Why I create art in my Bible

I started Bible Journaling about 2 years ago. I started in a small journaling Bible and used a kit from By the Well 4 God (I still love their kits by the way). By using a kit that had a lot of elements already in it it allowed me to more easily create things in my Bible while I was still just learning. Below you will see a few of my very first entries in my Bible. As time went on I got more comfortable creating in my Bible with just the supplies I had on hand. I slowly grew my supplies and now I have a fair amount of supplies that I use consistently. You can check out what some of my favorite supplies are over in the forum!

I create art in my Bible because it is a fun way to get into God's Word. Just reading can be boring, especially when you have a creative spirit inside you. I believe God wants us to experience his Word in a way that makes sense for us and in a way that allows us to truly connect with the scripture. It is for that reason that Bible Journaling has become a vital part of my time spent with the Lord. I like to pick a scripture that speaks to me and then just let the creative juices flow to create whatever I create. Most of my pages are of a more abstract nature because, although I am creative, I am not artistic and cannot draw well. By using a more abstract approach it allows me to just go with the flow and not try to create any one specific thing.

I think it is super important when you dive into a community of other Bible Journalers that you do not start comparing your art to theirs. It is an easy trap to get caught in as we look at what someone else can create and then you start feeling like your pages are somehow less than, or on the flip side if you are an amazing artist you could maybe feel as though your pages are somehow superior to someone else's that does not have that same artistic ability. As a parent if I had one child that had amazing artistic abilities and could draw the most glorious things and then I had another child that could only do stick figures and they both drew me a picture from the heart, I would love both of those pictures just the same because they drew them from the heart. Our artistic abilities have no bearing on what God thinks of what we are creating. Bible Journaling is just a way to creatively express what you feel God is doing in you. That is going to look radically different for everyone. I say this to people all the time, Bible Journaling is NOT about the art, it is about your personal relationship with God and expressing that creatively in whatever way you desire.

I encourage you to jump into community here on this site and get to know others, learn some things and teach some things, gain inspiration, encouragement, hope and hopefully make some new friends!!