Bible Journaling

Have you heard of Bible Journaling? #journalingbible #illustratedfaith (hashtags for you to check out) I hadn't until a week ago. I was on Pinterest, again (don't judge ;) ) looking for snail mail and/or art journal ideas and stumbled across an art piece drawn directly on a page in a Bible. I wasn't too sure how I felt about it at first. Wasn't that a little disrespectful, drawing in a Bible?  I mean, the artist drew right over the text. I decided to click through to the link and found myself on a blog entry about Bible journaling. What?! I can tell you, it took me all of five minutes to change my mind and fall in love with this idea. The blog included a link to another blog link ~ "Create by Shanna Noel. The post was honest and engaging and spoke to my heart. Why not use the creativity that God put in me to enhance my study times and frankly make the Word 'stick'. I watched her webinar on Bible Journaling basics and knew I wanted to try it.

In some small ways I had already begun to recognize that when I wrote out scripture and embellished it with word art, it made a deeper impression on me. Even if I could only focus on one verse at a time, I was soaking in the Word.

Journal entries from my quiet times

In other ways I had already begun the Bible journaling process by highlighting texts that I wanted to remember or focus on and writing in the empty spaces. It was never fancy, just 'functional'.  Seriously though, I like fancy! If I can choose between something plain and something decorated, you don't have to try to hard to guess which one I would choose.

I don't have a wide margin Bible or a journaling Bible, yet. I do plan on getting one, but I also wanted to be sure that it wasn't just a crafting fad or my craft "ADD" kicking in. I decided that I would try a few pages in my regular Bible. They were simple and certainly nothing to "write home about", but I got a taste for what I could do.

Then I decided to try my hand at fancier lettering in my journal and worked on a text from Isaiah. I am not great at it, but again, I was getting the words from the page into my mind and heart.

I then went to paper. I wanted to scribble and practise without abandon. I came across a Youtube video that showed how to do the name Jacob really cool and I thought I could use similar techniques to do the name of Jesus. I thought I should try to make it small so that it would fit in the Bible margin as most of what I had worked on hadn't required boundaries. I estimated a size and went for it. This verse is my favourite piece of art to date. I worked on it with pencil and eraser first. I was typically too impatient to do that before. I realized after I was done that I still have to edit down to a smaller size if I want to keep my art to the margins. I think I do, but there are many options for adding larger art without covering the text too much (my personal preference).

I cut this out and will either do a turn out page or use it as a bookmark or something. 

My final two pieces (up to date) are scaled down. I don't know if I will re-do them when I get my Journaling Bible or if I will just insert them in, but it's already been such a great and refreshing experience.

I still snail mail, I still crochet (did you see my new wool?)...

Details on my Instagram feed (user name: mrsgingras)

...I still sew - when I can, I still love throwing a good party (two birthday boys are having a good one, soon) and I still enjoy trying many other crafts. I think, though, that my daily devotional time has become a new favourite. Hiding His Word in my heart!!!