Its a new day.

It's a new day, a new year, a new life.   Let's start with new ideas and a new focus.

My trust through all my trials has always been with God, always.  I've recently discovered an idea sweeping across the world of Christians of doing ART in their Bibles.  It is called Bible Journaling, but usually not only involves journaling, but art, and sometimes only art.

Being that I have always been a doodler, and my adopted dad always called me "Doodles" as a kid, that I doodled on my clothes, my arms, my school notes, and even in the margins of my Bible, this isn't a completely crazy idea to me as it is to some, but I had no idea people were decorating their Bibles almost like scrapbooks!

Photos of my arm doodles in recent years:

One day in October, while browsing Pinterest, I happened upon some Bible Journaling art, and was instantly sucked down a rabbit hole of Bible art on Instagram for easily over an hour.  There some really amazing artists and people with wildly awesome lettering skills out there.  I wouldn't say I am not an artist, but I am not an artist like them! 

Then I saw the front inside cover of a Bible called a "permission page." It said many things their Bible was for (like learning, meditating, tears, joy) and many things their Bible was NOT for (like showing off their mad art skillz.) 

I was hooked. I began to research journaling Bible and found one in the NLT that was coming out Feb 1 called the "Inspire Bible" which has over 400 pre-drawn pages to color in, and still many, many pages for your own art.  I pre-ordered it and began to slowly get the supplies I read were best for Bible journaling.  The founder of Illustrated Faith, and pretty much the person who started this as a movement, Shanna Noel, has a great Facebook Group that offers ideas and help for beginners to people who have done this for a while now. I read the group daily.  I also have watched a few ;) hours of YouTube videos on techniques and ways to make sure your art doesn't bleed to the page behind, etc. 

In December, my back problems took a huge turn for the worse, as did my neck. As I post this on Feb 5, I have officially been on ambulatory bed rest for about 8 weeks. I cannot sit straight up for more than 5 minutes at a time tops, and have been through 4 ER visits, an ambulance ride from one hospital to a larger one, 3 MRIs, a CT scan, an X-RAY, an EMG, an overnight hospital stay, and many doctor visits.  It has been a very painful time physically, but I have stuff to fill my days with, looking for ways to do art in my new Bible when it comes.

In mid-January, we found out that the Inspire Bible release date was pushed to March 22.  By then I had accumulated  a good amount of supplies and more ideas than I can keep track of.  I really was excited to start.  I decided to go for it, and just order the Bible many journalers use, the ESV Journaling Bible in hardcover black by Crossway.  It was a great decision!  When my Inspire Bible

comes, I plan to use it during sermons to doodle and take notes, and color the pre-drawn images.  Doodling always helps me listen better and retain what I have heard.

So my Bible arrived last week, and I have been slowly making it mine.  Let me tell you, it is really hard to do art while reclining but I am getting used to it.  We got me a Lap Dog art desk and I am able to have that on my lap with many supplies right in it. I love it!

I finally finished making the cover of the Bible personal for me, and today finished my very first journaling entry, using my life verses, Proverbs 3:5-6.

Now, do you want to see how I got here?

The Bible

Washi Tape on the first page of every book of the Bible in a rainbow

Chalk Paint

Finished Front with Washi Tape and my handwriting 

Finished back

Page in progress

And the final product again. I can't wait to do a second page! I can spend so much time focusing on a verse or passage of God's word, and use my art to help me remember it.  I love this!

loved.

Danz