Bible Marginalia- The Joy of the Lord

 Inspire Bible- Bible Marginalia

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

Ezra Reads the Law

Grandson Levi read the Old Testament Reading

 in worship this past Sunday.

 Maybe I was listening a bit more intently than usual.

I had my Inspire Bible and a few colored pencils.

 Just the movement of my hand helps me to listen better

 and concentrate on what the Lord wants me

 to hear in that time frame.

It had been so long since the Israelites 

had heard God's Word read aloud.

They stood for hours.

They were weeping in sadness and Nehemiah tells them

 to go and celebrate.  

Share the food with people who have nothing prepared.

"Don't be dejected and sad, 

for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

Supplies:

Inspire Bible

Colored pencils

Washi tape

Bible Marginalia-Like a Fire

Bible Marginalia Series- #193

Jeremiah 20:9
Jeremiah is having a bit of a tantrum here.
A bit of a rave to God.
Seems like because of his speaking out for the Lord,
 he is now mocked and laughed out.
Sort of the way the world looks at Christians today.
But, then Jeremiah says- BUT I CAN'T HELP IT.
"His word burns in my heart like a fire.
It's like a fire in my bones."
Friends and foes are waiting for him to slip up.
BUT, the balance is tipped.
The Lord stands beside him like a great warrior,
and they cannot defeat him.
I stand with the Lord of Heaven's Armies.
Time to sing and give praise- can't beat that.

Supplies:
Inspire Bible
Colored pencils
Gel pens
Fine-point Sharpie pen
Gelatos

Bible Marginalia- Rest for our Souls

Bible Marginalia Series- #176

Reading Jeremiah these days.
It is pretty simply laid out.
The Lord says- Honor and obey me.
The people turn away and do as they please.
Jeremiah is called to tell it straight.
No punches.
Both prophet and Lord are rejected.
And the Lord says:
"Stop at the crossroads and look around.
Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it.
Travel its path,
and you will find rest for your souls."

STOP   LOOK   ASK
WALK    TRAVEL    FIND

Verbs- action.
Response-
to the call of our God who always
seeks us first.
For HE is faithful.

Supplies:
Inspire Bible
Colored Pencils
 Micron pens 
Washi tape

Walking Stick Reassurance

Just finished reading Eugene Peterson's- 

 Run with the Horses.

It has challenged me to read
 the book of Jeremiah.

In the first Chapter, Jeremiah, 
the prophet to the nations, 
learns that before he was formed in the womb,
the Lord knew him, 
and before he was born,
he was sanctified- set apart. (v. 5)
 When he was concerned 
about his young age,
the Lord said:
I'll send you, tell you what to say, 
be with you, and deliver you-
do not fear. (v.7-8)
Jeremiah gets some details about his job-
and learns that he will bring news
 of judgment tempered with grace and hope.
Then comes the part 
Then the Lord asks Jeremiah what he SEES?
A branch of an almond tree, 
perhaps a rod.
(going with a stick in this play on words)
The Lord says- You see well, good eyes.
For I am watching, wakeful and ready,
to perform my WORD,
and bring it to pass. (v.11-12)
The almond tree is the first tree
 to bloom in the spring, to come awake.
An almond branch becomes 
a reminder that the Lord is STICKING 
with us, to make sure His Word STICKS
it out to the end.
His Word will come true.
Jeremiah plays here with 
the similar Hebrew words:
shaqed -almond
and 
shoqed-watching.

Last year when we visited 
Bethel Lutheran Church in Claremont, NC.
both John and I were given walking sticks.
Mine is the short one 
and the one on the left was given to John.
When the older gentleman who made them
 saw how tall John is,
 he decided he needed a taller walking stick.
A few weeks later John 
received the one on the right.
Our terrain is fairly flat 
and we don't use the sticks much for walking.
But, I store the sticks right outside
 the door we leave from each morning.
Almond wood or not,
 I believe they will now serve as
visual reminders.
The Lord is sticking with me,
and He is watching to make sure all His Words 
come true.
A pretty awesome way 
to start the endeavors of each and every day. 

Bible Journaling- Psalm 27

Gathering some resources here.

A variety of approaches for time

in His Word.

Psalm 27- Sketch Notes

in a blank journal

 To divide up the space I made a border 

and then highlighted the verse

 I was seeing as MY focus 

for this time in God's Word.

More borders and doodles.

Much of the "notes" for this are from

The Message.

 Also spending time in the Inspire Bible.

In this Bible the design

 is already preprinted-like on the left side

 here in the margin.

This time I also added the words on the right-

The ONE thing.

Here is Bible Journaling from Oct 2014.

Actually sermon notes, 

with highlighted sections.

What I love about the resources

 available now for Bible Study

 and prayer time in God's Word

 is that there are so many

 DIFFERENT 

approaches and resources.

So many doorways in......

Sally Beck is a talented artiest
 that has been working with
 Visual Faith images
 over a long career. 
She was an illustrator 
for Creative Communications.
She shares her images for others to use.
They are available here with a
 Psalm 27 devotion by Natalie Hartwig.
DC Metro Bible Journaling- Files

Here is a sample of the Banner Design book 
from Sally Beck.
The simple designs for banners - 
without a lot of frou frou details
 make wonderful inspiration for Bible margins.

Though this book was published 18 years ago-
 it has wonderful help for anyone
 creating with Visual Faith.
Banners-Favorite-Bible-Verses-Sally Beck

Maybe there is something calling you
 to use Visual Faith tools 
for Prayer and time in God's Word.

Bible Marginalia-Praise Your Name

Bible Marginalia Series-#174

We were traveling last week
 by car for many miles.
That gives me a lot of time to
 spend coloring in my Bible.
I use a laptop desk and that gives me
 enough steadiness to color when traveling.
I had colored in this margin for Isaiah 25:1
 and was reading the section right
 before this in Chapter 24.
A rather disquieting section-
terror, snares and traps.
Earth utterly broken up, destroyed,
violently shaken and 
collapsing.
The whole world in turmoil.
Then I saw a twitter feed-
NICE, FRANCE.
More shootings.
Such such sadness.
AGAIN.
And the prayer in the margin 
has new meaning.
Oh, Lord,
we must not lose sight of all your goodness
 in the midst of such violence and horror.
We cling to the wonderful things that you do,
in the middle of the mess.
Even when we cannot see or feel it.
It is the underlining form
 that shapes this world.
For you have conquered ALL
 that can take our soul-
 you have claimed us.
I will give you honor and praise.
Even.... in all the darkness....
YOU ARE LIGHT.    Amen.

Bible Marginalia-Turn our Hearts

Bible Marginalia Series- #163

Malachi 4:6

Looking at the last verses

 of the Old Testament.

 Elijah is coming-

 time to listen.

 The Lord is coming again.

Pay attention.

 The arrogant will be consumed.

Those who fear the Lord will leap with JOY.

Pretty straightforward.

 Time for some heart listening

in our world.

Hearts to turn,

or the Lord will come and curse the land.

Not to live in fear.

But it often feels like we have already

 moved far from obedience to the Law of Moses.

Time to recenter.

Each and every day- called to repent.

And remember our baptism.

Called and redeemed.

Thank you Lord, for grace.

Supplies:

Inspire Bible

Gelatos

 Colored pencils

 Micron pen

Technique:
I color with the pencils first then lightly cover
 the whole page with Gelato pigment- it is like lipstick.
 Rub in with my finger.
It gives a better depth to the page
 than the plain color of the Bible page.

Bible Marginalia-Don't Worry

Bible Marginalia Series- #162

Ruth- a wise woman for certain.

Making connections to be in the right place.

For the Lord to use her 

for the good of the Kingdom.

Boaz comes to her and says-

"Don't worry about a thing, my daughter."

The next piece of His plan will fall into place.

The family redeemer will be a part of the plan.

And the Kingdom plan moves forward.

Supplies:

 Inspire Bible

 Colored Pencils

Gelatos

 Micro pen

Bible Marginalia-You Know ME

Bible Marginalia Series- #161

Psalm 139

My intimate life with God-

from the time of my conception and 

 knit together in the womb.

Thank you, Lord,

 for making me so wonderfully complex.

 Your workmanship is marvelous.

You have examined my heart Lord, 

and you know EVERYTHING about me.

 You know what I am doing,

 what I am thinking, 

and where I am.

 You go before me- 

and you follow me.

In all of life you are WITH ME.

In all of the days I have on earth-

what sweet comfort this gives me.

For this meditation I colored in the words
 on the left side 
(they are preprinted in the Inspire Bible)
 and then drew
 in the flowers on the right.
 I added a  few of the swirls 
on the right to tie them in for the whole page.

Supplies-

Inspire Bible

Colored pencils

 Micron pen

Bible Marginalia- Sing Praises

Bible Marginalia series- #159

Psalm 150:6

EVERYTHING
that Breathes-
is alive.
To SING 
praises to the Lord.
A permission giving,
expected behavior.
Full self, 
nothing held back.

Open and giving.
Heart, Mind, Body and Soul.
To the one who Creates and Sustains-
 LIFE.

Supplies:
Colored pencils,
Illustrated Faith pen
Gelato
Inspire Bible

Bible Marginalia-There is Freedom

Bible Marginalia Series-#158

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

Pentecost Reflection Reading

The Glory of the New Covenant

We live without the condemnation

 of death under the new law.

The new way is  glorious,

and it lasts forever.

It gives us confidence 

so we can be very bold.

We have had the veil removed,

 for those who believe in Christ. 

Whenever someone turns to theLord, 

the veil is taken away. 

For the Lord is the Spirit,

 and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is,

 there is freedom.

SO--

all of us who have had the veil removed-

can SEE

and REFLECT 

the glory of the Lord.

And the LORD-

who is the Spirit-

makes us more and more like him,

 as we are CHANGED

 into his glorious image.

And this is the spiritual transformation

 brought forward by the gift

 of the Holy Spirit in each of us.

Thank you Lord Jesus 

for this gift of the Holy Spirit.

Supplies:

Colored Pencils

 Derwent colored pencils

 Illustrated Faith pen

 Gelatos 

Bible Marginalia- My Redeemer Lives

Bible Marginalia Series- #157

The frontispiece for JOB 
on the INSPIRE BIBLE
has the well-known verse 
from Chapter 19.
But, as for ME-
I KNOW
that MY
REDEEMER 
LIVES!
and HE will
Stand Upon the earth
at last.
 A favorite Easter season song.
And not to be morbid but,
 one I pray they sing 
at my funeral
one day.
For I truly stand triumphant 
in Christ.

Supplies:
Colored pencils
Date stamp and ink
Illustrated Faith pen

Bible Marginalia-The Ascension

Bible Marginalia- #156

An amazing day here
 in this section of Scripture-
The Ascension--Luke 24:50-53.

• They left Bethany.
• Jesus blessed them.
• Jesus left them.
• Jesus was taken up to heaven.
• The disciples worshiped him.
• The disciples returned to Jerusalem.
• The disciples were filled with great JOY.
• The disciples spent all of their time in the temple.
• The disciples praised God.

Supplies:

Colored pencils

Gel pens

The Inspire Bible

Bible Marginalia-Grow Your Roots

Bible Marginalia- #155

Paul's Prayer for Spiritual Growth.

 Ephesians 3:14-21

So much in this section of Scripture.

• First-- Praise to the Creator of the Universe.
• That through His glorious unlimited resources He will empower us with inner strength through His Spirit.
• Then Christ will make His home in our hearts as we trust in him.
• Our roots will grow down into God's Love and keep us strong.
• That we may have the power to understand how wide, how long, how high and how deep God's love is for us.
• May we experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.
• All glory to God, who is able through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (more than we can imagine)
• And lastly- Glory to Him through all generations forever!

Supplies:

Colored pencils

Illustrated Faith pen

Inspire Bible

Bible Marginalia- Don't Worry

Bible Marginalia Series- #154

Finally got the new Inspire Bible.

It has preprinted journaling 

designs to color and finish.

 Didn't think I would be very interested

 in this type of response when I ordered it- 

 way last Fall.

But there is something really calming 

about simply sitting and coloring

 and praying Scripture.

No fiddling with supplies or design work.

The margins have preprinted 

Bible verse typography.

  I am currently just trying out colored pencils.

There are also blank margins. 

Today this verse fit the bill.

 Matthew 6:34

And then there is: 

"Can all your worries 

add one single moment to your life?-verse 27

I am not familiar with the

 New Living Translation.

Enjoy reading something different at times.
Think this might be a really great choice
 for someone just getting started in Bible journaling.
Or even to switch it up a bit.

so......now worries.....

Right?    RIGHT?

Supplies:

Colored Pencils- Assorted

Color Pencils- Derwent

Illustrated Faith black pen