Picture The Bible
Stacy Johnson Myers
If my husband and I ever had a competition (we’re not the competitive sort of couple), it would be over whether his hymnal collection is larger than my children’s and youth Bible collection. Considering we have moved two times in the last five months, this competition is not merely about bragging rights, but a contest to see who has caused the most pain in packing up our collections and hauling them. It goes without saying that for either of us to add a new volume to our collection, it has to be extraordinary. When Picture The Bible by Stacy Johnson Myers landed on my desk from Pilgrim Press, I picked it up and was instantly enchanted.
Each of the 52 stories featured in this collection is paired with a beautiful collage that connects with the text. The people as pictured are representative of a good portion of how God’s diverse people appear. The words are clear and are accessibly adapted for young readers and listeners. Each story ends with two discussion questions, and the Scripture references are clearly marked on the corners. The purposeful design makes it easier for families and faith formation classes to read together, wonder together, and grow together. It is something you can return to many times as there is more to notice, glean, and question.
I can use this collection in many ways in my own work in children and family ministries. I will definitely use this in the rotation of Bibles that I read from with my one room Sunday School class. The younger kids can interact on their levels and my youth can use it as the stepping stone into their Bibles as we chew on deeper nuances of the passages. This would be a perfect addition to a children’s and family library; pair it with a new stuffed animal and have people snap a photo of the child and stuffie reading together, upload it to your social media account with a preset hashtag and watch as the congregation’s engagement grows over time. This could be a beautiful gift for a baptism or dedication, as well as a new member gift for a family. I am using it as inspiration for some projects in our new Maker Space. We’ll look at the collages and the elements used as we create our own collaborative murals for the stories we are studying. (We are currently working with the parable of the Good Samaritan, which is not featured in this collection.) It is something that my youngest kids (2 year olds) can work on alongside my oldest youth (two youth about to embark on their first years of college) at their own levels. Or, for a take home connection, ask families to have a collaborative art time. The illustrations are all featured on the website for the author’s church. Send them a goodie bag of watercolor paper, a few brushes, a glue stick, a pair of scissors, a tin of water colors, and a family friendly snack, link directly to the illustration that is inspiring you this month, and have them send you a photo of their final product. Create an online gallery of their photos and see who else would like to join you!
While my husband and I have no plans on moving again (God willing), we still are rather judicious on what we add to our collections at this point. I have fallen head over heels in love with Picture The Bible and already have a copy ordered for my own shelves. My children also agree and continue to squirrel it off to their rooms to enjoy at bedtime.
