March 1: Getting Started: BEGINNING BIBLE ART JOURNALING

Happy March 1st!!

I am so excited to FINALLY get to begin our month together!  I have so much planned to share, let's get started!  Today's post is LOOOONNNNGGG but we have to get the basic understandings down before we get started so bear with me and read through...

WHAT IS BIBLE ART JOURNALING?
  The way I define it is the expression of  what Scripture says, means, and how it's applied through the use of memorable lists, doodles, artwork and words utilizing some form of color or artistic medium.  Think about journaling...it's writing.  Add 'art' to the word 'journaling' and you are adding 'art' to writing.  Add the subject of the Bible and now we see we are utilizing Scripture in our art that was added to writing.

DO I NEED TO BE ABLE TO DRAW OR WRITE BEAUTIFUL SCRIPT?
NO!  I will be giving you LOTS of other ways to make your Bible Art Journalling beautiful, and more importantly meaningful, without being able to draw a good looking circle!

WHO SHOULD BIBLE ART JOURNAL?
You. Anyone who loves God and seeks to have meaningful interaction in His Word. Besides it is just fun!!

HOW MUCH TIME WILL THIS TAKE?
As much as you wish to put into it.  My goal for you and for me during this month is that while we may only spend 10-20minutes a day in our Bible Art Journaling, that we would be thinking on what we are studying in God's Word all the day long. I PUT IN MY SCHEDULE TIME WITH GOD IN HIS WORD...I firmly believe, those who fail to plan, plan to fail....we are all so busy!  But God calls us to study His Word and to pray without ceasing!  We are to meditate on it...chew on it...think on it...and God will use His word to transform us more and more into the image of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!  This has eternal value!

WHEN WILL THE POSTS BE UP EACH DAY?
by 8pm EST right here on the blog (will be trying for earlier posts)!

WHY do this?
It is such a great way to get into God's Word and meditate on it!  I will be teaching you through Psalm 119 as well as teaching you how to Bible Art Journal, but you want to be involved in a good bible study where you are.  I highly recommend Kay Arthur's PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT classes, which are held all across the US and world.  You can go to their website to find a class near you here. I utilize what I am learning from these in my bible art journaling!  I have led these women's bible studies for years and continue to be amazed how much God has revealed to us in His Word, the Bible!

WHAT DO I NEED?
My goal is 3 part in this month:
1..To show you how to Bible Art Journal, while helping you to know how to remain 'diligent...accurately handling the Word of Truth'.
2..To make this very doable.  Those who love to draw or doodle or paint, will likely do that instinctively on their own in their bibles or in notebooks.  I have done this for years!  But those who feel they ARENT artistic or creative, tend to be afraid to start or not know even what to write or draw!!
3..To keep this inexpensive and as cost-free as possible.  If you have a bible and a pen, you are able to do all I am going to show you.  If you have more, you will be able to add more as I'll show you.  But regardless EVERYONE can participate

LIST OF WHAT YOU NEED:

1--You must have a bible.  I use the ESV SINGLE COLUMN JOURNALING BIBLE because the margins are very wide (shown in the bottom of the photo above).  If your bible is like one in the top of the photo above had has very small side margins, you may find you can art journal on top and bottom, or if you have absolutely no margin to work with you may want to do your Bible Art Journaling OUTSIDE of your bible.  I have tons and tons done this way and there are many ways to do that:

You can buy a big journal, a small one, create your own (like I did on my Romans Bible Art Journaling homemade journal) or even use a simple composition book (see above: I put a title on it 'bible study journal') or single sheets of paper.  I will be showing how to do this IN your bible, but you can do anything I show this month in one of these options if you cannot use your own bible margins for this project.  No worries!

2.  You need a pen and maybe a pencil.  Here are some options for pens and coloring pens/markers that I like to use, but you only NEED a pen and maybe a pencil.

In the inductive bible studies I lead, we mark words, write down cross references and word study findings, and make lots of lists in our bibles.  Here's a page I have in Ephesians:

As you can see, the idea of marking in my bible is very comfortable for me even in my study bible, because I see it as something that helps me to better understand God's Word.  It isn't distracting to me nor do I cover up anything; and that is how I think as I do my Bible Art Journaling as well.

On that note, I know it is very difficult for people to begin writing, coloring, or in any way marking their bibles.  And that is why I highly recommend erasable pens, erasable markers, and erasable colored pencils.  It is freeing to know you can always erase something if you want to later or if you make a 'mistake'.  The Frixion markers/pens are great with color but erasable!  Crayola makes erasable colored pencils!  When I want something more permanent, I use my Micron pens (in many different colors and sizes).

3.  I will have other 'options' as we go along, but if you don't have something I show, you can always use a pen or colored pencil to create it on your own.  I will have free printables I made for your throughout the month that you are free to copy onto regular copy paper and use.  You will want a craft glue stick or adhesive tape runner or xyron machine to stick these down to your bibles if you choose to use them.  If not, that's fine too.

-------------------------GETTING STARTED WITH BIBLE ART JOURNALING----------------------
You have your Bible.  You have your pen and pencil (and maybe your colored pencil).  You have a glue stick/tape runner/xyron machine or some way to glue something to your bible (even tape is fine!).

We are going to spend much of the month going through Psalm 119.  What we need to do before we begin Psalm 119 is to READ THROUGH IT a few times.  So I am asking you to do that before you go through to the next post on Day 2.  Read it; don't write anything.  Think about all the times God's Word is mentioned (you'll see precept, law, commandments, ordinance, and a number of other words all talking about God's Word!).  Think about the writer of Psalm 119.  He's like you and me.  What God's Word says he should be doing, is what we should be doing.  How he feels about God's Word is how you and I should feel about it!  Read through it and we will begin our first Bible Art Journaling lesson in our bibles tomorrow.  We have to read it to know what the entire psalm is about, who it's talking about; get the context of the whole book before looking at the smaller parts.  That helps us to not pull a verse out and try to make it say something God never intended it to say.  We will be diligent in our study to accurately handle His Word, as we are called to do.

I know if I came to day one and was told to read, I would likely be a bit disappointed that I didn't get to do SOMETHING in my bible!!  So I have a FREE PRINTABLE (the first of many) that I created for you so you can print and cut out and put into your own bible, if you would like! Here it is in my bible colored with Crayola eraseable colored pencils:

 I love this part in Ephesians 4 because Paul is urging the Ephesian church (and us too) to walk (I have the arrow over because it reminds me it's not a one time step...I am to keep walking) in a manner 'worthy' of the calling with which I have been called.  Worthy (which means 'to have the same weight as') reminds me that the way I walk (my life and deeds), is to be in light of and 'in the same weight as' the calling of Christ on my life.  I am to walk as He walked.  It gives a picture of a scale.  The way Jesus walked and the way I walk.  I will always fall short, as I am not Him, but I need to walk with my goal as the way He did.  I put CR next to it on the left side because it reminded me of what is said in 1 John 2:6...'whoever says he abides in Him ought  to walk in the same way He walked.'  A great reminder.  One I think about throughout my day.  Is this action or thought in line with me walking as Jesus did?  If not, what should my prayer be, or how should I change that action or thought, through the power of the Holy Spirit Who helps in my weakness?

Here is one you can print off and use in your own Bible, if you like:

Be sure to leave a comment here or email me at inspiredstamps@gmail.com to let me know you are joining me!  I am happy to answer any questions or hear any comments as we go along!  It will all get clearer as we get started in Psalm 119 tomorrow!  Happy Reading!

May God bless your ART...and your HEART,
Antoinette