream... unless by screaming one means to shout for joy over the fact that it's because of Jesus giving His life that it is possible to receive the gift of a new life (an eternal one!)! One last thing I'll say I enjoy about this book is that it contains variety. Phil Smouse has a sense of humor. An example of this is in how he explains Ecclesiastes 7:1, "A good name is better than fine perfume." Smouse says on that page, "Some things smell wonderful. And some do not! The things you say and do can be like the sweet smell of a favorite perfume. Or they can tell everyone you meet that you really need to take a bath.

Reviewed by Sophia McElroy (age 6.75) for Reader Views (10/09) This is a book that has Bible verses for every day of the year. I liked reading more than one a day; sometimes I read 10 a day! I was really happy to see my favorite Bible verses: Psalm 119:105 and 2 Corinthians 9:7 - I couldn't believe they were in the book! I learned a lot of new Bible verses and it was fun. I really like the drawings, they are beautiful. I also like the soft, satin, bookmark that is attached to the book. I think "My Everyday Promise Bible" by Phil A. Smouse would be a good gift for kids; they would really like the pictures. It says it is for 3 to 5-year-olds, but my older sister wants to read it now that I am finished and she is 8-years-old.

My Everyday Promise Bible: 365 Bible Promises for Little Hearts, written and illustrated by Phil A. Smouse, is a book filled with enough Bible verses and promises to last an entire year. The verses are numbered Day 1 - Day 365. You can start out on Day 1 and read straight through day by day or skip around as you like. Each day's reading is on one page. Each page has a title for the reading, a Bible verse that is paraphrased so it's simple enough for little ones to understand and a devotional about the verse. There is an index at the end of the book that breaks down the verses into categories such as friends, pride, sadness, etc. The illustrations are colorful and eye-catching, done in a cartoon-like manner, sure to hold a young child's interest. What I Like: I like the variety of verses and the easy way you can find a verse about a particular topic in the Index. What I Dislike: Although the text is written in a simple, straight-forward manner, the book itself is cumbersome. It has a board book cover and heavy-weight paper pages to hold up for extended use. The book is nearly 400 pages (with each all the verses and the Index). This makes it quite thick and heavy. I don't think children ages 3-5 will find the book very user-friendly without a lot of help from someone else. Overall Rating: Good. Age Appeal: 3-5. Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review