It's been awhile since I've popped in with a random blog post, however I thought I'd share the Bible study I did this morning as well as where it led me with journaling in my Bible.
I've been using the Illustrated Faith Genesis Kit study for the last little while, and this morning the reading was in Joshua chapeter 1. God is speaking to Joshua and explaining to him how He wishes to bless him and use him. He commands Him to be strong and courageous, to remain true to Him and His Word and also reminds him that He is with him always!
As I was reading this passage, the vision of a strongman popped into my head. The circus strongman, and even the modern day bodybuilder is always bold, courageous and confident when performing on stage. God calls us to be those things in our everyday walk in life as well...and even though we may not be "performing on a stage", we represent Christ everyday and are being watched by people constantly. Our lives are to show who God is, as well as to witness that our strength, courage and boldness come only from Him.
However, just as the strongman is not always on stage, should you meet him on the street you would definitely still see that he is strong and bold. God has not called all of us to be bold and courageous in a noticeable way all of the time...just as the strongman does not spend every moment of his entire life being boisterous and entertaining people 24/7. There are times when we will be put into circumstances where God calls us to speak up and show others the strength and courage He gives us. But at other times, He will use us in the smallest ways to show others those traits...maybe a journaling page or craft you've created will speak to someone...maybe those kind acts you do when you think no one is watching are not really going unseen and speak to someones soul. I know at times I get discouraged because I'm not living the loud "strongman" life....being involved in the big picture of far away mission work, changing my community in a large way...however I have learned that just because the strength, courage and boldness I have may look different than what God has given someone else doesn't say that I am ineffective! I think all too often Satan uses comparisons between people to separate us from the plan that God has for us....and all too often I seem to fall for it!
I think that God simply calls us today to the same things that he called Joshua to do.
To walk with Him, to meditate on His words, to be bold and courageous in God's time and with His strength...and most of all to cling to the promise that He is with us all of the time, never leaving our side!
So, with all of that being said, here is how my creative side moved in my journaling...
I remembered that I had a strongman die cut in my stash from an older October Afternoon collection that I had purchased a long time ago. I loved it that he was faceless...to me it represented that this could be any of us who are God's children. I fussy cut him him so he would fit onto the side of the margin (I still like to be able to read all of the words in my journaling Bible as I do still take it to church and use if for Bible Studies), and fussy cut the sentiment which was also a piece of the same die cut. I love the sentiment...with God in our lives, we truly are the strongest men and women!
This is the first time that I've used gelatos in my Bible and I love how it turned out! I didn't do dark colors as I just wasn't sure how the process was going to work...but with a few scribbles of the gelatos and a slightly damp paper towel (I must remember to add baby wipes to the shopping list as I'm out) I have to say they blended beautifully! A quick spray of some gold Lindy's Stamp Gang spray and I was ready to add the die cut and stickers after the page dried. I've used a MAMBI sticker along side the strongman image which says courage, and the rest of the stickers I've used are from Illustrated Faith.
Here's a bit of a closer look...
Well, that's all for today my friends!
I hope that there was a message in here that spoke to even just one!
If you haven't started Bible journaling, let me encourage you to do so.
It's a great way to delve back into the Word if you haven't for awhile and also to retain the knowledge that you've gleaned during your study! Somehow it just sticks better when you've pondered it and mulled it over as you created!
If you feel that creating in a Bible just isn't for you, please don't let that deter you from starting a special journal where you can be creative during your study time. It's not the book you use that is important...it's the time that you spend with God building your relationship with Him!
Until next time...
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