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
