Print and Pray Mixed Media Hybrid Bible Journaling | Encourage Each Other

This week I was reminded how important it is to encourage each other. My mother-in-law, Nancy, is so good at this encouraging thing. For the last several weeks, she has been surprising me with little treasures in the mail. I’m so impressed by not only her thoughtfulness, but also that she is so good at mailing things. Is it only me who has trouble putting things in the actual mail?

Seriously though, it’s so fun to be reminded that someone is thinking about you. Happy mail makes the whole day better. But you know what else is encouraging? A text, or a message on Facebook. “Hey, friend! Thinking about you today!” Warm, happy feelings opening those. Sometimes a day will go by and the only text I get is from a robot sending me coupons. So, texts from friends are nice – it’s nice to feel included, right?

When I saw Tamara Arcilla’s new set, Shear Faith, in the Print & Pray Shop, those llamas stunned me with their cuteness. I wanted to create a special page about encouragement and create a little herd of llamas. I’ve read that they are social animals and prefer to live in a herd, which works perfectly here. I’m journaling in 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11. “Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” (NLT)

When we encourage and build up other believers, we help point them back to Jesus. We help them reframe their day which may be full of blah, and we can offer a bit of love. Sometimes I neglect to do this because in my mind, I want to do it perfectly, which might mean a fun package or a hand-made card. But this idea turns into an obstacle that requires a whole thing that needs space and time, and glue.

So, maybe I don’t have 30 minutes to create a perfect thing, but I can send a text. Or a picture. It can be whatever as long as it’s something. Maybe I’ll smuggle some cookies to an exhausted mom friend. I’ll probably have to gift them in a brussel sprouts bag (hide them in the freezer until the kids go to bed). But it’s an idea. You probably have a better one. (Tell me!)

For this page, I created what I’m calling a “floating tip in.” To create a herd of llamas (and a sheep!), I wanted to use several shapes, but there’s only so much room on a page, and some of these New Testament books are short. I’m probably going to to use the other side of the page for another entry. I took a piece of thin plastic (re-use some packaging if you can’t find a piece) and ran a thin line of glue along the edge and shoved it into the spine. Done! I then used a tape runner to adhere the pink llama to the clear sheet, and now she “floats” on the other page. I can flip the plastic piece aside when I’m ready to journal on the other side of the page.

Thanks for joining me here today, friends! If you are an expert encourager, tell me all your secrets! <3, Cristin