My story:
When I was young I went to Sunday School at a beautiful little Anglican church called the Church of the Good Shepherd while my mum attended the main service. I have fond memories of the flautist in the worship band who was a beautiful woman. She used to wink at me whenever she saw me, and it made me feel special. She’s also the reason I wanted to learn to play the flute, and I started to learn when I was 10.
As a teenager I tried a few churches, and youth groups and eventually was baptised.
At one point before I turned 15 I joined the worship band as a singer.
However, at the end of my 15th year I moved to a new region, and though we attended a beautiful big brick Anglican Church there I was struggling with the new school and drifted until I was 17 and at an Anglican boarding school as a full-time boarder. There we had chapel regularly and at first I helped the minister with our services. Then the choir requested I join to build up the numbers for their international children’s choir festival tour to Europe. I joined as a soprano – note: I have never had formal singing lessons and therefore didn’t, and still don’t, have a lot of skill or talent. The choir festival tour was an incredible experience! I was able to sing in St Paul’s Cathedral, see the Sistine Chapel and the basilica of St Francis of Assisi which our chapel was connected to.
After high school I went to University and studied business, worked, got married, had my daughter and over the years lost my way as I tried to live life on my own steam.
Despite my drifting away, God has been with me on my entire journey!
In the last quarter of 2025 I have committed to renewing my faith and connection to God, and daily bible study has been the crux that has helped me grow through His Word and the Holy Spirit.
I have been blessed to receive my current Bible which has been extremely encouraging and nourishing, as well as so many other references and resources through thrift stores and book fair sales.
Below you’ll find my bible collection with a note about each one. As well as some of the other references on my shelves.
I’m currently taking bible study notes in Obsidian because it saves locally to my computer and I want to build a web of my learning from Scripture. I had started to take notes in a 365 journal, and while I’ve moved to Obsidian to help create links and help me see the connections, I will return to physically journalling as it is very cathartic.
Bibles
This is my current Bible.
Translation: NLT
Publisher: Tyndale
Filament App Enabled
This was gifted to me by my mum in October 2025.
2025: I’m currently doing the Chronological One Year Bible study plan through the Filament app, and using the audiobook narrated by women for the Courage for Life Bible (2020).
Review: I love this bible except for the thin-line pages which are extremely thin. I’ve already had to repair some pages with tape after they ripped (in odd places). The inductive study method with a study segment on every page relating to the Scripture is fantastic. While more personal study rather than scholarly study, this is a wonderful bible and has helped rekindled my fire and connection to God.
Translation: NLT
Publisher: Tyndale
Filament App Enabled
I recently bought this hard cover Every Woman’s Bible in a sale at my local Christian bookstore for the excellent study notes.
Translation: English Standard Version
Publisher: Crossway
I bought this in the same sale as the Every Woman’s Bible at my local Christian bookstore, again for the excellent study notes.
Translation: New King James Version
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
When I saw this one year / daily Bible in a thrift store in November 2025 for $8 I had to get it because I wanted to experience the NKJV translation and I like the one year study plan, though this one is not chronological (which is my preferred plan).
I intend to use this after I finish my 2025-2026
— Out of Print —
Translation: Revised Standard Version
Publisher: WM. Collins Sons & Co. Ltd for The Bible Societies
This was donated to my local Salvation Army Family Store, and while they offer Bibles for free, I paid a $1 donation to the Salvation Army which was the standard price for their thrift books at the time.
This is a small pocket book size, but readable and a great reference when comparing translations.
— Out of Print —
Translation: New International Version
Publisher: The Bible Society in Australia Inc.
This was donated to a thrift store by an Adventist School, and I bought it for all the fantastic resources – maps, concordance, dictionary, encyclopaedia.
— Out of Print —
Not a Translation – a Paraphrase
Publisher: Tyndale
This bible belonged to my great grandmother, who was my namesake, Heather, who was dying in hospital when I was born. She got to hold me before she passed away, and many years later I was gifted this from her daughter (my grandmother).
Translation: Contemporary English Version
Publisher: The Bible Society in Australia Inc.
This was gifted to me by a Presbyterian Church I used to attend back in 1999.
Review: I love this Bible. It has book introductions, a summary of what’s in each book and which verses to refer to, with those reference titles in the margins, and notes in the footers. I have highlighted a few things, but I never read this from cover to cover. I am going to change that.
Translation: New Century Version
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
My mum gave me this Bible when I was young, and while I never really read it, I liked looking at the pictures and maps. It holds a special nostalgic place in my library.
Devotionals
Author: Jill Briscoe
Publisher: Tyndale
I was lucky to find this at my local thrift store for $1. My cover is a bit battered, but the inner contents are in usable condition.
2025: I’m currently using this as part of my daily Bible study.
Review: I am finding the devotions by Jill Briscoe very helpful and though I’ll eventually switch to a different year long devotional guide after I complete this book, I’ll definitely return to use this one again!
Using this devotional as part of our daily family bible study.
Review: We are really enjoying the interesting facts and their links to Scripture.
References
Author: N.T. Wright, Michael F. Bird
Publisher: SPCK Academic Publishing
I was blessed to find this for $2 in near perfect condition at a thrift store! I am yet to dive in, but after flicking through it I know that I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn from this resource.
Edited by: Bruce M. Metzger, Michael D. Coogan
Editors: D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer, A.M. Stibbs, D.J. Wiseman
Publishers: Inter-Varsity Press, WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
While I am grateful to have found this second hand, one of the previous owners has marked the text with colouring pencils and sometimes it is hard to erase these marks without damaging the text ink. Also there is some damage to some of the pages due to intense scribbling in pencil that has torn through the pages. The one saving grace is that there was also an older edition of The New Bible Commentary that I got at the same time and can use to check the text where it has been destroyed.
Author: Robert Young
Publisher: Mac Donald Publishing Company
This is an incredible second hand reference for studying the bible!
Wishlist:
Bibles:
Commentaries:
