Bible Journaling Challenge
(while TTC)
Quiet times look different for everyone. Some of my favorite quiet times have been when I’ve got my Bible, journal (and 2-3 other books scattered around), colored pencils, and my fav worship playlist going. And coffee. There must be coffee. That’s my ideal quiet time. My husband- he prefers a Bible app and headphones. Wherever you are on the spectrum, God gave you a creative mind, and the one thing He gave us that is limitless is our imagination! But I've found that for many, when we're in a season of waiting, our quiet times can feel stale, underwhelming, or simply emotional. God desires us to draw near to Him, and He promises that when we do, He will draw near to US!
Just because you're waiting on Him, doesn't mean your quiet times have to feel like elevator music. We've created this devotional of sorts to jump start your creativity as well as your relationship with the Lord where it may have begun to feel dry.
We challenge you to use your creativity to draw closer to Him, to worship Him, and to give Him glory.
Feel free to use whatever materials you prefer. All the pages from this journaling challenge are from The Message Canvas Bible which you can get on Amazon. (When I first began Bible journaling, I was so excited for this new hobby, and I would get out gel pens, paper scraps, glue, paint, brushes. I mean, it was a PRODUCTION and a mess to clean up. Fun, but not practical for me in the season I'm in. I found this Bible and LOVE it because I can just keep a few colored pencils lying around and still meditate on God's Word creatively.)
Okay, let's get into it.
Details: We’ve provided 2-3 scriptures per week so that you can really take time and meditate on them. But feel free to add your own or change the timeline! We offer a scripture, an image for inspiration, as well as a DIG DEEPER section!
4 Weeks:
Week 1: Seeking God's Guidance
Week 2: Letting Go of Control
Week 3: Light and Hope
Week 4: Endurance
Do WHATEVER idea the Lord puts on your mind for each verse! That might be simply writing the verse in your journal 5 times in a row, maybe it’s using chalk on a decorative chalkboard or drawing in your journaling Bible. You can do the same thing each day or something completely different.
When you finish one of the scriptures (even if it’s simply writing it out) post a photo to Instagram with the hashtag #fruitfulchallenge.
Most importantly… Ask God what He wants to say to you about each verse!!
Week 1: Seeking God’s Guidance
1 Kings 22:5 “But before you do anything, ask God for guidance.”
DIG DEEPER this week by studying and meditating on Proverbs 3.
Eccl 6:7 "We work to feed our appetites; Meanwhile our souls go hungry."
DIG DEEPER by looking up these Psalms about the nearness of our Father (click for links):
1 Sam 2:3 "God knows what’s going on."
DIG DEEPER by learning Hannahs' story of (in)fertility HERE!
Week 2: Letting Go of Control
Job 41:11 "I’m in charge of all this—I run this universe!"
DIG DEEPER by soaking in the amazing plans He has for you in Jeremiah! I love this part: "I know what I'm doing, I have it all planned out..."
Heb 4:16 "Take the mercy, accept the help."
DIG DEEPER by receiving help this week!!!
Ex 14:14 "God will fight the battle for you."
DIG DEEPER in Isaiah! Here are a few references (click for links) about God fighting our battles for us! He's on YOUR side and He LOVES you!
Isaiah 55:8 "The way you work isn’t the way I work. God’s Decree."
Week 3: Light and Hope
Isaiah 9:2 "For those who lived in a land of deep shadows— light! sunbursts of light!"
DIG DEEPER by asking God to bring wholeness and light into your dark places. Isaiah 9 goes on to share what the coming King (Jesus) would be for us: "His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness. His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings." Meditate on that!
Gen 40:52 “God has prospered me in the land of my sorrow.”
DIG DEEPER by writing some of the things God has done for you EVEN in this difficult season.
Week 4: Endurance
Gal 6:9 "Let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good."
DIG DEEPER by reading and journaling James 1!
Eph 6:10 "God is strong, and he wants you strong."
DIG DEEPER by finishing Ephesians 6 in the Message Version. Here's a taste: "Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet."
Thanks for getting creative with us!! Here are a few other ideas for creative worship:
Write, color, paint a scripture in your journal
Sing the scriptures
Chalk a verse on a decorative chalkboard
Chalk on the sidewalk
Use colored pencils to write a scripture in your Bible margins
Draw, paint, decorate a page in your Bible
Write out a scripture and send it to a friend
Make a gift using a verse
Paint prophetically
