This one goes out to all you ladies who just can’t get enough of the Lord & need some “extra curricular” journaling. Those who need something outside the margins of their Bible where they can really dive into prayer. I’m the brand of faith journalist that just goes for it. I paper craft on all surfaces: my Bible, old hymnals, scrapbook pages, art journals, little scraps of paper, the backs of old cereal boxes– seriously whatever I can find. If it’s able to be glued down or glued upon, it’s fair game.
One of the most frustrating things I’ve come across in the bible journaling community recently is this ludicrous rumor of “rules” for illustrating your faith. As a member of the creative team, allow me to let you in on an insider secret. There’s a test you can take to see if your art qualifies as Illustrated Faith:
Q1: Are you praying & speaking to God and, in turn, pouring your heart out through your artwork?
If your answer is yes, then congratulations! You’re illustrating your faith! (cue the confetti) There is no right or wrong format for art worship. In fact, Illustrated Faith now creates their devotional kits & other blank journals in traveler’s notebook format. This totally speaks to my “Take #allthethings With You Everywhere” Sensibilities, so I whipped out one of the notebooks & created a journal specifically for prayer at the start of the year. I’m determined to have 2016 be a year of more focused & intentional prayer!
You can create a notebook for extended worship out of anything. I chose the Illustrated Faith “Hey God” traveler’s notebook insert, but a regular old journal or notebook will do perfectly! (As I said before: there’s only one rule!) As a head nod to the title of the notebook, I intend to begin each prayer in the journal with the words “Hey God!” I often speak to God like I’m talking to a friend, so “Hey God” totally gives me a comfortable start to each prayer. :)
This page I’m sharing with you today is one where I just sat down at my desk & flat out thanked the Lord for the gift of creativity He has blessed me with! It seems so simple & cheesy & cliché, but it is SO IMPORTANT for us to thank Him! How often do we take our gifts for granted? What would I do without these hands of mine? How different would my life be? So much of my life centers around art & creating that my world would look massively different than it does now had it not been for this incredible, load-bearing gift from the Lord. So I thanked Him.
Go create something out of nothing today! Go paste something down in a journal. Go send our Awesome God a thank you note for enriching your life! And don’t stress about the format– just say a prayer & you’re halfway there. ;)
<3 Elaine
P.S. Bonus material! With my spirited kitty Phoebe in the mix, this is a real behind-the-scenes look at how my article photoshoots usually go. HA!
Illustrated Faith “Hey God” traveler’s notebook insert | Illustrated Faith “His Love” Stamp Set by Gina Lideros | Illustrated Faith “Ampersands Are My Favorite” Stamp Set | Illustrated Faith “Color Outside the Lines” printable by Shanna Noel | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd. Genesis Collection Kit | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd. Typed Alphas in “Oh My Heavens” | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd. Big & Bold Alphas in “Black Eyed Pea” | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd. Point It stickers | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd. Say It stickers in “Colorful” | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd. Remember It stickers | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd. pen | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd. washi tape in “By Grace” | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd. Whatever is Lovely patterned paper in “Lovely” | Bella Blvd. Treasures & Text 12 x 12 Sticker Sheet in “Color Chaos”
| Prima Chalk Edger ink in “Teal Damask
Thanks for clearing up the rules sweets, I am sure that helps out some others :D