Let’s Make a Deal! Just kidding– let’s bible journal. hahaha I’m so excited to post this challenge today for several reasons. Reason #1: I meet a lot of people that are new to Bible Journaling & one of the things I hear most is “I don’t have time to journal in my Bible because I’m so busy!” Reason #2: People are busy. We all are. But making time for prayer & the Scripture is SO important.
Jill Drangsholt, who is our community leader for the Illustrated Faith Facebook Group, is hosting a challenge over there this week for you to take 15 minutes each day to Bible Journal. It can be more, of course, but 15 minutes is all it takes. You don’t need a huge mess of products (although that’s always fun!) You just need paper & a pen. Everything else is icing on the cake! This is a 2-part blog series. Today I’m going to share 3 tips for doing some 15 minute entries & I’ll be back on Thursday to share 3 more! Hopefully these will inspire you to pull out God’s Word even when you only have a half hour lunch break or a quick pocket of time while your kiddo naps. It doesn’t take much to really set the tone for your day. So here are some ways to really get the most out of your 15 minutes in your Bible:
#1. Skip the paint.
I know this might seem heartbreaking to some of you, but let’s be real for a second. Paint can be messy, take time to dry, & just be an overall time suck trying to get it to look “just right.” If you skip over the paint step & just journal on a bare page, you can get right into the purpose of Bible Journaling & skip the time & mess that goes with it.
#2. Have your printables pre-cut & ready to paste.
This is a big one for me. I love fussy cutting, but it’s time-consuming. When I sit down to journal with only 15 minutes, I want to just be able to pull a piece out right away & get it in the margins. Pre cutting your printables on a night at home while you watch a movie can really help you out in the long run!
#3. Journal what’s on your heart in THAT MOMENT.
Don’t worry too much about completing a devotional or whether or not you already journaled about that topic recently. Just jump in. What is your heart feeling right in this very moment? Gratitude? Shame? Frustration? Fear? Joy? Anticipation? Try to boil down your thoughts & feelings to one word & using that as your starting point. Getting to the root of what you’re feeling can really help you better process things & reveal how you should be praying in that moment. Each day is something new, but what matters is that 15 minute period & how you’re feeling right then.
We all have the same goal: have a closer relationship with God. If that means packing your Bible in your bag for work & jotting down some thoughts on your lunch break while you eat your PB&J, do it! Head over to the Illustrated Faith Facebook group to join in on the challenge! Share your pages in the challenge thread & tell others your own tips & tricks! Each page you share will give you an entry to win the challenge prize at the end of the week!
<3 Elaine
additional supplies: Illustrated Faith His Love stamp set by Gina Lideros (retired) | Paper Studio Petals & Blooms 6×6 paper pad
