Ginormous Sale Alert on All Things Bible Journaling

Hey, friends, I’m keeping this *super* short and sweet today, but just a quick RED ALERT that DaySpring has put approximately almost absolutely E V E R Y T H I N G on their website on sale.

Get to the sale here below and use code FAITH25 at checkout for 25% off everything on your order and free shipping over $50. (Note: The only exclusions are Willow Tree items and Hosanna Revival Bibles. You CAN get your Illustrating Bible at 25% off (sale ends March 17, 2020).

Quickly, here are my top five things I’d grab while the discount is available!

  1. Any Illustrating Bible, including the big one, the book of Luke or Psalms & Proverbs.
  2. Starter supplies. This tool kit is a favorite.
  3. Storage solutions. There are tons of possibilities, but I love this one. Oh! And this one too.
  4. A Bible Journaling workbook in which you can actually practice right on the page!
  5. Absolutely anything from the Illustrated Faith “Beloved Society” collection. Especially true of this “Beloved Society – Ladies” washi tape. I will NEVER own enough rolls of this washi!

Hope you enjoy the sale, everyone! So excited. What are you picking up? (Don’t forget code FAITH25 to save 25% and free shipping over $50!

“What’s True About You” – The Scoop on the New Kit (& More)

If you saw the live video unboxing of the new kit from DaySpring earlier tonight, you might have heard me say something about the many uses of washi tape. I seriously have sealed up lunch bags with it, bandaged boo-boos (in a pinch) and more. Ironically, later that same evening, washi tape came in pretty handy!

Here’s the quick version: My husband and I were moving our “classic” RV (named “Walter”) across town to prepare to sell. En route, we noticed a compartment door on Walter’s backside wouldn’t stay closed and was flying around as he drove. The huz stopped and began hunting for duct tape; I (of course!) grabbed my purse. I dug around and extracted a roll of Illustrated Faith washi tape, peeled off several strips, and we seriously taped the door shut with it. (Yes, I’m afraid we did.) Crazy. But it worked and made the journey safely. Hooray for washi tape!

The new Bible Journaling kit from DaySpring.com.
What’s True About You – “God’s Friend” Bible Journaling Kit

Anyway, back to the kit release tonight! If you didn’t see the video, you can check it out here! For those who did already, I showed all of the contents of the latest DaySpring Bible Journaling kit, the second in the “What’s True About You” series based on Holley Gerth’s new book by the same name.

The new kit, called “God’s Friend”, is the last of the monthly kits from DaySpring for a little while! They’re taking a break while they work on bringing us new Bible journaling goodies in the coming weeks and months. And, good news – the existing kits are all evergreen, so you can jump in anytime. You aren’t behind! Start now, and enjoy.

I also showed (and got to give away!) the new Illustrating Bible from DaySpring, and it’s just beautiful! It began shipping this week, so if you haven’t picked one up yet, it’s available at last here.

Finally, here’s the quick scoop on a deal! Pick up the new kit (or any of the kits) starting Friday morning, May 17, through Sunday, May 19 and get free shipping.

And here’s a quick look at some of the things we checked out tonight:

Goodies from Holley Gerth at DaySpring (from top, left to right): Promises from God Perpetual Calendar, What’s True About You book, Promises From God for Life’s Hard Moments book, 100 Pass-Along Promises, “She Believed” Journal
The New Kit, the associated book and journal from Holley Gerth, and the brand NEW Illustrating Bible!

Thanks, everyone. Don’t forget to pick up your goodies sometime on or before Sunday, May 19 to take advantage of the free shipping offer at DaySpring!

Bible Journaling 101: #getFLIPPYwithit

The inside cover of my Crossway ESV Single-Column Journaling Bible with the leather cover… aka “my Legacy Bible”.

Hey, friends. I get lots of “how-to” questions from folks who are new to Bible and art journaling or looking to try it out for the first time. Come to think of it, I get plenty of “how-to” questions from those who have dabbled in Bible Journaling for a while as well!

During workshops at Flippy Doodle, I tend to use these basic instructions, and they make up the acrostic “FLIPPY”. Here’s how we #getFLIPPYwithit at my little studio:

  • F: Forget perfection.
  • L: Listen to God.
  • I: Imagine fearlessly.
  • P: Pray.
  • P: Play.
  • Y: Yay!
When I don’t feel I measure up… (Illustrating Bible)

F: Forget perfection.
Don’t you find that we often feel the need to make every little thing as perfect as possible? We say, “I’m such a perfectionist” and wear it as a badge of honor, but secretly we allow it to fill our hearts with fear that what our work won’t be “good enough”, “pretty enough”, or “as good as” someone else’s. This is a lie we tell ourselves, and I challenge you to abandon it! Only God can do perfection, so striving for that is setting ourselves up to fail. Have grace for yourself and just enjoy the process! The goal is to linger longer in our study here, not to create a perfect piece of artwork.

I can’t say this often enough or loud enough: Perfectionism is the greatest enemy of creativity. Say it with me: It doesn’t have to be perfect!

In this “vintage hymnal junk journal” I used stickers and Illustrated Faith paints from DaySpring to feature this favorite Brene Brown quote: “Strong back, soft front, wild heart.”
(It’s a goal for me!)

L: Listen to God.
Our goal in Bible Journaling is to connect with God as we linger longer in Scripture. To do that, we have to listen to him! I’m not talking about listening for audible instructions from the Maker of Heaven & Earth – I promise! What I mean is really about spending time with him. Maybe it’s reading a devotional or study notes in your Bible. Maybe it’s listening to worship music or a podcast. Whatever speaks to your heart is great! Do that, and then begin to pay attention to what sticks in your mind and heart. What is God saying to you in this time?

Let’s be brave! Fearless! (“Summer Garden” Large Print Crossway ESV Single-Column Journaling Bible)

I: Imagine fearlessly.
This is the fun part, y’all! Now is when we begin to imagine what the page might look like. As you think about what you studied above, where does it take your mind? Maybe you’re focusing on a single word or phrase. Maybe it brings a picture to your thoughts. Maybe it’s exciting and energizing and makes you want to splash the page with bold colors, or maybe it brings you to a place of peace and comfort, and you want to create something a little more subdued.

Here’s the most important thing to remember: There are no rules. You get to decide what happens here and what speaks to you most.

The secrets to success here are:
1. Abandon perfectionism
2. Confront fear as a no-good, lying, low-down liar-liar-pants-on-fire.
3. Bravely move forward.

You can do it! (Yes, you can.)

P: Pray.
Sometimes, before I start my page, I like to ask God for guidance just to help me more deeply connect with the message I studied. Other times, I like to talk with God as I go along (even silently).

I have found if I trust him to lead me through the process, I’m much happier with the result. He shows us grace, and teaches us to have grace for each other and ourselves, and that’s super important here!

Align your heart with the reason you’re doing this, and you’ll be fine, I promise.

Rainbow colors and a bubble-wrap technique featured in the Workbook Guide to Bible Journaling by Shanna Noel

P: Play.
Ohmygoodness, this is where we give ourselves permission to have fun! Remember that earlier step when we chose to imagine fearlessly? Now we get to try out all we imagined!

Be as bold or as conservative as you choose; this part is up to you. But I encourage you to be brave and try something out of your comfort zone. Splash on acrylic paint. Try some stickers. Go wild with washi tape. Add some hand-journaled thoughts to the page. No fear and no self-criticism!

Y: Yay!
This is the most easily skipped step, but I believe it’s a super-important one, so I challenge you not to skip this!

The “Yay” step is all about sharing what you’ve done with someone. Maybe it’s showing it to someone sitting at the table across from you working in their Bible also, or maybe it’s snapping a picture and sharing it via text or social media with some friends (or even strangers!). .

“But, I’m not ‘artistic’… My page won’t look like everyone else’s… Mine isn’t as good as ____’s page… I can’t show this to anyone…” said at least one person (or all of the people) at every single Bible Journaling Workshop ever.

I hear you, friends. Believe me. But trust me when I say sharing is worth it. Find a group of others who are supportive and positive (no judgment), and share thoughts and ideas together. (May I recommend our Flippy Doodle Bible Journaling Group and the DaySpring Bible Journaling Group, for those not already in the know?)

I promise that no matter what you think of your page, there’s at least one person who will be glad to see it and blessed as a result. And that is doubly true if your page is not perfect in every way. There is tremendous value in sharing our artwork, both for the person with whom it’s shared and the one doing the sharing.

Welcome to Flippy Doodle! (Pictured: Illustrating Bible from DaySpring.

OK, so who’s ready to get started? For those local to NW Arkansas, we’d love for you to join us at the Flippy Doodle studio. Not possible? That’s OK! Try it out wherever you are locally, but join us in the DaySpring or Flippy Doodle Bible Journaling Groups instead.

Enjoy, friends! I can’t wait to see your next page.

Big hugs,
Melody

P.S. Need more Bible Journaling supplies, resources or instruction? Lots of choices below here:

My hands-down favorite starter kit is the Created to Create Kit from DaySpring.

Recommended Supplies:

The bigger this Bible gets, the more I love it! My “Legacy Bible” is a leather-bound Crossway ESV Single-Column Journaling Bible.

Resources for More Ideas & Instruction:

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

Umm… The New Kit Rocks! (& Those “Three Little Words”)

This week, it was again my honor and pleasure to preview for folks in the DaySpring Bible Journaling Group the newest upcoming Bible Journaling Kit, and it was a BLAST! This is the latest in the Women of the Bible series, and I can’t wait to get started using it! (If you missed the preview, head over to the Facebook group and look under “announcements” to find the video!)

Looking for the quick rundown instead of the full video preview? Awesome! Let me share some quick tidbits on what I really love about this new $24.99 kit from DaySpring.

The latest Women of the Bible Kit from DaySpring called “Imperfect Hospitality

7 Things I Heart All the Live-Long Day About The New “Imperfect Hospitality” Kit:

  1. The designs are lovely and (I keep using this word!) elegant. My favorites are the floral clear stamps and the beautifully designed stickers.
  2. This is the third kit in the Women of the Bible series and is called “Imperfect Hospitality“. I won’t share all the details on the devotions, but I anticipate themes of hospitality and grace that will be amazing to work through.
  3. Includes a beautiful, premium friendship card from (in)Courage to share with a friend.
  4. Includes a giant paperclip bookmark and a matching purple ribbon, and I can’t wait to get creative with them!
  5. I adore that the dark purple washi tape design perfectly complements the washi tapes and elements in the other kits.
  6. In fact, ALL of the elements from each of the Women of the Bible kits complement each other perfectly. Why is that so special? Because each kit element that doesn’t get used can be repurposed and used with the next month’s kit, so I’m getting SO much extra use out of them!
  7. There isn’t just one sheet of stickers and one sheet of alpha stickers; there are TWO of each. I love this because it means plenty of letters to use and plenty of opportunity to use beautiful, decorative stickers as well.

OK, just one more reason! I know, I know – I said 7 reasons. But you’ll appreciate the last one. It’s about those three little words we all love to hear. You know what they are, right?

Those three little words are: It’s. On. Sale.

Woohoo!

I’m so excited about this! Starting Monday, March 18 (which is also the date the newest kit releases), DaySpring is having a site-wide sale for 25% off! Can you believe it? So, grab your kit and stock up on plenty of Bible journaling accessories, gifts, and even already-sale-priced inspirational goodies to your heart’s content while they’re on sale!

P.S. U.S. shipping is always free for $50 orders, so it’s a great time to stock up.

Thanks, friends! Can’t wait to continue in the Women of the Bible series with everyone. And if you haven’t already, I hope you’ll join us in the DaySpring Bible Journaling Group and at the Flippy Doodle studio!



Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

Help, I Messed It Up! (What to Do About Mistakes)

My Dearest Bible & Art Journaling Friends,
Spoiler alert:  “Mistakes” happen. We can call them “oopsies”, “unintended outcomes” or even “happy accidents” (just like Bob Ross said). Whatever we call them, they are a fact of life.
Today I decided to focus on this important basic concept we must master to preserve our sanity when Bible journaling: Know what to do when something goes wrong. 

I worked on this page to feature in the DaySpring Bible Journaling group featuring the Women of the Bible “Better Together” kit (featuring Huldah’s story – amazing!). As I worked through it, I used some little teardrop-shaped inkpads I’d purchased recently to make this flower and used a simple yellow crayon to do the center.

RTh80KVaR1yXHm+hrWdq0Q

Disaster! It soaked through! (Spoiler alert: It’s not a disaster. It’s ok! No, really… it’s actually ok!

I was happy with the outcome for such a simple page technique until… disaster! It. Soaked. Through. And isn’t that everyone’s greatest fear with ink pads? If it soaks through, it’s surely ruined, isn’t it?!?  (Spoiler alert: NO, it is most certainly NOT ruined. 😀)

Allow me to share the single greatest piece of advice I try to heed for myself when an “unexpected outcome” happens and I get a result about which I’m not immediately happy.
Here’s the secret: DON’T PANIC! Take a deep breath. It will be OK. (And say it with me again, friends, “It doesn’t have to be perfect!“)
Who remembers the wonderful, kind voice of Bob Ross (and his legendary afro)? Remember that he said that there are no mistakes in artwork, only “happy accidents”? I challenge each of us to see this sort of thing as exactly what Bob Ross said; it’s a happy accident!
Yes, the ink soaked through on one of my pages, right? So. What. It’s not a big deal. Instead of panicking and telling myself (and others) how “I messed up my page,” I challenge each of us to find a way to make it awesome!
For instance, here are just three quick ideas I could use for the back side of this page (and have used with other “happy accidents” in the past):
  1. Use paint and/or ink over the soaked-through portion to intentionally do a similar flower design on the back side also. Take that, “mistake”!
  2. Cover with absolutely anything – die-cut decorations, stickers, or some fun and beautiful washi tape. All of these can look amazing!
  3. Add splashes of bold acrylic paint here and there on the page and on top of the ink here as beautiful background for another page.
Most important tip for your “happy accidents”: Dont. PANIC. It can always be fixed.
And you know what else? God always shows up for me every time.
I have had ink and paint soak through. I’ve torn pages, stamped words upside down, and smeared things I thought would be impossible to fix. But God shows me every single time that he can make all things beautiful. All. Things. And time spent in His word is more beautiful to him than any design I put on the page anyway, don’t you think? ❤️
So, let’s have some grace for ourselves. When it doesn’t look as expected, just go with it and call it a “happy accident”!
Big hugs,
Melody
P.S. Here’s a personal challenge from me: On your next Bible journaling page (even if it’s your first!), I challenge you to say 100% of nothing negative about it, even to yourself, and not even silently. Criticize nothing. Apologize for nothing. Celebrate the beauty of the time you spent in the Word! Your art is beautiful to Him, and you CAN do this. I believe in you! ❤️
P.P.S. Just getting started Bible Journaling? Find supplies and resources at DaySpring here.  Looking for more great articles on Bible Journaling? There are some awesome choices on DaySpring as well. Try these. And if you’re just getting started, I recommend starting with the basics, like 7 Easy Steps to Start Bible Journaling. Enjoy!

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

New Kits & Workbooks & Journals, Oh My! (My Recent Supply Favorites)

Hey y’all! Thanks for joining me on the DaySpring Bible Journaling Group and (in)Courage’s Women of Courage Online Bible Study on Facebook, at the Flippy Doodle studio, and of course here at OhSeriouslyMelody.com.

I get oodles of questions about supplies we’re using in the group and in the studio, and I wanted to share those with you. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, feel free to leave a comment with a question! Happy to help any way I can.

First, let’s review some of the posts! You’ll find the supply list below.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We used some fun and beautiful Bibles, journals and Bible accessories! One of my faves was the new Written on My Heart: Bible Study Notes Journal by Shanna Noel (which you’ll see below). I’ve discovered this is perfect for taking notes at a Bible study or during a sermon, and it made it so, so easy for me to organize my thoughts on the page and still allowed me to make it fun and creative.  Five stars on this one!

fullsizeoutput_3cca

Bibles, Journals, Books & Bible Accessories I Used This Week:

Kits:

fullsizeoutput_3d11I was so blessed to do the video preview of the new kit, which just released the week of Feb 19! This is the second kit in the Women of the Bible series called “Friendship on Purpose“, and I just love it! 

Other Supplies:

Just a few other tidbits!

Quick tip for buying from DaySpring: Shipping is always free for any $50 purchase.

Not seeing what you need in this week’s list? Shop all Bible Journaling supplies here.

Thanks for joining us this week, friends! Questions? Add them in the comments, or feel free to pop over and join the DaySpring Bible Journaling Facebook Group for more detail on the individual posts this week. (Or better still… pop over to check out our latest editorial calendar, and follow along with us!)

Have a fabulous week! 

 

 

Quick Tip:  Just getting started with Bible journaling?

TBZUTfULQjCQnNSN18SPkg
Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit

If you aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend the Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit.  Great devotionals, plenty of supplies, cute storage box and right around $50 so shipping is free also. Super easy!

For great articles on getting started, I highly recommend checking out the library of Bible Journaling articles on DaySpring.com! You’ll find everything from beginner basics there to tips for hosting a Bible journaling get-together with friends – no artistic skills required! 

 

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

Highlighting Scripture: Start Painting in Your Bible in Just 10 Minutes!

Hey, friends, just wanted to share a quick video I put together tonight at the Flippy Doodle Studio featuring some of the techniques from the book “A Workbook Guide to Bible Journaling” by Shanna Noel, available from DaySpring.

I know, I know – painting in your Bible can be scary when you’ve never done it before! But trust me when I say you CAN do it if you want to.

Take a deep breath, and be brave. I believe in you!  This video is less than 10 minutes long, and I promise this technique is so easy you can do it right away!  Check it out on our YouTube channel below:

fullsizeoutput_3d21

Check out the video on the Flippy Doodle YouTube Channel!

A supply list follows if you’re looking for any supplies! Enjoy, friends.

My favorite supplies:

Questions? Share them below! Have fun, and let’s get creative!

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

My Goody List: Supplies from Bible Journaling Posts Week of Feb. 8

Hi friends! Thanks for joining us this week on the DaySpring Bible Journaling Group and (in)Courage’s Women of Courage Online Bible Study on Facebook, at the Flippy Doodle studio, and here at OhSeriouslyMelody.com.

With so many questions about supplies and where to get started, I wanted to share my supply list with tips and favorites from this week! Photos of the Bible Journaling pages posted are here, and supplies are all available at the links below.

Illustrating Bible
My big Illustrating Bible!

First, a big BACK IN STOCK ALERT:
If you are among those who were waiting for the Illustrating Bible, as of this writing it is back in stock in very limited quantities. (Shipping is free!)

It’s expected to sell out quickly, though, so grab it if you can! (I grabbed my second one this week and can’t wait to get started in it.)

Yes, I have already almost filled one of these… I adore it!

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Bibles, Journals, Books & Bible Accessories I Used This Week:

Written on My Heart Bible Study Notes Journal
We are going to have so much fun with this beautiful journal for Bible Study notes!

Kits:

fullsizeoutput_3b5a

A bit of my 1st page from the Women of the Bible – Better Together Kit

Other Supplies:

Quick tip for buying from DaySpring: Shipping is always free for any $50 purchase.

Not seeing what you need in this week’s list? Shop all Bible Journaling supplies here.

Thanks for joining us this week, friends! Questions? Add them in the comments, or feel free to pop over and join the DaySpring Bible Journaling Facebook Group for more detail on the individual posts this week. (Or better still… pop over to check out our latest editorial calendar, and follow along with us!)

Have a fabulous week! And as you’re working on your art and Bible journaling pages, remember this: It doesn’t have to be perfect! Just enjoy.

Quick Tip:  Just getting started with Bible journaling?

TBZUTfULQjCQnNSN18SPkg

Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit

If you aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend the Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit.  Great devotionals, plenty of supplies, cute storage box and right around $50 so shipping is free also. Super easy!

For great articles on getting started, check out the library of Bible Journaling articles on DaySpring.com while you’re at it!

 

 

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

My Goody List: Supplies From This Week’s Bible Journaling Posts

Hi friends! Thanks for joining us this week on the DaySpring Bible Journaling Group on Facebook, at the Flippy Doodle studio, and here at OhSeriouslyMelody.com.

I wanted to share my supply list and favorites from this week! (And maybe a recommendation or two.) Photos of the Bible Journaling pages posted in the group are here, and supplies are available at the links below.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Quick Tip:  Just getting started with Bible journaling?

If you aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend the Created to Create Bible Journaling Starter Kit. It has plenty of supplies to get you started – even a great devotional to help you get in touch with your inner artist, even if you don’t think she’s in there! And the supplies are fantastic right down to the cute clear stamps and the pen that writes beautifully in your bible. It’s around $50, so the shipping is free also. Easy-peasy.

 

Bibles, Journals & Books I Used This Week:

  • (in)Courage Devotional Bible
    I love that this Bible has beautifully written devotions, just enough space at the bottom for journaling on the pages of scripture, and it’s just a beautiful Bible.
  • Illustrating Bible
    Oh-so popular and for good reason!
    What I love: It’s big – basically 10” x 10” square – and is spiral-bound with paper that is 75%-ish heavier than other journaling Bibles, so it’s great for paint (even watercolors), stickers, and all sorts of creative journaling. I joke that it’s as big as a newborn baby when you get it, but mine is now so full it’s basically a toddler!
  • Crossway ESV Single-Column Journaling Bible – Interleaved (Sometimes I call this my “Legacy Bible”.). The leather is so rich and luxurious, and I love that the more it is battered and used, the more beautiful it becomes. The leather cord that ties it shut makes it easy to wrap up a small handful of supplies to take along also, so I often wind up carrying this one to church.
  • Large Print (!) Summer Garden ESV Single-Column Journaling Bible: This is just a large-print version of the ESV Single-Column Journaling Bible so many of us have used for years… and with a beautiful cover. I often use this Bible when I teach. It has the standard 2″-ish margins that make journaling easy, but the print is larger, so easier on the eyes.
  • Workbook Guide to Bible Journaling by Shanna Noel. I am having such a great time with this workbook and learning so much. Definitely worth it for beginners and Bible Journaling veterans alike.
  • 100 Days of Bible Promises by Shanna Noel: Such a wonderful and uplifting devotional, and I’m getting so much out of it! My favorite feature: this heavy paper is perfection for creative journaling.

Kits:

fullsizeoutput_3b5a

A bit of my 1st page from the Women of the Bible – Better Together Kit

Other Supplies:

fullsizeoutput_3bdb

“Beauty for Ashes” Page – 100 Days of Bible Promises

  • Illustrated Faith Homespun Alphabet Clear Stamps
    I love these big, fun, chunky letters! Also pick up the acrylic block if you don’t have one. (Tip: In a pinch, I have been known to use the plastic lid from my stamp pad in place of the acrylic block – especially when I have temporarily misplaced my block. As sometimes happens…!)
  • Illustrated Faith Focusing on God Tip-Ins
    I like like to add these to my journal or Bible with washi tape. Best of all, if you’re using a standard journaling Bible, these are designed to fit in the margin perfectly. (They’re still great in other Bible versions though, as you’ll see from my posts this week!)
  • Black Eyed Pea Alphabet Stickers: Card stock alphabet stickers that match the clear stamps above.
  • Bright Hearts Enamel Stickers: I really like to add some depth and dimension to my pages, and these enamel heart stickers are bright, cute and just a little puffy to stand out on the page.
  • Misc decorative papers and stickers purchased at Hobby Lobby.
  • Clear, printable sticker paper (my new obsession) available anywhere in-store or online where you might purchase printer paper. I love that it’s a little translucent so you can usually still see what’s behind the sticker once it’s placed on the page.

Quick tip for buying from DaySpring: Shipping is always free for any $50 purchase.

 

Thanks for joining us this week, friends! Questions? Add them in the comments, or feel free to pop over and join the DaySpring Bible Journaling Facebook Group for more detail on the individual posts this week. (Or better still… pop over to check out our latest editorial calendar, and follow along with us!)

Have a fabulous week! And as you’re working on your art and Bible journaling pages, remember this: It doesn’t have to be perfect! Just enjoy.

The Illustrating Bible

My Illustrating Bible at the Flippy Doodle Studio.

 

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.

Getting “Psalty” With My Book Club Besties

IMG_1225I recently tried a little Bible and art journaling experiment with a group of girlfriends. It was especially awesome for us in part because we weren’t all regular “Bible journalers”. In fact, the four of us could be called an unlikely group of friends, as we are all very different.

A few years ago, the four of us led a women’s Bible study together at church. And this was no regular Bible study. (Meaning we weren’t exactly polite ladies sipping sweet tea and smiling over tea cakes.) It a group of women who got realover a period of months. We got personal. We got raw. We got vulnerable. And we got close. And we’ve stayed that way. It’s glorious.

We call ourselves The Book Club.

That’s why I wanted so badly to start this what I’m calling my “Get Psalty” experiment with this group… We are so close yet so different, and some of us love to get creative more than others! (And at least one of you just started laughing reading that sentence…)AI9oeqb3QHy76r8asjr%6g

My immediate reaction was: all the heart eyes for this journaling psalter!

And I thought to myself: The girls will love these!

Maybe, I thought, it would be cool to exchange them with each other. I knew it would be a great way to lift them up. It’s the exact opposite of a “Mean Girls”-style “burn book”, and it could really help us celebrate each other.

But would they try it?

So I brought the idea to my Book Club girls. I suggested we each have a Psalter and do a little work in it ourselves, then exchange them and work in each other’s.

The idea is that we keep exchanging them over a period of weeks, months or years, and in doing so we end up studying the book of Psalms together and celebrating each other and our friendship in the process. And we come away with a treasure for each of us – a keepsake with words from our girls that we will treasure always.

fullsizeoutput_2e2b

 

The Book Club girls showed immediate (but brief) excitement, followed by some apprehension and maybe a teensy bit of terror:  We love it! How awesome! But wait… what if we make a mistake? What if my page looks stupid? What if it isn’t as good as hers?!? What if completely ruin it? What if I’m not good enough at this!?!?  What if what if what if…?!?!?!?

Isn’t that how it so often goes for us as women? There’s excitement about something new, followed by that fear of failure… the comparison to others that makes us feel we don’t measure up… that (no-good, conniving, lying) voice inside us that says to us, “You can’t handle this. You aren’t good enough.”  (Except we are. And you are.)

 

So we did it anyway. And I’m so happy that we did!

We had to speak the words out loud that we would have grace for ourselves and for each other. “Mistakes” do not exist… only happy accidents (thank you, Bob Ross, for that phrase!).

+7mMZBgpR%CoX0cDhF2nVA

Now, we exchange psalters about once a month or sometimes a bit more often. We take someone’s (not our own), do a page as a tribute to or prayer for each other, and then we return them a week or two later. And each of us fights the urge to cry. Every. Single. Time.

Flipping through one of our psalters, you’ll find things like:

  • “You inspire me to be a better person. You are truly my sister.”
  • “Love you, my friend with the infectiously amazing smile.”
  • “God, you continue to pour out your love through her life and friendship…”
  • “God, thank you for… she is truly a gift for me and I love that you use her to show me who You are…”

mh3mmGmbQNe5bW3m3jUt3g

 

When my spirit has been weaker than my day has been long, flipping through my psalter and reading what my Book Club sisters have written legitimately changes my spirit. Quickly.

It’s glorious. And I will cherish it always.

 

SwyIwvQgRX+jULmS5SCiMASoon, at my Bible Journaling studio called Flippy Doodle, I’ll be hosting a “Bring Your Besties and Get Psalty” workshop for those who want to try it out. Bring a friend, your sister, daughter, mother, neighbor, bestie, colleague, or even commit to try it out with someone you don’t know well yet. I assure you that you’ll cherish the result!

For more information on upcoming Flippy Doodle workshops, check out our Facebook page events, FlippyDoodle.com, or see the upcoming events at Rogers Experimental House (where the studio is located).

 

For supplies and more Bible Journaling content, check out the Bible Journaling supplies page on DaySpring.com.

 

Illustrating Bible

 

Note: Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure to purchase, ever, and opinions expressed here are always just mine.