Claire Graham - my Bible Art Journaling Journey

This week's fabulous blog post has been written for us by Claire Graham - it's so exciting to see her Bible Art Journaling journey over the last six months! 

New Wine 2015 is when my Bible journaling journey began - less than 6 months ago! I arrived at New Wine exhausted; desperately seeking healing from past hurts which still had a huge grip on my life and eager to rejuvenate my relationship with God. While I was there I was definitely restored and healed from those past hurts, finally able to move forwards after nearly 18 years and my relationship with God was kick-started as through various meetings and workshops at the arts venue I realised that it was OK to be arty, in fact, better than that, being arty was part of what God made me to be. I'd never really thought of how arty God is before.. but He created the world and it's a beautiful place... think rainbows, autumn leaves and dew on spiders webs just for starters. He also created me, a creative being!

I remember going to a Bible Art Journaling workshop, focusing on lettering and tangling (2 things which I am now completely in love with!) I produced my first official page and experimented with some simple tangles:-

I knew that I wanted to do more and soon I was addicted, journaling some of my favourite verses, picking themes out of the Bible to follow (I officially love stars!) and creatively responding to issues both in the world and at a more personal level.

Then while searching for which journaling Bible to put on my Christmas list I stumbled (definite Godincidence!) upon Advent Illustrated... a book, Facebook group and Instagram tag that gave prompts throughout Advent for journaling. I've officially loved having guidance verses for what to journal each day and a plan which guided my thoughts from Creation to Christmas, I've also loved the discipline of journaling and therefore studying the Bible every day and having to carve time out for that and I've been able to see my skills develop over that time. Here are a few of my favourite entries from the plan.

I'm really looking forwards to continuing my Bible journaling adventure, I'm going to carry on with Seasons and Advent Illustrated (the new name for Advent Illustrated) following the weekly prompts through the book of Esther and beyond, to learning new techniques, to playing with my Christmas presents (Journaling Bible, stamps, chameleon pens, etc!!), to growing new friendships through a mutual love of Bible journaling and to growing my relationship with God as I journal, doodle and draw.

Many thanks for sharing with us this week Claire - such a blessing to hear your Art Journaling story - and looking forward to hearing much more from you!
If anyone else would like to share your Bible Art Journaling journey with us on this blog, or if you have something on your heart to share, please do get in touch with Deborah Gregg, Sarah Anderson, Jane Butcher or Sharon King - we'd love to hear from you! 

Introducing Jane Butcher!

Greetings! My name is Jane Butcher though to be honest I am more likely to respond to "Ben's Mum!" I've a hard act to follow on from Ben's blog post last week, but I'll do my best.

I came across Bible Journaling a few weeks before Christmas last year. I have an amazingly talented friend called Annie who is a professional graphic recorder. She records conferences, workshops, Bible Studies using visual images, sketches and lettering, her work is stunning and a great inspiration to me.

Between us we stumbled across the Bible Journaling Community on Facebook and I was immediately hooked by this new (to me) way of studying and engaging with my Bible and my Lord. Though by no means an artist in the pure sense of the word I am an inveterate doodler and sketcher and I'm definitely a multi-sensory learner. I am first of all a writer (of sorts) and enjoy writing short stories, funny poems (doggerel) and even a children's novel, but to learn and retain information I work best using mixed methods of study and recording.

I texted my friend who owns our local Christian Bookshop the same evening and within a week I had my own Journaling Bible.

I just pitched in and launched into this new adventure. Unlike many of you I'm not a great planner, I don't practice my page, I sometimes don't even do it in pencil first, I just "go with the flow", I enjoy responding freely and though there have been some "hot messes" to quote our American friends I don't get stressed by bleed through, mistakes or less than perfect artwork. I'm not working towards producing a masterpiece, I'm simply enjoying spending time in the Word, spending time with the Lord, deepening my understanding and celebrating verses which have particular meaning for me.

It is likely that I will leave this for my little great neice Emma Grace who lives in Florida, I may never meet her but hopefully she will get to know me just a little through my Bible.

One of the many blessings that have come from my Bible Journaling is connecting with so many like-minded Christians and being encouraged and challenged by their postings. I also have a Bible Journaling family locally, we've met up a few times in Sale and in Knutsford and on October 3rd will be meeting up for our first monthly Journaling get together at the Salvation Army in Winsford, Cheshire (do contact me for details if you'd like to come along!).

Ben and I are also very blessed to meet up most weeks with his girlfriend and her Mum to journal together around their dining room table.

I have no great wealth of artistic skill to share, merely a love for the Lord, a passion to press in deeper to His Word, and a deep joy in making new friendships as we journey together through Bible Journaling.

With my love and prayers,
Jane

Introducing the amazing Ben Butcher!

Hi, my name is Ben Butcher and I am twenty five and I got Down’s Syndrome.

I’m a Senior Soldier in the Salvation Army and my Corps is in Cheshire.



Well, what can I say about Bible Journaling? 

It started when I saw my Mum doing journaling and I looked at her pictures 

and verses and it inspired me and challenged me to do the same. 

At first she posted two of my pictures and verses for me but then she joined

me to the Bible Journaling Community. I looked at other peoples pictures on 

Facebook and WOW! they looked spectacular!

I love Bible Journaling and it draws me close to God and to see what plans He 

has for me and to go deeper in my faith with Him. I love being part of this group

and my faith is stronger every day and I encounter God in my journey as I walk 

with Him.

This is so wonderful to be part of this amazing, talented, Godly group and I am 

glad to be a part of it. This is revival, BRING IT ON!

Ben has recently told his mum that he wants to be an ambassador or an advocate for people with disabilities to show them that you can still do things and be part of things - he wants people to know that they are important and have something to offer!