Billy Graham once said, "The Bible is the only thing that combats the devil. Quote the scripture, and the devil will run."
I don't know about you, but I want the devil to flee. Maybe you're like me and have great intentions to memorize scripture. You pick out the verse and read it over and over, but it just doesn't stick. I thought there HAS to be a better way to get scripture to stick in my brain so that it will ultimately change my heart. Because isn't that the whole point?
When I’ve talked about Bible journaling in the past, I have mostly talked about all the positive feelings I’ve experienced as a result. However, I feel like I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t also talk about some of the negative feelings that you are probably going to encounter in the process as well.
What you’re doing when you’re Bible journaling is a form of worship. It’s something that is going to bring you closer to God and really strengthen your relationship with Him. So, of course, the enemy isn’t going to like that very much, and he’s going to do whatever he can to make you want to quit.
Read MoreToday I wanted to address something that I didn’t really have to think about when I started Bible journaling — how to choose which journaling Bible is right for you.
When I started Bible journaling, pretty much the only option that you had was an ESV journaling Bible from Crossway. To make your decision you just needed to decide if you wanted single or double column and which cover you liked best. Since then, they’ve come out with lots of different translations and styles and they just keep coming!
The Crossway ESV journaling Bible is my favorite, but I wanted to give you guys some examples of the many journaling Bibles that there are to choose from now.
Keep in mind that this list isn’t exhaustive, but it does include many of the most popular styles and translations. I want to try and make this post informative and helpful without being overwhelming.
I’m going to break this post into two sections. Bible Translations and Bible Styles.
Read MoreHave you ever seen words that look like they are outlined or 3 dimensional? And then you try to draw them yourself, and you just can’t get them to look right?
Today I want to share with you a secret to getting your outlined letters to look great!!
I have included a video so you can watch me draw them, so as usual I just want to tell you that I drew them fast and sped the video up to save time. As always, I recommend you do what I do, but slower!
Read MoreHi guys!
For today’s blog post I made a video for you showing you how to draw some simple flowers to add to your bible journaling pages.
You can take all of these flowers that I have drawn separately in the video and put them together to make little bouquets, wreaths, and bundles to make your bible pages super pretty!
These are just a few different kinds of flowers you can draw. There are so many different ways you could draw flowers that I could never begin to show you all of them, but I think that these will help you get started.
Just like my banner video, I thought it would be easier if you watched me draw them instead of trying to read a written description (although I did add short descriptions below), especially because there are so many!
Please keep in mind that I drew these pretty quickly AND I sped the video up about 2x, so do what I do in the video…except way slower! :)
Read MoreLately I have been sharing a lot of “how-to” posts that have all included tutorials on doodling or drawing different things like banners and lettering.
I’ve focused on these things because they’re what I do and what I know best, but I know that isn’t everyone's style. So, today I wanted to share something a little different.
Knowing that not everyone is a doodler and not everyone feels comfortable with drawing, I wanted to share a blog post with supplies that you can use when you’re NOT someone who enjoys doodling or drawing but still wants to do Bible journaling.
With these supplies, you can almost think in terms of scrapbooking or card making. Stickers, stamps, tip-ins*--you name it; it will totally work.
In my last post about supplies, I pointed out pencils, pens and erasers that I recommend, which would apply here too! So make sure you go check those out!!
Read More“Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt
Comparison is an ugly game that we all have played at least once in our lives (but more realistically, probably daily).
Envy is usually the result.
We all know that envy is not fun and God isn’t a fan of it.
The internet makes it worse.
It can encourage you and discourage you in the same breath.
We know what everyone is doing, or at least what they want us to know (the good things).
It’s so easy to scroll and scroll and have disappointment and jealousy grow with every thumb swipe.
Bible journaling is one of those things that can very easily make you discouraged. Here you are trying your best to worship and find encouragement and all that you find is that you’re disappointed.
I have been there…often. In fact, that’s the whole reason I’m writing this.
Just the other day, I was scrolling through Instagram looking at other people’s gorgeous Bible pages, reading their inspiring captions, and I got this twinge of “I’m not _________ enough.” You can fill that in with anything.
And believe me, the devil will try to force you to fill that blank.
Read MoreIt’s been a while since we first talked about bible journaling. I pray that you’re chugging along really well and finding tons of blessings along the way!
I thought that while you’re making some extremely amazing pages, you might want a few tips on some elements to add to your pages!
I’ve already gone over hand lettering, another really fun element to add to your bible pages. You can find that blog post here.
Banners are something I really like to add to my bible pages. They can really add dimension, interest, and fun to your artwork!
Read MoreI am often asked if I use special pens to make the words on my Bible pages look the way they do. While there are special pens and markers to allow you to achieve the same look, I usually don’t use those in my bible. You CAN; I just normally don’t. Below is an example of the lettering I’m talking about.
What I am doing in my bible is called hand lettering (or sometimes called faux calligraphy). Hand lettering is different from dip pen calligraphy and brush pen calligraphy. These ARE done with special pens and markers, which I may go over in the future, but you can hand letter with supplies you probably already have around your house!
Today I wanted to give you a very basic overview on hand lettering. Hand lettering is a very popular way to add verses in an artistic way to your journaling bible pages, address envelopes, or even create pieces to give to friends and family as gifts!
Before we start, I want you to remember something. We are accustomed to writing a certain way our entire lives. Just think of how long you’ve been writing. Probably since you were about 5! That is YEARS of practice to get to where you are today in terms of how you write. You probably don’t even think about it anymore.
Read MoreIt’s been a few months since I shared with you what Bible Journaling is and how to start Bible journaling. I pray that those blog posts encouraged you to dip your toes into the creative world of worship!
However, you may be sitting here a few months down the road and find yourself a little stuck. I’ve been in this same situation many times over the past year and a half. I’ve actually had a tough few months recently, creatively speaking.
Every time I sat down to read, I found myself having a really hard time concentrating. I couldn't focus on the words, the meaning, what I was supposed to learn, and I definitely couldn't concentrate enough to know what I was supposed to journal.
I know that I still need to spend time with God. For almost 2 years, bible journaling has been my favorite way to do that. I have realized though, that sometimes even when I’m not forcing it, I actually am.
Read MoreI've thought it. I bet you've thought it. I don't think you're human if you haven't, honestly.
Praying recently, I was basically apologizing for always seeing the negative in everything and getting in a rut of expecting the worst to happen. It's one of my biggest obstacles. I am a negative person, plain and simple.
Yesterday, I was thinking that even through all bad times, I can find at least one good thing despite them or in the midst of them. It might be something so small I almost miss it, but in the hard and trying times, there's almost always something good.
Read MoreDo you have one little word? A word that you try and focus on for the year?
When this word popped in my head originally, I thought it was because of some health issues we’d all been having. Health is the part of life where we struggle most with trusting, so it made sense. But as the year has gone on, I think it’s God telling me to trust Him with a few other things as well--things only He knew about when He gently persuadedme towards this word.
Sometimes we’re presented with tasks or commands, and we aren’t sure if we can do them. Sometimes we’re right; we can’t.
I'm going to admit something to you that I’m a little embarrassed about.
The Holy Spirit is something that took me a long time to really understand for some reason. It seemed ghostly, unattainable, and strange until I really sat down to deliberately learn what and who it was.
And when I really think about it, the Holy Spirit is something that’s extremely easy to take advantage of.
It’s one of those really important things that you don’t realize how much it does for you until it’s gone (Lucky for us, He's not going anywhere!).
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I really like Psalm 107.
“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.” Psalm 107:2 says,
The whole chapter talks about 4 different kinds of people and how God helps them: the wanderers, the prisoners, the sick, and the storm-tossed.
They all bear talking about, but 107:14 really stands out to me.
"He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains."
I think this verse is talking in a literal sense of prisoners, but we can be in prison without sitting in a cell. A prison can take form in so many different ways.
Anxiety, depression, addiction, temptation, anger, jealousy.
There are so many things that can make us feel like we’re sitting in darkness. Some things we have more control over than others, but there’s one thing that can bring us out of that darkness—Jesus Christ.
For me the struggle has been with anxiety and mild depression for as long as I can remember. There have been times in my life where it is better, and there are times where I have felt like I was a prisoner to it. I have felt like I had no control over my emotions, happiness, or thoughts. Satan truly knew how to keep me down.
Read MoreSo you've dipped your toe in the water.
You've started Bible journaling. Now you may be wondering, "What supplies should I use?"
I don’t use a ton of supplies. I have tried numerous things, but I always come back to these.
Everyone has a different style. After you’ve been journaling a while, you’ll probably notice that you tend to gravitate towards certain things. Some of my friends, like me, tend to only use watercolors.
Other's pages look like beautiful scrapbook pages, full of stickers, tip-ins (when you tape in a printable/prayer card/etc), and other types of embellishments!
There isn’t any right way to journal and there aren’t any proper or improper supplies. You should use whatever you love.
That being said, here are the things that I love!
Read MoreThis page was inspired by a SheReadsTruth devotional a few months ago on Genesis. One thing in particular that the writer of the devotional said really resonated with me. It said, “Jacob’s path was marked with memories, with celebrations and sorrows, just like yours and mine. And the most remarkable part? God kept every bit of that promise He’d made to Jacob, watching over him wherever he went.”
As I read this, I could so clearly see our path so far.
Read More"In a little while."
Something that I have said so often to my son…and honestly sometimes it’s just my way of not flat out telling him no. A placeholder until I can find the time or the energy. When Jesus told His disciples "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” John 16:16. It was a promise and He meant it.
Read MoreIn the beginning of the year people asked me, “How was last year?" How do you think this year will go?” My first response wants to be, "Kind of bad." We lost my grandpa in July. We haven’t felt very good physically. We had to cancel plans because of things out of our control. Things went our way & things didn’t.
But if I sit & I think about it, it was good. It was good because there is a blessing in every situation. There’s something in the works of every struggle & victory, even if we can’t see it.
Read MoreI think that sometimes in life we feel like we’re just surviving. I know that I have definitely felt this way. Sometimes it feels like I’m seriously just living day to day, hoping to make it through to the end in one piece.
When you’re out in the wilderness, the first thing you need for survival is fire. Pretty much everything hinges on it. You need it for warmth, light, food, for fresh water… you need it to sustain and thrive. Jesus is our campfire. He is our campsite. He’s the Living Water, the Bread of Life. He’s our shelter. He gives us every single thing we need to survive the wilderness of life.
Read MoreSo, most of the time, I just need to be silent.
In Exodus14:10, the Israelites started complaining. This is only the first instance when they grumbled and doubted. They were afraid that they were trapped as the Egyptian army started closing in on them. They started saying to Moses, “See? What did you think you were doing? We told you to leave us alone.” And in response Moses told them to be still, the Lord would fight for them. And He did
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